Pastor claimed members could be absolved of sins by hauling trash, sexually assaulted member: DOJ
A self-styled pastor in Orange, New Jersey, who allegedly told his congregants they could be absolved of their sins by hauling commercial trash for free and is accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a member inside his church, has been arrested for sex trafficking, forced labor and conspiring to commit forced labor.
The pastor, Treva Edwards, 60, was charged along with his wife, Christine Edwards, 63, with conspiracy to commit forced labor, according to a statement from the United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey.
The couple was arrested last Wednesday and made their initial appearance in court on Thursday.
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"The Department of Justice will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals under the guise of faith or community," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said in a statement. "This Civil Rights Division is committed to holding accountable those who abuse positions of trust to manipulate and control others for personal gain. These charges reflect our unwavering focus on protecting victims and prosecuting those who commit forced labor and sex trafficking."
A 10-page indictment said Pastor Treva Edwards and his wife founded a church named Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost, which they operated out of a multi-unit apartment building in Orange, New Jersey.
From 2011 until around 2020, they recruited Victim 1, Victim 2 and others who were "facing struggles in their personal lives, including financial and familial struggles" to join the church. They also allowed their recruited members to live at the building.
The church members allege that they were brainwashed and coerced into working without pay. Victim 1 alleges to have also been repeatedly sexually assaulted at the church by Edwards, who is accused of impregnating her and telling her to have an abortion.
"Between in or around 2013 through in or around 2020, TREVA EDWARDS repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted Victim 1 inside the Church Building. As a result of the repeated sexual assaults, TREVA EDWARDS impregnated Victim 1 and instructed Victim 1 to get an abortion," the indictment alleges.
Treva Edwards allegedly told Victim 1, Victim 2 and others that he was a prophet who could communicate directly with God. According to the indictment, he told members that "disobeying him would result in spiritual retribution from God, as well as physical, emotional, and financial harm."
The pastor and his wife allegedly told members that they had to perform labor to serve God.
"Treva Edwards and Christine Edwards secured contracts to provide labor in and around Orange, New Jersey, including cleaning and gutting commercial and residential properties, shoveling snow, removing bulk trash, moving furniture, cleaning raw sewage, and exterminating rodent infestations," the indictment says. "Christine Edwards procured labor contracts through her employment at a property management company in New Jersey."
Once the contracts were secured, the pastor and his wife would send their members to work. The couple preached that failure to do the work would cause their victims to "lose favor with God." To have their way with their vulnerable members, the pastor and his wife are said to have monitored how long they were allowed to pray and work "and whether they could speak to non-members or even leave the Church Building."
"TREVA EDWARDS and CHRISTINE EDWARDS did not pay wages to Victim 1, Victim 2, and other Victims for their work and kept the money earned from the above-described labor. TREVA EDWARDS discouraged Victim 1, Victim 2, and other Victims from seeking medical care and preached that God would heal members who were in good standing with TREVA EDWARDS," the complaint against the pastor and his wife alleges. "In or around October 2017, CHRISTINE EDWARDS told JLHG members, including Victim 1, that a successful labor job was evidence of God's will. In or around October 2017, TREVA EDWARDS instructed JLHG members to correct their sins by hauling trash at a commercial location."
The couple isolated their victims and convinced them non-members were evil or possessed by the devil. They also deprived them of sleep and required them to work or pray late into the night and wake up early to attend hours-long sermons.
"TREVA EDWARDS routinely verbally abused Victim 1, Victim 2, and other Victims, including by insulting, swearing, and yelling at them, and he singled out members whom he claimed had sinned, threatening them with spiritual punishment and more hard labor," the indictment alleges.
Despite allegations he repeatedly sexually assaulted Victim 1, Pastor Edwards is accused of telling his recruits that if they wanted to go to Heaven, they had to abstain from what he called the "Five Loves, which were food, sleep, sex, money, and pleasure."
"These charges are an example of my office's tireless commitment to combatting human trafficking in our community," U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said. "If you engage in human trafficking, we will find you, and we will prosecute you. We are committed to working alongside our partners to ensure that those who target the most vulnerable are brought to justice."
Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel of Homeland Security Investigations Newark Division urged anyone who believes they are a victim of human trafficking to contact the police.
"Treva and Christine Edwards turned a source of hope into a tool of fear by allegedly exploiting religious faith to manipulate victims and expose them to sexual violence and forced labor conditions," Patel said. "Seeking justice for human trafficking victims in cases like this is of utmost importance to HSI Newark. Anyone who may believe they are a victim of trafficking can be assured our investigations are victim-centered and that we will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for anyone's freedom that has been held ransom."
"An important part of the mission of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of labor trafficking involving the use of coercion or force," said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region. "We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations."
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