31 January 2020. Trenton, New Jersey – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a woman and a man from Atlantic County were arrested and charged with first-degree human trafficking for allegedly trafficking a 14-year-old girl for sex at a casino hotel in Atlantic City and in other parts of South Jersey.
According to a Jan. 30 release, a South Dennis man who allegedly paid to have sex with the 14-year-old victim in his home was arrested Jan. 28.
Tiffany N. Davis, 39, of Egg Harbor Township, and Derrick V. Ross, 26, of Atlantic City, were arrested on the following charges:
- Human Trafficking (1st degree),
- Promoting Prostitution of a Child Under 18 (1st degree),
- Endangering the Welfare of a Child (2nd degree).
Davis also is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Human Trafficking (1st degree). Ross was arrested on November 27, 2019, and Davis, on January 17, 2020.
On Jan. 28, the State Police arrested Kurt C. Young, 52, of South Dennis, a retired state correction officer, for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with the 14-year-old girl in his home.
He allegedly arranged with Tiffany Davis for the girl to be transported to his home for sex in exchange for money. Young is charged with:
- Sexual assault of a child under the age of 16.
- Engaging in Prostitution with a Minor.
- The arrests were the result of an anti-sex trafficking investigation conducted by the New Jersey State Police Casino Gaming Bureau and the Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau, with assistance from the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. As part of the investigation, the State Police responded by phone to an online “escort” ad.
The person who answered agreed she would meet the undercover detective at a casino hotel in Atlantic City. The 14-year-old victim, who is not related to either Davis or Ross, was recovered by the State Police Nov. 27, 2019, when she arrived at the hotel as arranged and offered to have sex with an undercover detective.
Pursuant to AG Directive 2012-2 on Investigation of Human Trafficking, the victim was immediately connected with support services.
Ross was arrested later that day after it was determined that he allegedly transported the 14-year-old victim to the hotel to engage in sex for money. Further investigation revealed that Davis allegedly had placed online ads and had trafficked the victim to have sex with a number of men during the month of November, with the assistance of Ross.
Davis and Ross allegedly split the proceeds generated from trafficking the victim.
“Investigating and prosecuting human trafficking is a top priority for the Attorney General’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, and law enforcement throughout New Jersey,” stated Grewal. “This case involves a situation that is tragically all too familiar, where a vulnerable young victim is trapped in a life of sexual slavery. We will never cease in our efforts to rescue these victims and bring those who brutally exploit them to justice.”