Sep 4, 2018 3 min read

A New Jersey man arrested in July on sex trafficking charges by North Strabane Township police had his request for a bond reduction denied by a district judge.

Kevin J. Newell, 55, of Maywood, waived a preliminary hearing on charges of trafficking in individuals, unlawful contact with minors, pornography and criminal use of a communications facility during an appearance Tuesday before District Judge Jay Weller. A charge of trafficking in minors was withdrawn by the prosecution.

Newell’s defense attorney, Jacob Wyland, asked Weller to reduce his client’s $100,000 bond, telling the judge his client was in constant communication with his mother, brother and wife. Newell has been in Washington County jail since he was extradited to Washington County Aug. 19.

North Strabane Officer Gary Scherer, who filed the charges against Newell, countered he was concerned Newell was a threat to society. The officer told Weller that Newell failed a polygraph done by a Homeland Security special agent at the time of his arrest when he was asked if he had sex with minors. Scherer also verified Newell’s passport had expired.

Weller denied the motion to lower the bond.

Scherer was contacted in March by a Homeland Security special agent for assistance in a sex trafficking investigation involving an attempt to recruit or entice a minor for sexual servitude.

Scherer, a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, was contacted by the special agent because of his experience in investigations in undercover chatrooms.

The federal investigation reportedly started after an employee of a women’s shelter provided a tip regarding a possible sex trafficking victim.

Scherer talked to the employee and learned that a person using the name Sean McAvoy was trying to get her involved in the pornography industry.

McAvoy, who was later identified as Newell by police, allegedly told her he was looking for girls age 14 to 16 to recruit into the pornography industry.

In April, the witness reportedly told Newell she had found underage girls as he had requested, at a library.

Scherer assumed a fictitious identity as a 15-year-old girl from the Canonsburg area, and Newell was provided with a phone number and the girl’s information, police said.

Newell allegedly sent a text message to the person he thought was the 15-year-old girl.

He allegedly asked for more information and told the girl she was not too young to be made famous.

Police said he encouraged her to send him naked photographs.

He also allegedly gave her a video pornography stage name of “Ashley Luv” and said he would take her to Europe and Asia to make her famous in the pornography industry.

Newell is scheduled to be formally arraigned on the charges Oct. 30.