Authorities have arrested two Atlantic County men for promoting the prostitution of children and other crimes, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced.
A four-month investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force resulted in the arrests of Seleem Reynolds, 25 of the 200 block of N. South Carolina Avenue, Atlantic City, and Mikal Mitchell, 29 of the 500 block of Shore Road, Somers Point.
The focus of the investigation was the exploitation of children under the age of eighteen, and of an adult female, for the purposes of promoting prostitution.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) is staffed by members of federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies and has two primary goals:
1.Identify and prosecute those involved in theses trafficking of minors, and
2. Recover the minor victims to ensure their safety and provide them access to the services they need.
The two men were charged with the following crimes:
Seleem Reynolds:
* Promoting the Prostitution of a Child under the age of 18—a crime of the 1st degree,
* 2 counts of Promoting Prostitution—a 3rd. degree crime,
* Endangering the Welfare of a Child—a 3rd. degree crime, and
* Conspiracy—a 3rd degree crime.
Mikal Mitchell
* 2 counts of Promoting the Prostitution of a Child under the age of 18—a crime of the 1st. degree,
* 2 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child—a 3rd. degree crime,
* Terroristic Threats—a 3rd degree crime, and
* Conspiracy— a 3rd degree crime.
United States Marshals arrested Reynolds without incident in Galloway Township on December 21, 2015, and lodged him in the Atlantic County Justice Facility on $300,000—no 10% bail set by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Patricia M. Wild.
Mitchell was subsequently arrested without incident in Jersey City, by Jersey City Police, and was lodged in the Hudson County Correctional Facility on bail set by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Wild at $250.000—no 10%, with additional bail of $20,000—no 10%, for the Terroristic Threats charge.
Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children for child prostitution in Atlantic County is asked to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force at 1-800-CALL FBI (1-800-225-5324), or the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at (609) 909-7800.