Category: Perpetrators
Ivanka Trump, Attorney General Barr visiting Atlanta to discuss fight against human trafficking
Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump’s oldest daughter and one of his top advisers, will pay a visit to Atlanta with U.S. Attorney General William Barr on Monday.
A White House official confirmed the visit to Channel 2′s Richard Elliot. The trip plans to highlight the Trump administration’s initiatives to protect survivors of human trafficking.
Trump and Barr will meet with Gov. Brian Kemp, Georgia first lady Marty Kemp, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and state and federal law enforcement.
“The Trump administration continues to fight tirelessly to end the scourge of human trafficking in our communities. The leaders and community members we’re meeting with in Atlanta are on the front lines of this fight and are critical to our efforts to end this horrific crime,” Ivanka Trump said. “I look forward to learning more about the critical services they provide and announcing additional funding and resources from the Trump administration to assist in these efforts.”
2 Dallas men arrested for sex trafficking in connection to 13-year-old rescued from Irving hotel last November
DALLAS — Two Dallas men were arrested Sept. 9 after a grand jury indicted them on charges of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking of children, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Texas.
A third man, accused of advertising sex with a minor online, is already in federal custody and faces the same charges.
Investigators rescued the girl after posing as a buyer responding to the online advertisement. The victim was “clearly a child under the age of 18 in both her physical appearance and mannerisms,” according to a search warrant application written by investigators.
Kention Obryan Johnson, 35, and Sergio Trinidad Carvajal, 30, visited the hotel room where the child was kept, according to the U.S. Attorney.
Two Prattville women busted for allegedly facilitating sexual encounters for money at Montgomery hotel
Two Prattville women were charged with human trafficking after they were allegedly caught encouraging other women to engage in sexual activity for money.
According to court records, a 21-year-old woman was arrested Saturday about 9:30 p.m. at a downtown Montgomery hotel after she enticed another woman to assist her in performing a sexual massage. The woman, unbeknownst to her, had coordinated a meeting with an undercover law enforcement officer by answering a message on a website, according to her arrest affidavit.
U.S. Marshals Service Reveals Majority of Rescued Sex-Trafficked Children Came From Foster Care
The U.S. Marshals Service recently launched a nationwide effort to recover missing and exploited children. Three major operations rescued over 100 children, many of them from sex traffickers. But a disturbing trend discovered during the operation should launch a nationwide investigation into the American child welfare system. PJ Media reached out to USMS for details on the rescued children and was told that the majority of them came from foster care. This information was ignored in the initial media reports on the operation. Dave Oney, press contact at the USMS, responded via email to questions about the rescued children.
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Former Maricopa County Sheriff’s detective arrested during child sexual exploitation, sex trafficking sting operation
Former detective Christopher Butts, along with five other men, were arrested following a months-long operative against child sex crimes.
PHOENIX — A former detective with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is accused of trying to entice a minor for sex for the second time this year.
The arrest came after a month-long sting operation to catch sexual predators in a joint law enforcement operation called “Operation Home Alone 2” in Pinal County.
“Operation Home Alone 2” was designed as a proactive operation to combat child sexual exploitation and child sex trafficking. Between Aug. 26 and Sept. 3 multiple arrests were made as a result.
18 arrests for trying to lure victims for underage sex
Over the last five days 18, people were arrested in San Joaquin County for attempting to have sexual contact with a minor – tying the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department’s record for an operation of that type.
And with additional resources allocated to the investigation including some provided from the Federal government, the net for nabbing those who would wish to harm a minor was much larger this time around.
According to Lathrop Police Chief Ryan Biedermann, the operation also included representatives from the Department of Homeland Security, the California Department of Justice, and even the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office that aided in apprehending somebody who was aggressively pursuing the undercover decoy online but was outside of the operation’s jurisdiction.
US Marshals rescue 8 ‘highly endangered’ missing children in Indiana during ‘Operation Homecoming’
The U.S. Marshals announced this week that they had located and rescued eight missing children in Indiana. The missing children recovered in “Operation Homecoming” were said to be “highly endangered.”
The children were “considered to be some of the most at-risk and challenging recovery cases in the area based on indications of high-risk factors such as victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sex abuse, physical abuse and medical or mental health conditions,” according to the statement released by the U.S. Marshals Service, Southern District of Indiana.
U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking Statement On California Bill To Protect Pedophiles: Organization Calls For Governor Newsom to Veto SB 145
Kevin Malone, Chairman of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, issued the following statement following passage of Senate Bill 145 in the California Assembly to remove the requirement that adults convicted of having sex with a teenager between the ages 14 to 17 must register as a sex-offender.
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Man charged in Great Falls with promotion of prostitution involving a minor
GREAT FALLS — Corey James Cannon has been charged in Great Falls with aggravated promotion of prostitution.
