Federal prosecutors file new sex trafficking, forced labor charges against self-proclaimed prophet

U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Robert Frazer on Wednesday announced new charges against a self-described pastor in Orange accused of compelling labor and sex from congregants. 

Treva Edwards, a self-proclaimed prophet, had previously been charged with sex trafficking and forced labor after he was accused of telling vulnerable congregants that disobeying him would lead to religious punishment. The superseding indictment charges Edwards with two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, three counts of forced, and one count of conspiracy to commit forced labor. His wife, Christine Edwards, was charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor.

“Treva Edwards allegedly exploited faith, fear, and coercion to control vulnerable victims for his own benefit,” Frazer said. “As alleged in the superseding indictment, Edwards manipulated members of his church into providing uncompensated labor and subjected victims to physical, emotional, spiritual, and sexual abuse under the guise of religious authority.”

He ran the church scheme, dubbed “Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost,” out of an apartment building in Orange. The indictment alleges that the Edwardses obtained labor contracts for manual work in and around Orange and failed to pay wages to those who carried it out.

Initial charges against the Edwardses were announced last year.