By Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
Two separate cases of human trafficking involving 16-year-old girls in Somerset County were recently brought to a close by detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and local law enforcement agencies., Last Friday, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor and Chief of Police Matthew Donnelly of the Elkton, Maryland Police Department announced the arrests of Joneigh A. Tempro, 22, Brentwood, New York and Joshua M. Stewart, 28, of Bay Shore, New York for allegedly directing one of the girls to engage in prostitution throughout the county., Officials said they initially received information regarding the alleged activities last month. Detectives assigned to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, along with detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Unit initiated an investigation into the allegations, revealing that both Tempro and Stewart were knowingly promoting the 16-year-old for sexual activity with various clients in exchange for money., The identity of the girl and where in the county she was from is being withheld by investigators due to the fact that she is a minor., On May 10, detectives from the county, along with officials from the Elkton Police Department responded to a residence in Elkton, Maryland that had been identified by the FBI as the location where Tempro and Stewart were staying., At approximately 11 a.m., Robertson said the two men were arrested without incident. A search of the home reportedly yielded numerous items related to the investigation., Both men were charged with first degree promoting prostitution involving a child under the age of 18 and first degree human trafficking promoting a child under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity., Tempro and Stewart were taken to the Cecil County Detention Center in Elkton, Maryland pending extradition back to New Jersey., On Tuesday, the prosecutor’s office also announced the arrest of Danielle Belford, 20, of Branchburg Township for allegedly engaging in prostitution and making arrangements to use another 16-year-old girl in prostitution., According to officials the investigation began when the prosecutor’s office received a tip regarding Belford’s alleged activities on Thursday, May 11., Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit, the Major Crimes Unit, and the Hillsborough Police Department conducted the subsequent investigation, determining that Belford was allegedly advertising prostitution services from herself and the 16-year-old., The following day on May 12, an undercover detective with the prosecutor’s office contacted Belford through her online advertisement and made arrangements to meet with her. During the meeting, she allegedly negotiated with the detective for a sexual act involving herself and the teen., Belford was subsequently placed under arrest and taken into custody by the prosecutor’s office and the Hillsborough Police Department., She was charged with third degree endangering the welfare of a child and fourth degree promoting prostitution by procuring a prostitute for a patron., Belford was released on her own recognizance, while the 16-year-old girl was turned over to the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency., An investigation into both occurrences are ongoing., Anyone with information are asked to contact Somerset County detectives at 908-231-7100.
