🚨 FOUR MEN CHARGED IN ALLEGED HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND PROSTITUTION OPERATION 🚨
Four men face racketeering and human trafficking charges for allegedly operating a Camden County prostitution ring. Prosecutors say the group used threats, violence, and drugs to force two women into commercial sex work at various area hotels.
📍 CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — Four men have been indicted on serious charges including racketeering, human trafficking, promoting prostitution and organized street crime in connection with an alleged operation involving two women who prosecutors say were forced into commercial sex acts.
According to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and Division of Criminal Justice, the defendants are:
👤 Keith B. Woodson, 40, of Camden 👤 Lee A. Byrd, 62, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 👤 Raymond H. Cooper, 48, of Sicklerville 👤 Andre A. Lindsey, 41, of Woodlynne
Authorities allege the men participated in a scheme in which two victims were forced to perform commercial sex acts in exchange for money and narcotics.
⚠️ According to court documents and statements presented in court, Woodson allegedly threatened, assaulted and intimidated the victims while arranging meetings with customers and collecting the money they received.
Prosecutors allege Woodson advertised one victim on illicit websites, arranged hotel rooms and expected her to meet multiple customers each day. Authorities further allege he threatened the victim with physical harm, withheld food and threatened members of her family if she attempted to leave.
In a separate allegation, prosecutors say Woodson approached a second woman in Camden and promised she could make significant amounts of money. Authorities allege that after she became involved, Woodson supplied her with drugs and demanded that she perform commercial sex acts and turn the proceeds over to him.
🚔 Prosecutors also allege that Byrd, Cooper and Lindsey assisted in trafficking one of the victims by transporting her to hotels, standing guard outside and collecting money from customers. Cooper is additionally accused of supplying drugs that were allegedly provided to a victim.
Authorities allege that all four defendants carried firearms during the alleged operation.
The defendants face multiple charges, including:
🔴 First-degree racketeering 🔴 First-degree conspiracy to commit human trafficking 🔴 First-degree promoting organized street crime 🔴 First-degree human trafficking by threat of harm 🔴 First-degree human trafficking by drug facilitation 🟠 Third-degree conspiracy to promote prostitution 🟠 Third-degree conspiracy to commit financial facilitation of criminal activity 🔴 Additional related offenses
New Jersey officials say the investigation was conducted by the Division of Criminal Justice Human Trafficking Unit, with Detective Nenad Ninkovic and members of the unit involved in the investigation.
⚖️ PRESUMED INNOCENT: The charges and allegations are accusations only. All four defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
📢 Garden State News Network will continue to monitor this developing case and provide updates as additional information becomes available.
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