On August 25th, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) consulted with Great Falls police officers about an ongoing investigation regarding Cannon, who is an active-duty airman assigned to Malmstrom Air Force Base.
Court documents state that Cannon attempted to have sexual contact with a youth in Great Falls and was arrested on or about August 6th. OSI took jurisdiction of that investigation and seized Cannon’s phone.
3 Arrests at Clearwater Motel In Child Sex Trafficking Sting
Dozens of kids were rescued in “Operation Not Forgotten” this week. While most of the activity in the investigation was in the Atlanta area, WSB-TV reports that three arrests were made right here in Pinellas County. The two week search for missing children was an effort to find victims of sex trafficking. In all there were 9 arrests. Three of them were at an unnamed motel in Clearwater.
James Garcia has been charged with aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy and incest with a minor. WSB reports a U.S. Marshal Senior Inspector says Garcia was found in the Clearwater motel with a missing 3 year old.
Mesa police arrest 8 in undercover child sex crime operation
PHOENIX — Mesa police arrested eight suspects as part of an undercover operation targeting child sex crimes and human trafficking, the department announced Thursday.
Operation Vampire Cough had officers and undercover detectives placing advertisements on websites commonly used by individuals to seek out illegal sex acts.
Suspects solicited or made deals for various child sex acts and were subsequently arrested, the department said.
Firefighter, former police officer among 17 arrested in Flint-area sex-trafficking sting
Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said at a Wednesday, Aug. 19, press conference that Matthew J. Hyde, 40 believed he was speaking to two 14-year-old girls who really were sheriff’s deputies acting as “chatters.” “He had a 15-minute phone call with one of our decoys,” noted Swanson. “In his truck when he was arrested, he had two loaded firearms, a police ID, a police badge of which he was not associated with.” Hyde also previously worked as an officer for the Mt. Morris Police Department, Clayton Township Police Department, as well as a Genesee County Parks ranger.
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Findlay priest charged with sex trafficking
The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday arrested the pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, alleging that he groomed and sexually assaulted minors for years, beginning in Toledo, OH. Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith said the Rev. Michael Zacharias, 53, is believed to have groomed and sexually assaulted minors since the late 1990s.
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Morris Prosecutor: West Orange Man Charged with Human Trafficking at Parsippany Hotel
Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker and Parsippany Police Chief Andrew Miller announce the arrest of Mcquacy Goodridge, 28, of West Orange, NJ. Goodridge has been charged with four counts of Human Trafficking, Sexual Assault, Promoting Prostitution, Criminal Coercion, and Terroristic Threats.
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17 arrested in child-trafficking sweep in Genesee County
GENESEE COUNTY, MI – A law enforcement operation targeting child traffickers led to the arrest of 17 people. Over the course of five months, Swanson said that a team in his department known as GHOST – the Genesee Human Oppression Strike Team – had set up six stings, during which law enforcement agents posed as 13, 14, and 15-year-old children on social media sites.
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16-year-old locked in barn rescued from human trafficking: sheriff
FLINT, Mich – Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson and deputies says in one case a 16-year-old girl was found locked in a barn in Montrose. Swanson says the barn was surrounded by barbed wire and says it appears as if the girl had been trafficked.
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Florida teen accused in sex trafficking of 14-year-old girl
MIAMI — A 17-year-old South Florida boy is facing sex trafficking charges after being accused of selling a 14-year-old girl on social media. Miami Springs police officers were called to the Runway Motel on Tuesday night to check on a teenage girl who had run away from home after a family dispute.
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Lancaster County Human Trafficker Sentenced to Up To 141 Years
LANCASTER, PA — Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced that Barry Schiff was sentenced to 55-141 years in prison on charges of human trafficking and related offenses. “Schiff deliberately chose vulnerable victims—women and girls who were marginalized members of their communities– and sexually, physically, and emotionally abused them. These women and girls endured dehumanizing exploitation by countless people.
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Florida teen accused in sex trafficking of 14-year-old girl
MIAMI (AP) — A 17-year-old South Florida boy is facing sex trafficking charges after being accused of selling a 14-year-old girl on social media.
Miami Springs police officers were called to the Runway Motel on Tuesday night to check on a teenage girl who had run away from home after a family dispute, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office told news outlets.
Human trafficker gets de facto life sentence; police in York County discovered prostitution ring
A human trafficker who used violence, threats and heroin addiction to force “marginalized” women to prostitute themselves — including in York County — has received a de facto life sentence for his crimes.
Barry “Bear” Schiff, 53, and co-defendant Kenneth Crowell, 36, coerced 10 women into prostitution, held them hostage, forced them to sell their bodies and made them turn over their earnings, a Lancaster County jury previously found.
Federal jury finds Lincoln man guilty of sex trafficking 2 teens, making child porn
A federal jury has found a 33-year-old Lincoln man guilty of sex trafficking two teenage girls, taking them to Colorado and Iowa to have sex for money.
