Essex County Man Recruited Women For Sex Trafficking, Feds Allege

NEWARK, NJ — Authorities are accusing an Essex County man of using the internet to recruit women into the sex trafficking industry.

Amin Sharif, 47, of Newark, has been charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking an adult woman and one count of sex trafficking a minor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.

Sharif made his initial court appearance Wednesday. He appeared by videoconference and was detained, authorities said.

Federal prosecutors released the following statement about the case:

“Since January 2021, law enforcement officials have been investigating Sharif for transporting and attempting to transport women and minors from various states to New Jersey and elsewhere for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts and other illicit conduct. Sharif used several social media platforms and profiles to recruit women and minors to engage in sex acts for money. Once in contact with his victims, Sharif used threats to coerce the victims into engaging in commercial sex acts. He advertised women and at least one underage girl online for commercial sex acts. Sharif also transported at least one underage girl located in another state into New Jersey and attempted to transport a woman located in another state into New Jersey via a commercial airline, in furtherance of his sex trafficking conduct.”

The counts with which Sharif is charged are each punishable by a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, prosecutors said.

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