Amin Sharif, Sex Trafficking, New Jersey 2024

New Jersey Man Charged with Sex Trafficking

A disturbing case of sex trafficking has surfaced in New Jersey, with 47-year-old Amin Sharif of Newark at the center of the allegations. According to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, Sharif has been charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking an adult woman and one count of sex trafficking a minor.

Amin Sharif, a resident of Newark, New Jersey, made his initial appearance on these charges on an unknown date. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor by videoconference and was subsequently detained.

Since January 2021, law enforcement officials have been investigating Sharif for transporting and attempting to transport women and minors from various states to New Jersey and elsewhere for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts and other illicit conduct. Sharif used several social media platforms and profiles to recruit women and minors to engage in sex acts for money.

Once in contact with his victims, Sharif used threats to coerce the victims into engaging in commercial sex acts. He advertised women and at least one underage girl online for commercial sex acts. Sharif also transported at least one underage girl located in another state into New Jersey and attempted to transport a woman located in another state into New Jersey via a commercial airline, in furtherance of his sex trafficking conduct.

The counts with which Sharif is charged are each punishable by a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark and Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia, and officers of the Allentown, Pennsylvania, Police Department, under the direction of Chief Charles Roca, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Mitchell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office OCDETF and Narcotics Unit in Newark.

Sharif is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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