Devin L. Ashford has been set for sentencing in November on charges of sex trafficking of a minor; production of child pornography; sex trafficking by means of force, threat, fraud or coercion; and interstate travel for prostitution.
COURT: Two Columbus runaways become victims in sex trafficking ring
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) – New details in the events leading up to the arrest of three Columbus men were released when two of them made their first court appearance.
All three men are charged with sex trafficking among other things. Two of the trio, 23-year-old Zachary Bailey and 21-year-old Rashid Rush faced their charges in a Muscogee County Courtroom. 23-year-old Roy Bailey is scheduled to appear Thursday, Aug. 13.
Court testimony revealed that a 15-year-old and 16-year-old were reported missing in March. Interviews with those juveniles and an investigation found that while their families believed they were missing, they were being utilized in sex trafficking.
Pontiac man accused of operating large human trafficking ring around Oakland County
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (WJRT) – A Pontiac man is facing seven charges accusing him of operating a large human trafficking ring in several Oakland County communities.
The allegations against 23-year-old Dallas Ephraim Jordan-King include prostitution and sex trafficking numerous young women in Auburn, Pontiac and elsewhere in the county, according to the Michigan Attorney General’s Office.
16 men arrested, accused of soliciting sex with minors who were undercover detectives
In recent weeks, the sheriff said 16 men have been arrested for soliciting sex with undercover detectives they believed were minors. They were swept up in what the Hillsborough County, FL. Sheriff’s Office calls “Operation Small Talk,” an online chat operation. Some of the men included a former sergeant with a Tampa Bay-area law enforcement agency and a registered sex offender.
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Two Fort Hood soldiers among nine arrested in child sex trafficking sting
“The overall goal … was to locate and arrest subjects who were willing to make overt efforts to pay minors to engage in sexual acts,” the department said in a statement. The suspects contacted officers they believed were 15 or 16 year old girls and agreed to exchange money, drugs or alcohol for sexual acts Killeen, Texas Police said.
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3 Fla. children safe after police chase involving suspected human trafficker
According to Jackson County, Fla., Sheriff’s deputies identified the suspect as Domingo Morales Hamilton Fernando. During the investigation, it was learned Fernando was in the United States illegally and is wanted for deportation from the United States. Homeland Security agents told deputies that Fernando is suspected of being involved in human trafficking.
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Utah man arrested for child sex trafficking via Twitter, Tumblr
(KUTV) — A Kearns, Utah man is facing child sex trafficking charges — accused of forming a relationship with a young teen, and using that relationship to victimize the girl to make money.
According to charging documents, Craig Thomas Defa, 27, met the girl when she was 14 and he was 22, back in 2015. Two weeks into their relationship, it became sexual.
‘Dangerous, degrading and dehumanizing:’ Prosecutors say men lured vulnerable teens and women into sex work on D.C. streets
Months after a federal jury found a man guilty of sex trafficking and forcing women to prostitute in the Logan Circle and Shaw neighborhoods, authorities have arrested another suspect in connection with the case.
The latest arrest occurred Aug. 2, when members of the federal Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force — which includes officers from the District — took Anthony Gray, 37, of Clinton, Md., into custody.
Police Charge Alleged MS-13 Members With Trafficking Teen
Charges were unsealed Wednesday in federal court in Alexandria. A 48-page FBI affidavit says the 13-year-old girl ran away from a group home in Fairfax in August 2018 with a 16-year-old friend who was connected to MS-13.A child trafficking task force found the 13-year-old girl nearly two months later at an apartment in Mount Rainier, Maryland.
The girl, initially reluctant to talk to police, eventually told authorities she was twice beaten on her backside and legs 26 times on two separate occasions with a baseball bat — once as an initiation to the gang, and once as a punishment for talking to rival gang members and allegedly stealing from fellow gang members.
15 arrested in California child sex sting – including highway patrol officer, prison employee
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Detectives arrested 15 people, including a California Highway Patrol officer and a prison employee, after they allegedly tried to meet minors to engage in sex acts.
Kern County Sheriff’s Office investigators posed as children online to meet the suspected predators, who ranged in age from 21 to 54 years old.
“The detectives received numerous correspondence from child predators, who agreed to meet in order to engage in lewd acts with a child,” a sheriff’s release said. “Undercover detectives subsequently arrested the suspects when they arrived at the meeting location, while others were arrested at their homes.”
Columbia police arrest 7 in child exploitation, human trafficking sting
COLUMBIA, Miss. (WDAM) – The Columbia Police Department arrested seven people and are investigating others after a weekend child exploitation and human trafficking operation.
Operation Dollhouse was conducted Friday by the CPD’s Major Crimes Division and Crime Suppression Team after weeks of preparation and partnerships with multiple non-government organizations that provided logistics, victim services, a state-of-the-art command center, surveillance, subject matter experts and evidence retrieval.
