NJ pastor, wife accused of forcing congregants into unpaid labor
Authorities allege the victims were not paid and that the couple kept the money earned from the work.
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A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging an Orange pastor and his wife with forcing church members to perform unpaid labor, prosecutors said.
Treva Edwards, 61, was charged with two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, three counts of forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor. His wife, Christine Edwards, 64, was charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors say the couple founded and operated “Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost” out of a multi-unit apartment building in Orange and recruited vulnerable people to live and worship there. Between 2010 and 2025, authorities allege Edwards and his wife used fear, isolation, religious pressure and threats to compel members to perform labor, including cleaning properties, shoveling snow, removing trash, moving furniture, cleaning sewage and exterminating rodent infestations.
Authorities allege the victims were not paid and that the couple kept the money earned from the work. Prosecutors also allege Treva Edwards sexually assaulted two victims.
