A man and two women from Massachusetts were arrested and charged with human trafficking and prostitution on Monday, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced.
According to authorities, on July 24, 2017, the Atlantic City Police Department contacted the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force in reference to an allegation of Human Trafficking.
The FBI/CETF, which is comprised of law enforcement officers from the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Department and the NJ Human Services Police Department, initiated a cooperative investigation that resulted in the arrests of three individuals.
The defendants are identified as:
Galen Spriggs, 39, of Revere, MA
Jovana Jensen, 37, of Revere, MA
Laraza White, 24, of Revere, MA
Spriggs, Jensen and White were each charged with one count of first degree Human Trafficking and one count of third degree Promoting Prostitution. The defendants were transported to the Atlantic County Justice Facility. The defendants were remanded pending a detention hearing.
The 23 year-old victim was recovered and received services from the Dream Catcher Program.
The investigation is continuing at this time.
Jensen and White’s detention hearings are scheduled for 9 a.m., Thursday, July 27. Spriggs’s detention hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m., Tuesday, August 1.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666. Witnesses may also contact the Atlantic City Police Department Investigations Division at 609-347-5766.