Judge refuses to lower bond on man accused of trafficking women for sex out of massage parlor
A Sioux Falls man charged with pimping and prostitution and accused of trafficking women for sex out of a massage parlor in the area was held in jail on bond Monday.
Willie Charles Whitman, 47, was charged in July with pimping or renting for prostitution and practicing massage without a license after police conducted a weeks-long sting investigation into a massage service.
Mason man charged with human trafficking, sexual assault of teenager
MASON, MI — A Mason man is facing human trafficking and sexual assault charges after a girl told police he made her produce child porn, according to court records.
The girl, who was younger than 16, told officials at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services she had been sexually assaulted by Devin Vasquez, 19, Lansing Police Detective Jason Pung testified in hearing that led to criminal charges.
Relentless Sanger officer rescues minor from human trafficking
Orange County, California– A minor is safe after the persistence of a Sanger Police Officer Shaela Edwards, who followed leads when she suspected a sexual assault victim was also involved in human trafficking. The victim is now safe, and the suspected has been arrested and charged with Human Trafficking of a minor.
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13-year-old homeless girl was victim in Tallahassee sex trafficking investigation
Tallahassee, Florida– The investigation that led to 15 arrests last week appears to have begun after a homeless 13-year-old girl was pulled out of a life of exploitation.
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Milwaukee man charged in connection to human trafficking, prostitute solicitation
Milwaukee, Wisconsin– A 42-year-old man was charged on Tuesday, July 21 with one count of receiving compensation for human trafficking and one count of soliciting prostitutes.
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Seven men face solicitation charges after anti-trafficking operation
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. – SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow announced that seven men are facing charges for solicitation of prostitution and one is being convicted for human trafficking following an investigation earlier this year. These eight cases are the product of a statewide campaign called Operation Reclaim and Rebuild 2020.
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Fourth man arrested in Las Vegas online prostitution sting
Las Vegas, NV– A fourth man was arrested as part of Monday’s online prostitution sting aimed at combatting the online sexual exploitation of children. Each was apprehended on suspicion of attempting to solicit a 15-year-old girl for prostitution. The arrests unfolded during a sting carried out by an FBI Child Exploitation task force.
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Newbury police charge Maine man in online child pornography case
Newbury Port, Maine – A 42-year-old volunteer firefighter was arraigned Friday in Newburyport District Court on 20 counts relating to an online undercover Newbury police sting targeting sexual exploitation of children.
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Ohio man gets 42 years in prison for sex trafficking 14-year-old girl
Lima, Ohio — Man sentenced to nearly 42 years for sex trafficking a 14-year-old girl. As part of his sentence, Cochran will pay full restitution to the victim and others impacted by the crimes. “While unthinkable to most of us, sex trafficking of children is real and organized,” said David M. DeVillers, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio in Columbus. “We must recognize the unthinkable and report suspicious activity for the sake of our most vulnerable”.
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Statement from Chairman Kevin Malone on Arrest of Epstein Associate Ghislaine Maxwell
Tampa, Fla. – Kevin Malone released this statement following the arrest today of Ghislaine Maxwell, associate of Jeffrey Epstein: “Ghislaine Maxwell recruited, coerced, and abused innocent young girls to be repeatedly raped by pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his pedophile associates across the world and we pray the justice system holds her accountable for her heinous crimes. We pray that prosecutors pursue Biblical justice as explained in the New Testament book of James that “the lamp of the wicked will be put out.”
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Two arrested at Tulsa motel for trafficking 21-year-old
Tulsa, Oklahoma — Police arrest a man and woman for allegedly trafficking a 21-year-old female at a Super 8 motel. Officers said a woman called 911 to check the motel for her daughter, whom told her she was being prostituted.
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Feds rescue 13-year-old girl and takedown online successor to Backpage
Dallas, Texas — U.S. Atty Erin Nealy Cox announced the seizure of the “online successor to Backpage”, a website that has facilitated many cases of youth trafficking. “DOJ didn’t stop with Backpage, and we’re not going to stop with CityXGuide,” Nealy Cox said as she assessed what’s in store for the North Texas Trafficking Task Force. “If you are going to facilitate exploitation online, we’re not going to hesitate to seize your site and bring charges against you.”
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Kentucky State Police Charge Man With Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses
Franklin County, KY — On June 24, 2020, the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch arrested Tim Riggs, 63, on charges related to child sexual abuse material. Riggs was arrested as the result of an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigation. The investigation was initiated after discovering the suspect distributing and possessing prepubescent child sexual abuse material online.
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Multiple people indicted on charges related to human trafficking operation in Scioto County
Scioto County, Ohio – A federal grand jury has indicted a Scioto County man and several of his family members and associates with charges related to a child sex trafficking operation. According to United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio David M. DeVillers, the man allegedly exchanged drugs obtained in Columbus and elsewhere for sexual access to the children of drug-addicted mothers. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force agents began investigating Larry Dean Porter, 69, in April 2019.
