75° and Partly Cloudy
Newark Man Faces Multiple Charges in Morris County Child Trafficking Case
Morris County authorities have detained 25-year-old Newark resident Nafis H. Wiggins, facing serious charges including human trafficking and sexual assault involving minors.
In a significant development, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, under the leadership of Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, has apprehended Nafis H. Wiggins, 25, from Newark, New Jersey, on multiple severe criminal charges. These include two counts of human trafficking, luring, sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and controlled dangerous substance (CDS) offenses.
The investigation, which spanned from August 1 to September 28, 2023, alleges that Wiggins provided narcotics to two underage victims, aged 14 and 15, in return for sexual favors. The arrest, a result of a collaborative effort by the Morris County Prosecutor's Office's Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit and Chatham Township Police Department, was made at Cougar Field in Chatham Township on December 19, 2023.
Wiggins reportedly used text messages to recruit and lure the minors. He is accused of meeting the victims in Chatham Township and Chatham Borough, then transporting them to isolated areas for drug use and sexual activities. At the time of his arrest, Wiggins was found in possession of CDS, adding to the gravity of his charges.
Post his detention hearing, Wiggins was remanded to the Morris County Correctional Facility, in compliance with the Criminal Justice Reform Act. The Morris County Prosecutor's Office urges anyone with information pertinent to this case to contact their Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit at 973-285-6200.
Prosecutor Carroll has expressed his gratitude towards the Chatham Township Police Department and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office’s Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit for their diligent work in this investigation and arrest.
It is important to note that a criminal complaint is an accusation. Nafis H. Wiggins, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
