An Elizabeth NJ man was arrested after allegedly recruiting an underage female to work as a prostitute in Parsippany NJ.
21-year-old Wendy Archelus, a man, is accused of serving as both a driver and a pimp for the 17-year-old girl.
According to authorities, Mr. Archelus helped the girl arrange a meeting with an undercover police officer and drove the girl to a hotel in Parsippany, where she was intended to engage in prostitution.
Prosecutors said that when questioned, Mr. Archelus admitted to recruiting the girl as a prostitute.
Mr. Archelus has been charged with first degree human trafficking, first degree promoting child prostitution, and third degree child endangerment. If Mr. Archelus is convicted of human trafficking, he may be sentenced to up to 20 years in state prison.
Mr. Archelus’ bail was first set at $250,000, but a Morris County Superior Court judge later lowered the amount to $200,000 because Mr. Archelus has strong ties to the local community.
To learn more about this case, access the NJ.com article entitled “Elizabeth Resident Faces Human Trafficking Charge in Teen Prostitution Case in Parsippany.“