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Nicholas Cochran sentenced to nearly 42 years in prison for child sex trafficking
Ohio– The U.S. Attorney’s Office, for the southern district of Ohio, says 28-year-old Nicholas Salvadore Cochran was sentenced 42 years in prison. Aside from the prison time, Cochran has been ordered to pay full restitution to the victim, court costs, and a fine, as well as remain under court supervision for life.
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Boyle County man faces charges related to child sexual abuse material
Boyle County, Kentucky– A man was arrested as the result of an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigation. The KSP Electronic Crime Branch began the investigation after discovering the suspect was uploading images of child sexual exploitation online.
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One arrested in Columbia County for child sexual exploitation
Columbia County, Georgia — COLUMBIA COUNTY (WFXG) – On Friday, June 5 the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit, assisted by the Thomson Regional GBI Office, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the GA Department of Community Supervision executed multiple search warrants in Columbia and Richmond counties. Officials searched the home of Mark Christopher Greene and charged him with three counts of possession of child pornography and three counts of distribution of child pornography.
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Man accused of human trafficking across several states
West Palm Beach, Florida — A man is accused of trafficking two women across multiple states, including in Florida. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office arrested 30-year-old Derrion Kirby early Saturday morning. According to the sheriff’s office, deputies responded to La Quinta Hotel on Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach for a human trafficking complaint where an 18-year-old woman was being held against her will.
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20th suspect in undercover child sex sting arrested
Waco, Texas — The 20th and final suspect was arrested Thursday in a local online sting in which men allegedly solicited sex from an undercover officer posing as a teenager, authorities said. Investigators this spring conducted the undercover sting designed to protect children who would potentially be more vulnerable to online exploitation as schools closed and stay-at-home orders were issued to limit the spread of COVID-19.
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Three brothers arrested for human trafficking in Lancaster Co.
Lancaster Co., SC — Three brothers were arrested Thursday and charged with human trafficking and related offenses, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office reports. Sheriff Barry Faile said, “This was an exhaustive investigation. When it began we had little to go on. This victim is a courageous young lady, and she provided us enough pieces of the puzzle that investigators were able to put together the picture and identify the men and the location involved. These men preyed upon a particularly vulnerable young person and committed atrocious crimes against her. I am most appreciative of the efforts of our investigators and those of SLED, HSI, and the Attorney General’s Office.”
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Minnesota woman, man charged in child pornography ring
Princeton, Minnesota — According to complaints filed in Mille Lacs County District Court, a Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension human trafficking task force officer was alerted to information from a confidential informant that Deitrich and Miller had been offering sexual intercourse with Deitrich and a juvenile female for sale to a third party in exchange for money and methamphetamine.
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Kentucky man arrested at Texas airport charged with online solicitation of a minor
Waco, Texas– According to investigators, 30-year-old Zene Morlatt of LaGrange, KY communicated with an undercover detective through text messages and a web-based electronic messaging service over the course of several weeks. During the conversation, Morlatt believed he was communicating with a 16-year-old girl and discussed the sexual performance of the child, used sexually-explicit language, and sent multiple obscene images.
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Barren County man accused of promoting child human trafficking
Glasgow, KY — Following an investigation that began after a February complaint, Barren County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Terry Hagan, 55, Friday on a charge of promoting human trafficking victim under 18 years old and five counts of possession of matter portraying sexual performance by a minor, according to his arrest citation.
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As Children Spend More Time Online, Predators Follow
WSJ SPECIAL REPORT– Jennifer Gross had warned her 12-year-old daughter about the potential dangers of socializing with strangers online, but said the message had often fallen on deaf ears. Now the preteen understands the concern. Since mid-March, the daughter has received several flirtatious messages from accounts that appeared to be from adult men on Instagram, Mrs. Gross said.
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Hollywood man arrested on child solicitation charges
Hollywood, Alabama — Police in Hollywood arrested a 78-year-old man on multiple charges related to solicitation of a child. Officers from the Hollywood Police Department received information that Lipham was contacting male juveniles via Facebook messenger soliciting them for inappropriate images and videos.
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South Fulton makes arrest in 3rd possible sex trafficking case this month
South Fulton, Georgia– A 15-year-old victim was rescued and a suspect arrested as a result of a trafficking investigation on Tuesday, police said on Facebook. The suspect faces a host of charges related to trafficking, abuse, and exploitation. According to the police department, two other cases of possible human trafficking were investigated in South Fulton this month. Two more victims were rescued.
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West Tennessee registered sex offender indicted on child exploitation charges
Memphis, Tenn.– D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced an indictment agains a 54-year-old registered sex offender. The indictment alleges that in February 2020, Patterson was found to be in possession of a cell phone that contained images and videos of child pornography. Further investigation resulted in identification of the children depicted, and Patterson’s role in producing the images and videos, which were made between December 2019 and February 2020. The children were all under twelve years of age, and at least one was younger than ten.
