Sex trafficking suspect is ex-Middletown cop

The Washington man arrested Wednesday in Hazlet on federal sex trafficking charges is a retired MIddletown police officer.

James Keenan, 47, retired from Middletown Police Department in 2016 after working for the department for more than 25 years. He earns a pension of $79,876, according to pension data from Data Universe.

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Keenan, who most recently lived in Vancouver, Washington before his arrest, faces federal charges of sex trafficking of a child, attempted sex trafficking of a child and attempted enticement.

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Messages have been left with Middletown Police asking whether there is a concern that similar actions may have happened here.

Keenan was indicted on April 5 after a month-long investigation by Beaverton Police Department and the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.

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According to the unsealed federal indictment, Keenan is accused of recruiting and attempting to recruit a 17-year-old girl into prostitution.

Court records show Keenan told his new employer in Washington on March 30 that he was leaving and going to New York.

Susanne Cervenka: @scervenka; 732-643-4229; scervenka@gannettnj.com