Atlantic City, NJ, Man Convicted of Human Trafficking, Promoting Prostitution
An Atlantic City man has been convicted of human trafficking and for promoting the prostitution of two women.
43-year-old Tahir Gregory was facing two counts of first-degree human trafficking and two counts of third-degree promoting prostitution after being arrested in September 2017.
Over the course of a two-week trial,
Two victims identified Gregory as their pimp over a period of time. The defendant would use their addiction to heroin against them. He went so far as to attempt to control one of the victims from county jail. The two victims testified he would also use physical abuse and threats of physical abuse as a way to control them.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office says both victims testified that he confiscated money they would earn as a result of the actions he forced them to participate in. Gregory took one of the two victim’s identification, including her birth certificate, as a way to control her.
Since then, both victims have entered into the recovery phase of their addiction treatment and were strong enough to testify and face Gregory at trial.
Assistant Prosecutor Deirdre Laws said in a press release,
Because of the victims’ strength, they ended Gregory’s reign of trafficking and spared future victims.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 7th.
Pursuant to human trafficking statutes, Gregory faces a minimum of 20 years in state prison and he will not be eligible for parole.