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15-year-old sex trafficking victim rescued after missing since April
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A 15-year-old girl is back home after she was recovered from a 31-year-old man’s apartment after she had been reported missing since April. The suspect, Jerreck Hillard, 31, was arrested without incident. At the time of his arrest, he was out on bond on three other felony charges. “Child sex trafficking is a despicable crime,” said Pct. 5 Constable Ted Heap. “Thanks to the hard work of our Major Offenders Division and the DPS, we were able to get this teenage victim out of harm’s way and back home.”
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Melbourne defense attorney accused of using firm as prostitution front hit with more human trafficking charges
Orlando, Florida– A Melbourne criminal defense attorney accused of using his law firm as a prostitution front is facing more human trafficking charges, based on allegations that he had sex with an underage girl in exchange for legal services he provided to her pimp.
Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution confirmed Wednesday that John Gillespie, 71, is facing additional counts of trafficking a juvenile for commercial sex and trafficking an adult for commercial sex.
Two men federally indicted for child exploitation, explicit content
Two men were indicted in U.S. District Court in Toledo on Wednesday in separate cases of sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child pornography, according to court documents. One of the accused allegedly sent nude photos of the girl, which appear to be taken by hidden cameras. He also told an Oregon man that he had been experimenting with drugs to see which ones work best on the child.
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Pennsylvania man pleads guilty to manufacturing child pornography
PHILADELPHIA — On May 19, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced that a man pleaded guilty to charges of manufacturing and attempted manufacturing of child pornography. These charges arose from the defendant’s sexual abuse of an infant and his videotaping of that abuse. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 200 years’ imprisonment and a mandatory minimum term of 15 years.
This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 19,000 individuals for crimes against children
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Three face charges in sex trafficking investigation
PORTLAND, Ore. — Three people have been indicted by a grand jury in connection with an on-going human sex trafficking investigation, according to the district attorney’s office. According to court records, the alleged crimes occurred in 2019 and 2020 and involved a minor victim. This case is being prosecuted by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Team, which includes two attorneys, an investigator and a victim advocate.
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Man arrested after 15-year-old rescued from sex trafficking in SE Houston
Houston, Texas– Deputies recovered a 15-year-old girl from human trafficking and arrested her alleged trafficker. Deputies said she had been reported missing since April. “Child sex trafficking is a despicable crime,” said Harris County Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heap. “Thanks to the hard work of our Major Offenders Division and the DPS, we were able to get this teenage victim out of harm’s way and back home.”
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Man arrested for solicitation of child prostitution in Rocky Ford
Rocky Ford, Colorado– A twenty-six-year-old suspect was arrested on charges of soliciting for child prostitution and attempted sexual exploitation of a child by the Colorado Springs Police Department’s Metro Vice Unit. The CSPD MVU began investigating the suspect in April by setting up an online profile of who he thought he was soliciting sexual intercourse and sexually explicit photographs from a 16-year-old female. In actuality, it was an undercover CSPD officer.
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Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrests man on 10 counts of sexual exploitation of children
A Clayton County man has been charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of children, according to the GBI. “This arrest came after an investigation … into the possible sexual exploitation of children via an online service,” a spokeswoman wrote. The agency has made multiple arrests across the state as part of its efforts to identify people who are involved in the child pornography trade and the online sexual exploitation of children.
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Florence Man Charged With Rape, Sodomy, Human Trafficking
According to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Merritt was selling marijuana to a 13-year-old in exchange for sexual acts. Investigators say Merritt raped and sodomized the victim multiple times.
While being interviewed, Merritt allegedly admitted that he had a thriving drug operation that targeted teens between the ages of 13 and 16 years old.
Florence man charged with human trafficking, rape and other sex crimes against minors
FLORENCE, Ky. — Boone County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Florence man Wednesday after they say he raped and sodomized several teenagers and in some cases offered them marijuana in exchange for sex acts. Merritt later told authorities he has a “thriving drug operation” and prefers to surround himself with girls aged 13-16 with whom he has some sexual contact, police say. Deputies charged Merritt with three counts of human trafficking, three counts of rape, five counts of sodomy and three counts of unlawful transaction with a minor.
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South Fulton Police rescue human trafficking victims, suspect in custody
Lt. Marcus Dennard told FOX 5, “Upon searching the house there were males found and two other females.”
Police said the girl and woman were victims of sex trafficking. The suspect, Eron McCrary, is facing several charges including human trafficking, pimping, child pornography, aggravated sexual battery and rape in the case.
According to Lt. Dennard, the victims told detectives they were being held against their will, and forced to engage in sexual acts with other men at a motel on Old National Highway and other locations in south Fulton County.
Man faces 65 charges in sex trafficking case involving underage girl
Izaak Shaquilie Blocker, 24, is booked into the Multnomah County Jail on 65 charges, including ten counts of rape, nine counts of using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct, and four counts of compelling prostitution.
