Maple Shade is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, that has a population of approximately 20,000. Prostitution and sex trafficking activity has been well-documented in the city and surrounding communities, and in unincorporated areas of Burlington County. This activity and the problems and ancillary crimes it generates result in complaints to law enforcement agencies from residents and businesses. Among the more serious crimes associated with the local commercial sex market is child sex trafficking. For example, in June 2005, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and Mount Laurel Township Police Department announced the arrest of a Maple Shade woman charged with employing a juvenile female as a prostitute. The defendant was arrested at a motel located in Maple Shade Township.

Consumer-level demand provides the revenue stream for all prostitution and sex trafficking and has therefore been targeted by local law enforcement agencies as a strategy for prevention and response. To identify and apprehend local sex buyers driving the prostitution and sex trafficking markets, the Maple Shade Township Police Department has conducted investigations with a focus on identifying sex buyers. For example, in January 2004, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Maple Shade Township Police Department announced the arrest of six individuals in connection with an illegal brothel in Maple Shade Township, NJ. The arrests included the Chief of Police of Runnemede Township, who was arrested as he left the premises where the prostitution had occurred. The illegal operation had been running since July 2003, at an apartment on South Lenola Road, in Maple Shade. The investigation found that the Chief had engaged in sex with one of the two female employees. Following his arrest, members of the New Jersey State Police TEAMS Unit assisted in the execution of a search warrant at the location, which resulted in the arrest of two female employees and two other male customers. The two patrons were identified in press releases, and each was charged with patronizing a prostitute. The Chief was arrested on a warrant and charged with Misconduct in Office (2C:30-2) as well as Promoting Prostitution (2C:34-1b(1)) and soliciting. The “madam” was charged with Promoting Prostitution (2C:34-1) and the female employees were charged with Promoting Prostitution by serving as prostitutes. The patrons were also charged with Promoting Prostitution based upon their attempt to solicit sex at that location.