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Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC) Board of Trustees has formally proclaimed the college a Trafficking Free Zone. The board officially approved a resolution at its May meeting, in support of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT) Trafficking Free Zones program.
EICC asks the citizens of its Clinton, Jackson, Muscatine, Scott, Cedar, Dubuque, Johnson and Louisa County service area to join in learning more about human trafficking and eliminating it in all its forms.
A man in western Iowa will spend 12.5 months in prison after pleading guilty to distributing child pornography and transporting a person across state lines. He picked up an 18-year old woman and a 17-year-old girl from Omaha, Nebraska. He took them to his home and gave them drugs. He knew the girls ages. He is ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution.
Arrion M. West of Iowa City, IA. recruited the 15-year-old minor victim in October 2018 and transported her to participate in commercial sex acts, according to the plea agreement.
Terrance D. Nordwall, 50, of Faribault, MN, exchanged text messages with a Homeland Security Investigations agent, who he believed was a “pimp” for two girls, ages 14 and 15. Nordwall agreed to pay $200 for a half hour with the two girls, drove to Iowa, and there he was met by law enforcement officers.
Brooklyn Pohl, 37, of Wisconsin, was given 10 years for sex trafficking a 16-year-old girl in Iowa and Nebraska. Pohl posted online ads for the girl to perform sex acts for money. Prosecutors say Pohl would help the girl negotiate prices with the customers.
Kevin Herring, 30, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will spend 32 years in prison after he sexually exploited a 14-year-old. Herring convinced, induced, and enticed the runaway-girl to engage in prostitution and send him sexually explicit pictures of herself. “His repulsive conduct earned him every minute of the sentence he received,” said United States Attorney Peter Deegan.
West Des Moines Iowa- Break the Cycle 200 hosted dozens of runners and bikers this weekend to bring awareness to human trafficking.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa- Authorities say a 50-year-old registered sex offender in Minnesota faces federal charges after being accused of traveling to Iowa to have sex with minors.
Arrion Marcus West, 25, Albert Kelly Price, 39, Kendall Andrew Streb, 52, Tommy Tate Collins, 40, and Isaiah Devon Patterson, 21, were charged with various offenses related to human trafficking minors and other crimes. All are in custody and have made an initial appearance in federal court in Des Moines, IA.
Nine defendants have recently been sentenced in Des Moines for sex trafficking crimes. U.S. Attorney Marc Krickbaum commented, I truly cannot think of anything more pervasive than sex trafficking. I will never be able to fully comprehend how people are treated as property and used for instant gratification
Finding new and innovative ways to combat the demand for purchased sex, raise awareness to this nationwide epidemic, and provide safe environments for victims.