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Portland man accused in human trafficking of underage girl, faces 65 charges
Izaak Shaquilie Blocker is accused of forcing an underage girl into prostitution, as well as physically assaulting, strangling and raping her himself, according to the indictment. A grand jury also indicted Blocker on charges related to allegations of taking sexually explicit photos of her, giving her cocaine and a tattoo without a parent’s consent.
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Alleged Vallejo human trafficking victim rescued, two arrested
A day after a 29-year-old Vallejo resident was reported missing Solano County sheriff’s deputies rescued the woman, said to have been a victim of human trafficking.
The woman’s mother filed a report with the Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, saying she’d been missing for a week.
On Wednesday, investigators learned she was a victim of human trafficking, officials said.
Her image was reportedly posted on a human trafficking website. In partnership with Vacaville police detectives, and FBI task force officer, sheriff’s resident deputy and the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team, investigators managed to contact the woman and set up a meeting.
Police: Sex trafficking found in abandoned Georgia home
SOUTH FULTON, Ga. (AP) — Police in Georgia say they discovered a sex trafficking operation after chasing suspects who ran from a stolen U-Haul into an abandoned house.
The City of South Fulton Police Department says officers found two adult women and one juvenile after entering the house on Thursday.
Police say investigators learned that the girl and one of the women had been forced into sex trafficking.
Woman charged in sex trafficking scheme involving teen girls
LINCOLN, Neb. — A 39-year-old Lincoln woman is charged with felony child abuse after she allegedly planned to take teenager girls to Las Vegas to catch sex traffickers.
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Third suspect arrested in alleged Ogden sex trafficking and prostitution operation
Andre Gomez, 41, was booked into the Weber County Jail on Saturday and made his first appearance in 2nd District Court on Monday.
David Anthony Mackey, 42, Chandra Jones, 35, and Gomez trafficked two 17-year-old girls they recruited in Salt Lake City before setting up in an Ogden hotel, the Utah Attorney General’s Office alleged in charging documents unsealed by the court in late March.
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Stolen U-Haul leads to child sex trafficking operation in South Fulton, cops say
A stolen U-Haul led South Fulton police to a child sex trafficking and ecstasy selling operation Wednesday, leading to three arrests and two victims being “saved from a life of misery,” authorities said.
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CFP Suspends Former Broker Arrested in Child Prostitution Sting
Authorities in Oregon arrested Oeming in January as part of a sting operation targeting child prostitution. He was charged with online sexual corruption of a child in the first degree and booked into the Lane County Jail.
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Sex traffickers at massage parlors are evading shelter-in-place orders
Dallas, Texas – With COVID-19’s closures of nonessential businesses, many trafficking enterprises are violating those restrictions. These venues of sex and labor trafficking operate behind the façade of a commercial front business — like illicit massage venues used as a cover for sex trafficking.
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Operation COVID Crackdown: 30 men arrested in connection with online child predator sting
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. Throughout April, Fairfax County Police Department has arrested dozens of men this month in connection with an online child predator sting. “Operation COVID Crackdown.” The age of the men ranges from 20 to 74, they reportedly used online platforms to “initiate explicit conversations and solicit sex from police officers posing as children.”
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Antioch man charged with human trafficking; police say he was intended target in girl’s shooting death
ANTIOCH, CA— 30-year-old, Cedric West, is facing felony charges of human trafficking; an enhancement alleges he beat his victim, a 16-year-old girl known in court records only as “Jane Doe,” with a bottle. The charging records he “inflicted great bodily injury” in November 2018.
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Federal jury convicts man for sex trafficking in D.C., Maryland
58-year-old Kenneth Wayne Hart has been convicted in a federal drug and sex trafficking case for prostituting women in the District and in Maryland and using the Internet to advertise, according to federal prosecutors.
He was also found guilty of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking along with sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion. Hart ran a prostitution business that recruited women to engage in sex acts. supplied the women with heroin and crack cocaine and threatened to withhold drugs.
3 Arrested In Wayne County Human Trafficking Case
North Carolina
On Monday, March 9, special agents with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and investigators with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a residence located in Goldsboro associated with an ongoing human trafficking investigation.
Karen Lynn Anderson, 47, was arrested on Monday, March 9, 2020, and charged with one count of human trafficking of an adult victim. William Henry Thornton, 76, charged with one count of attempted first-degree forcible rape. Jeffrey Leon Harding, 48, charged with one count of possession of firearm by felon, one count of possession of a stolen firearm.
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Ware man sentenced for sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of a minor
BOSTON – 74-year old Walter Brown was sentenced to 15 years on Friday in federal court in Springfield on sex trafficking and sexual exploitation charges.
On Oct 11, 2019, co-defendant Claire Poole was sentenced to 10 and a half years (125 months) in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and two counts of sex trafficking. Poole moved to the Springfield area in early 2017 and later helped Brown have sex with a teenage girl.
