42 In New Jersey Busted In Child Sex Trafficking Probe

Forty-two people in New Jersey have been charged in a child sex trafficking probe that rescued 84 children from harm, FBI officials announced this week.

They were busted as part of Operation Cross Country and face several charges, including sex trafficking, child exploitation and prostitution, according to the FBI.

The FBI provided no specifics on the people who were arrested, where they were from or what they did. But they said 33 of those arrested were from South Jersey, six were from North Jersey and three were from Central Jersey.

FBI officials in Newark said they were very involved in the multi-state bust that involved law enforcement agencies from throughout New Jersey. None of the juveniles rescued were from New Jersey.

“Even though no juveniles were rescued, we potentially touch the life of an adult to stop them from participating in criminal activity,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bradley Cohen of the FBI Newark Field Division.

Watch: FBI Announces Results Of Operation Cross Country XI: Underage Sex Trafficking Crackdown

The probe took place this year in 55 FBI field offices and involved 78 state and local task forces, consisting of hundreds of law enforcement partners, according to the agency. Operation Cross Country was a nationwide effort focusing on underage human trafficking that ran October 12-15.

As part of Operation Cross Country, FBI agents and task force officers staged operations in hotels, casinos and truck stops, as well as on street corners and Internet websites, according to an FBI release.

The youngest victim recovered during this year’s operation was 3 months old, and the average age of victims recovered during the operation was 15 years old. Minors recovered during Cross Country Operations are offered assistance from state protective services and the FBI’s Victim Services Division, according to the release.

Depending on the level of need, victims are offered medical and mental health counseling, as well as a number of other services.

On Oct. 13, FBI Denver recovered two minor girls—one 3-month-old and one 5-year-old. The suspect, a friend of the children's family, offered an undercover officer access to the two children for sexual purposes in exchange for $600. The FBI is working with Child Protective Services to conduct a forensic interview and secure safe placement of the children. The suspect was placed under arrest, according to the release.

Also on Oct. 13, a 16-year old female victim was recovered by FBI El Paso, after an undercover agent called an online advertisement for entertainment. Shortly thereafter, the agent met with a 21-year-old female, who offered a fee of $200 to engage in sexual intercourse with her and another female, the 16-year-old victim.

Further investigations revealed that a second adult female drove the minor and the 21-year-old to the undercover’s location. Both female subjects have been arrested on federal charges, according to the release.

The New Jersey agencies below participated in Operation Cross Country. It does not mean somebody from their town/county was arrested:

• Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office
• Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office
• Atlantic City Police Department
• New Jersey Human Services Police Department
• Egg Harbor Township Police Department
• Galloway Township Police Department
• Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office
• Fairfield Police Department
• Essex Fells Police Department
• Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office
• Ocean Township Police Department
• Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office
• West Caldwell Police Department
• Caldwell Police Department
• New Jersey State Police
• Essex County Prosecutor’s Office
• New York/New Jersey Port Authority Police Department
• Irvington Police Department
• Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office

Photo: A Denver FBI agent holds the passport of a Russian minor rescued in a sex trafficking raid. Courtesy: FBI