A Philadelphia man has been charged with human trafficking and attempted sex crimes after allegedly arranging to sexually assault what he believed was a 12-year-old girl at a hotel in Bordentown, according to New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin.
Bruce Drelich, 60, was charged with conspiracy to commit human trafficking in the first degree, attempted human trafficking in the second degree, luring in the second degree, attempted aggravated sexual assault in the second degree and attempted endangering the welfare of a child by sexual conduct which would impair or debauch the morals in the third degree, according to a press release through the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.
“Sex crimes targeting children are some of the most disturbing matters my office investigates,” Platkin said. “This defendant tried to arrange the sexual assault of a child. Thanks to the diligent work of our investigators and prosecutors, he was arrested and charged without carrying out his plans.”
“The internet is a dangerous place, providing a level of cover for people who are trying to conceal their dangerous criminal intentions,” said Theresa L. Hilton, state Division of Criminal Justice director. “Child sex predators are lurking online, but they should know that we are out there too, always looking for them.”
“The charges in this case represent some of the most heinous and reprehensible acts imaginable,” added Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “Human trafficking and the exploitation of a child are crimes that strike at the very core of our society’s values. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting children and bringing those who engage in such vile and predatory behavior to justice. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who commit these unspeakable acts are held fully accountable.”
According to the criminal complaint, an undercover law enforcement officer acting as a mother with a 12-year-old daughter was contacted on a mobile application by a user on April 5. The officer told the user her daughter was 12 years old, and the user allegedly indicated that he was interested in having sex with the daughter while the mother watched, according to the press release.
The user then uploaded a photograph of himself and provided his first name: Bruce. The investigation revealed that the user was Bruce Drelich of Philadelphia. Drelich and the undercover officer allegedly arranged to meet at a hotel in Bordentown. Drelich allegedly made a reservation at the hotel for May 2. He arrived and was arrested.
First-degree crimes carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $200,000. Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, according to the press release.
Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
New Jersey has a robust and comprehensive anti-trafficking strategy involving many sectors – including, social service providers, law enforcement, and government at all levels. The New Jersey Commission on Human Trafficking is part of that strategy, which was created by the Legislature in 2013 as part of its passage of the Human Trafficking Prevention, Protection, and Treatment Act.
New Jersey has a Human Trafficking 24-hour hotline at 855-END-NJ-HT (855-363-6548). The National Human Trafficking 24-hour hotline is 1-888-373-7888. Text: BE FREE (233733); text “HELP” or “INFO.”
Since the national hotline inception, it has received 7,553 signals – calls, text messages, web chats, online reports and emails – since 2007 in New Jersey. It has identified 2,389 cases of human trafficking and 4,752 victims were identified in the cases, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline website.
Last year, there were 884 signals received in New Jersey and 77 were from victims of survivors of human trafficking.