NJ Women Forced Into Prostitution By Threats Of Violence, Officials Say

SICKLERVILLE, NJ — Four men were charged after threatening and forcing two women into prostitution, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office said.

The charges against Keith B. Woodson, 40, of Camden, Lee A. Byrd, 62, of Philadelphia, Raymond H. Cooper, 48, of Sicklerville, and Andre A. Lindsey, 41, of Woodlynne, also include human trafficking and racketeering.

Woodson is said to have forced at least two women to perform sex acts for a number of men for money and drugs.

He would then take all of the money.

Woodson would post advertisements with pictures of the first woman, identified as "N.G.," on illicit websites to get clients. He would also recruit men from a bar and convenience store that he went to.

According to authorities, Woodson rented hotel rooms, bought supplies, and orchestrated the meetings between N.G. and the clients, where she performed against her will in fear that he would hurt her or not give her food.

He is also said to have threatened violence against her family if she ever tried to leave.

N.G. was supposed to see around four or five men daily, from Monday through Friday.

Another woman, "G.D.," was getting off a bus around Camden when Woodson told her how she could make $1,000 per day.

Dependent on drugs, she agreed.

G.D. was to perform commercial sex acts for money and give the funds back to Woodson, who provided her with Ecstasy, Percocet, and Adderall.

According to prosecutors, Woodson told the woman that if she didn't perform, she would never see her family again. He is also said to have choked her until she passed out, threatened to kill her, and threatened to kill her family when she did not do as he wanted.

He sent her pictures of herself walking down the street or in stores to show that he was watching her and knew where she was at all times.

Byrd, Cooper, and Lindsey trafficked N.G., officials said, by driving her to different hotels, standing watch outside, and collecting the money paid to her for performing.

Cooper also gave Woodson drugs to give to N.G.

Each of the four men also had guns and were charged with 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 and other offenses.

Each first-degree crime is subject to a sentence of 10 to 20 years in jail and a fine of up to $200,000.

The third-degree crimes are subject to sentences of between three and five years in jail and a fine of up to $15,000.

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