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Female pimp sentenced to 50 years for trafficking 16-year-old, forcing her into prostitution in Houston area
Houston, TX. Prosecutors were able to convince a judge to sentence Marilyn Joy Wilkes to 50-years in prison after Wilkes forced a 16-year old girl into sex trafficking for a month.
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Sarah Lawrence Parent Accused of Sex Trafficking and Abusing Students
After being released from prison in 2010, ex FBI informant, Ray Lawrence moved into his daughter’s dormitory in NY City. Soon, he started doing “therapy sessions” with her roommates, convincing them that they were broken and need of fixing and that he could help them.
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New York Man Admits Running Drug-Fueled Sex Trafficking Ring in His Parents’ Basement
Raymond Rodio III had been running the drug-fueled brothel, which involved more than 20 women in their 20s, since 2014. He set up dates through Backpage and Craigslist.
On February 4th, Rodio plead guilty to operating a sex trafficking ring in the basement of his parents’ home, where he occasionally locked them inside and forced them to use a bucket as a toilet. He is expected to be sentenced to nine and a half years in prison.
27 men arrested in metro Phoenix undercover child sex crime sting
In Phoenix, Arizona 27 men have been arrested this month through Operation Silent Predator. Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Chandler police worked with Homeland Security Investigations and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office on the undercover operation. January 13, officers and detectives began placing ads on websites which are known to predators. The men ages differ from 21 to 69.
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3 Arizona men arrested for attempting to lure minors
In Kingman, Arizona the Mohave County Sheriff’s office went undercover for sting operations for online predators. The mission of the operation was to identify and catch anyone was attempting to lure minors for sexual exploitation. This sting led to three individuals arrested.
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Tampa strip club accused of trafficking, exploiting minor with disabilities
A lawsuit filed Wednesday accuses a Tampa. FL. strip club of hiring and exploiting an underage girl with disabilities and allowing her to be groped and propositioned with sex acts by customers. through Scores. The lawsuit states. The victim is described in the suit as a “developmentally disabled and severely emotionally disabled teenager,” who functions at the mental capacity of a 13-year-old and required extensive medical and mental health care throughout her youth.
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Seven men arrested in Snohomish County child sex abuse sting
70 law enforcement officers and agents were involved in the operation. Those agencies included officers from the Snohomish County Prosecutor’s Office, Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force, Washington State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, Everett Police Department, the FBI and the NCIS.
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Scores strip club sued for allowing sex trafficking of disabled teen
A Scores strip club in Florida hired a “severely” disabled 17-year-old sex trafficking victim with a fake ID and allowed her to be groped and molested by adult men, a scathing lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges.
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Tampa: Human trafficking investigation leads to 5 arrests
“It’s very likely that this arrest saved her life,” said Hillsborough County, FL. Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Once in custody, the 18-year-old woman told deputies she was being held against her will by Fried.” Fried used force, fraud and coercion to manipulate the victim to perform sexual acts at various locations within Hillsborough County.
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Mass. Professor Charged in Northboro Rape, Human Trafficking Investigation
A Massachusetts community college professor is being held on bail after being charged with numerous counts of human trafficking and two counts of rape, state police said.
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Detroit Man Convicted On Forced Sex Trafficking, Drug Charges
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Detroit, MI. 70-year-old Richard Knider Jackson of Detroit was convicted on charges of sex trafficking using force and coercion, distribution of controlled substances and maintaining a drug premises.
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Police: Givings tried to recruit 14-year-old runaway into prostitution
Investigators say Milwaukee, WI. Theodore Givings, 35, was trying to recruit the girl for prostitution and was already trafficking another victim, a woman who was working for him in exchange for cocaine.
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U.S. Virgin Islands Officials: Epstein Trafficked Girls On Private Island Until 2018
A view of Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion on Little St. James Island. Prosecutors filed a civil lawsuit that accuses Epstein of human trafficking that victimized young women and children as young as 11.
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Wichita business owner charged with child sex crime
Police arrested Scott Truett of Wichita, Kan. last month for aggravated human trafficking and sexual exploitation of a child. Police say Truett’s arrest comes from the investigation involving a Wichita runaway, found last month.
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Signs to stop the rise of human trafficking in SWFL
“From back three years ago, our caseload has tripled,” said Erika Pineros, with Catholic Charities anti-human trafficking program. “It’s like a taboo subject at times and it shouldn’t be because unfortunately it is happening and the most vulnerable population are minors.”
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Two arrested in northern Michigan for human trafficking
Jarrell and Kobel of Crawford County, MI. were arrested for human trafficking. Jarrell is charged with two counts criminal sexual conduct first degree (during felony), both felonies punishable by life, one count unlawful imprisonment, a felony punishable by 15 years and/or $20,000, and habitual offender fourth offense.
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