Police Seek Collingswood Man in Sex Trafficking Scheme

Police are searching for a Collingswood man who is one of three people charged with conspiring to engage in sex trafficking of a minor and engaging in sex trafficking of a minor, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said on Friday.

Kenneth Mertz, 35, remains at large, but two suspects from Camden have been arrested in connection with the alleged crime. Aaron Gray, 29, a/k/a “AR,” and Aja Easley, 22, appeared Friday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in Trenton federal court.

Each man is charged in a three-count complaint with conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor and with sex trafficking of a minor. Gray is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Gray and Easley were ordered detained without bail.

On March 2, 2015, Easley allegedly communicated with a minor using a social media website, according to documents filed in the case. She allegedly told the victim she was “worried about” her because of a previous assault by the victim’s boyfriend.

She allegedly offered the victim money, clothing and shelter and met with her at the Camden Transportation Center.

Easley allegedly told the victim about a dating website, and said the victim could make money through the website by going on “dates.” Easley and the victim later met Gray and Mertz at a home in Camden.

Mertz then allegedly drove everyone to a motel in Cherry Hill, where Gray and Easley allegedly attempted to convince the victim to engage in commercial sex acts and allegedly took suggestive photos of the victim. Those photos were then allegedly used as part of an advertisement on the website.

Easley allegedly used her cellular telephone to communicate with multiple individuals who responded to the ad, and Gray allegedly gave the victim instructions on what to do when the respondents arrived.

Gray was allegedly in possession of a firearm and a collapsible nightstick, which police believe belonged to Mertz.

On March 3, 2015, at a motel in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, the victim engaged in sex acts with multiple people, who responded to the ad and allegedly paid money to the defendants.

The defendants later allegedly told the victim they were taking the victim to Atlantic City to meet another person who had responded to the ad.

On the way to Atlantic City, the defendants allegedly agreed to let the victim stop at a house in Gloucester City, at which point the victim contacted police. This ultimately led to Gray’s and Easley’s arrests.

The count of conspiracy to engage in the sex trafficking of a minor carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. The substantive count of sex trafficking of a minor carries a statutory mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a statutory maximum of life in prison. The felon-in-possession count carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000.