‘Prophet’ Pastor Forced Congregants into Unpaid Labor and Sexual Servitude, Federal Indictment Alleges

A New Jersey pastor who claimed to speak directly with God and wield the power to bring spiritual retribution has been charged with forcing members of his congregation into grueling unpaid labor and sexually abusing two women in his flock, according to a superseding federal indictment unsealed Wednesday.

Treva Edwards, 61, of Orange, New Jersey, was charged with two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, three counts of forced labor, and one count of conspiracy to commit forced labor. His wife, Christine Edwards, 64, also of Orange, was charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor. The charges, returned by a grand jury in the District of New Jersey, significantly expand the case against the couple.

From at least 2010 through 2025, the Edwardses used their church, “Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost,” as a vehicle to recruit and control victims who were facing personal and financial hardships, the indictment says. The church operated out of a multi-unit apartment building in Orange, where the defendants required members to live, worship, and work without pay.

Treva Edwards presented himself as a prophet with a direct line to God, the indictment alleges. He warned congregants that disobedience—whether declining labor or questioning his commands—would provoke spiritual punishment, physical harm, and financial ruin. The Edwardses enforced a regime of sleep deprivation, restricted meals to once a day after work, and controlled when and whether victims could leave the building, speak to outsiders, or eat.

The forced labor extended far beyond church upkeep. According to the charges, the Edwardses secured commercial and residential contracts for manual work throughout the Orange area. Victims were dispatched to clean properties, gut buildings, shovel snow, remove bulk trash, move furniture, clean raw sewage, and exterminate rodent infestations. The couple allegedly pocketed all payments and gave none of the wages to the laborers, telling them the work was God’s will and a way to serve their faith.

Treva Edwards is also accused of turning spiritual authority into sexual predation. The indictment charges that he subjected two women to repeated physical and sexual assaults. He impregnated one victim and instructed her to get an abortion. He told the other that having sex with him was God’s will and would prevent her from developing a mental illness.

The indictment further describes how the Edwardses isolated victims, convinced them that anyone outside the church was evil or possessed, and monitored their communications. Threats of homelessness, hunger, and harsh additional labor were used to crush any resistance, prosecutors say.

Treva Edwards now faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison if convicted of sex trafficking, with a maximum possible sentence of life. The forced labor charges carry up to 20 years, or life if aggravated sexual abuse is proven. Conspiracy to commit forced labor carries a maximum of 20 years. Christine Edwards faces up to 20 years on the conspiracy count. There is no parole in the federal system

Ex-Kokomo Officer Convicted of Kidnapping and Sexually Assaulting 14-Year-Old Girl While on Duty, Then Destroying Evidence

A federal jury took just five days to convict a former Kokomo Police Department officer of using his badge to isolate and sexually assault a 14-year-old girl, then lying to investigators and deleting electronic records in a failed attempt to cover up the crime.

Sinmi Asomuyide, 33, was found guilty Wednesday in the Southern District of Indiana of willfully depriving the teenager of her constitutional rights by sexually assaulting her while he was on duty. The jury specifically determined that Asomuyide’s conduct included kidnapping and abusive sexual contact of a child under the age of 16.

Jurors also convicted Asomuyide of making false statements to the Indiana State Police in an effort to conceal the assault, including denying any sexual contact with the victim and misrepresenting the existence of corroborating evidence. He was further convicted of obstruction for deleting a messaging application he had used to communicate with the minor prior to the assault.

“Police officers are entrusted with extraordinary authority and responsibility to protect the public. The defendant’s reprehensible actions betrayed that trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This verdict sends a clear message: officials who abuse their power and violate the constitutional rights of children will be held accountable.”

U.S. Attorney Thomas Wheeler II for the Southern District of Indiana emphasized that the administration will not tolerate those who exploit the powers entrusted to law enforcement. “The defendant used those powers to sexually abuse a 14-year-old girl and then lied and destroyed evidence to cover up his crimes,” Wheeler said. “The jury saw through his lies and held him accountable.”

According to evidence presented at trial, Asomuyide leveraged his position and the appearance of offering assistance to isolate the child before assaulting her. When investigators began asking questions, he attempted to obstruct the case by destroying records and lying to law enforcement.

“These actions reflect a complete disregard for the law, the victim, and the public trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue justice for victims and hold offenders fully accountable.”

Asomuyide now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

He Founded an Orphanage in Nepal. Now He’s Accused of Sexually Abusing a Child There.

A North Carolina man who founded an orphanage in Nepal has been indicted by a federal grand jury for engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor outside the United States, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.

Michael Hess, 73, of Davidson, traveled to Nepal between March 2005 and July 2008 and engaged in sexual acts with a child, according to court documents. During that same period, Hess established Papa’s House, an orphanage supported by the nonprofit Nepal Orphans Home, which he founded in 2005.

Hess is charged with one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.