Category: States
St. Pete police to lead Tampa Bay human trafficking task force
But what really drove the point home was the plight of two teenage boys, one of them sexually abused for nearly a year by four men who imprisoned him inside a squalid St. Petersburg, FL. mobile home.
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Building a case against child traffickers in Florida can take years
Cpl. Alan Wilkett of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office said he wants to see the courts hand down the same tough penalties for both sex buyers and sex traffickers.
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TAMPA BAY AREA GROUP USES TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL MEDIA TO TARGET SEX BUYERS
The war against sex trafficking is going high tech and the Tampa based U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking in Tampa has picked social media as its weapon of choice when it comes to deterring sex buyers. Natalie Kehn, who works on outreach for the group, said the nonprofit combs through thousands of online sex ads and messages potential trafficking victims.
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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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ICE announces human trafficking awareness campaigns in Tampa, Atlanta
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) branches in Tampa and Atlanta launched human trafficking awareness outreach campaigns in recognition of Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
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OP-EDS OPINION Decriminalize victims of human trafficking
Girls can be as young as 12 when their “boyfriends” lure them into a life of sex trafficking. Traffickers ply their victims with drugs to encourage addiction, rendering them dependent, compliant and numbed. They force their victims to sell themselves many times a day. And victims’ troubles do not end there.
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Superior Oasis business group trains employees to recognize, stop human trafficking
“There’s not much of it that goes on that doesn’t involve a hotel at one point or another,” said Jensen. “I mentioned that I had only had a couple experiences with this in my 45 years of managing hotels, but that could be because I was naive.”
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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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3 Things about Sex Trafficking You’ll Learn in Blind Eyes Opened
“Most people think of it as an overseas problem. But the reality is we have a major, major issue here in America inside of our own borders – with our own kids,” Florida based film’s executive producer, Geoffrey Rogers, told Crosswalk. “We would estimate over 100,000 kids in America are being trafficked for sex every single day here in our own country.”
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Women and children branded, sold for sex in Tampa Bay area, I-Team finds
“It’s like branding cattle,” said Cpl. Alan Wilkett, who leads Pasco County, Florida’s human trafficking task force. “It’s an ownership mark. Branding is when somebody — a pimp or a trafficker — will put his mark or his symbol or his sign on his victims through some sort of tattoo.”
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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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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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Sex-trafficking survivor talks at Ascension Borgess about experience as a victim
“It’s the same reaction as it was 13 years ago where 90 percent of the audience still has no idea that this happens, and it’s really sad because I work my butt off as well as every one of these agencies and I see hundreds of survivors and there’s still a majority of people that have no idea it happens here,” Flores said.
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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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Miami prepares for spike in sex trafficking as Super Bowl comes to town
The city’s authorities are training hotel workers, security guards, Uber drivers and truckers to spot the signs that a person might be a victim of trafficking, since these are the people most likely to cross paths with them and have a chance to alert police.
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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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Rotary International to tackle human trafficking
In 2018 in Minnesota, the National Human Trafficking Hotline was contacted 314 times and 120 human trafficking cases were reported, according to the hotline website. Anderson said Elk River’s proximity to the highways makes it likely that there is trafficking activity in and around the city.
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Massage parlor owner convicted of sex trafficking
“The fact that this brothel was active in two cities, in bustling shopping centers open to the public, and in broad daylight is a testament of what these traffickers will do for money,” said Washington County Attorney Pete Orput in a written statement. “Our office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to achieve justice for the victims with no voice.”
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‘It’s happening everywhere’: SC human trafficking victim speaks out
Last year South Carolina was recognized as the most improved state combating human trafficking by Shared Hope International. Shared Hope International releases a report card each year regarding the status of each state.
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Gov. Abbott pardons sex trafficking survivor
While jailed in Austin, TX. Robbie Ann Hamilton asked God to help her quit drugs and to get out of that life. After participating in groups like Alchoholics Anonymous and New Friends New Life in rehab, she turned it around, committing her life to helping homeless addicts.
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Alameda County DA Launches Anti-Human Trafficking Campaign
January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month and O’Malley said the “Take the Pledge” campaign is a good way to start the new decade with action aimed at stopping both commercial sexual exploitation and commercial labor exploitation.
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January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
The sad truth is, many of those teenagers in the U.S., both boys and girls, who are walking the big city streets were, not too long ago, small town daughters and sons loved by their families, their schools and their communities, but caught in a confused time, rebellious.
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Men arrested in Hillsborough Co. for sending sexually explicit texts to undercover deputies posing as teens
Hillsborough County, FL. Court documents show 40-year-old Rudy Siam made a 14-year-old friend on the Grindr app. But the conversation quickly turns explicit. What Siam doesn’t know is he’s actually texting an undercover Hillsborough County deputy.The purpose of the operation was to find “offenders who use the internet and social media to sexually exploit children,” according to the documents. The two apps they used were Grindr and Whisper.
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Iowa City man pleads guilty to sex trafficking teens
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.
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Las Vegas man charged with multiple counts of child sex trafficking, witness tampering
North Las Vegas, NV resident Jacques Anton Lanier, known as John Dupree, made an initial court appearance Tuesday, Jan. 7, after being charged on 15 counts of child sex trafficking, tampering with a witness and other crimes.
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Vestavia Hills becomes 1st ‘Human TraffickingFree Zone’ in state
In order to be designated as such a zone, there are three steps the city must take: passing a proclamation declaring the city to be a Human TraffickingFree Zone, undergoing training for city personnel, in particular first responders, as well as businesses in the city, and lastly, a zero tolerance policy for city employees caught purchasing sex at work. The program is managed at the local level by the project, but is an initiative of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking.
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Florida ranks third in the U.S. for human trafficking cases
Florida ranks third in the nation for human trafficking cases. The National Human Trafficking Hotline reported 11,000 cases in 2018. That’s only those who were able to come forward.
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Hotels are hubs for sex trafficking. There are ways to fight it.
Houston, TX. lawyer Annie McAdams is part of team of attorneys that sued three major hotel chains this month on behalf of three sex trafficking victims in Houston. Prosecutors say one of the victims was 15 at the time a pimp drugged her and kept her working for a week at a Comfort Inn near the Southwest Freeway.
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Woman gets 39 years for forcing girl into sex: MC man involved in trafficking, molestation committed suicide
The man who was originally charged in the case, 36-year-old Rusty D. Reuille of Michigan City, fatally shot himself as La Porte County Police attempted to arrest him just days after Cannon’s arrest, authorities said at the time
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Former Worcester DA candidate Blake Rubin, attorney Angela Cavanaugh indicted, accused of witness intimidation with convicted human trafficker Fabian Beltran
Beltran was found guilty by a Worcester, MA. Superior Court jury last year of human trafficking and deriving support from a prostitute. Judge Daniel Wrenn sentenced Beltran to 6 to 8 years on the human trafficking charge and 4 to 5 years for the deriving support from a prostitute charge. The sentences run concurrently.
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No. 13 on the list of Florida Politicians of the Decade: Pam Bondi
In 2012, she announced an aggressive initiative to make Florida a zero-tolerance state for human trafficking and modern-day slavery. From there, she forged partnerships with private businesses, community organizations and the Florida Legislature to raise awareness, teach how to spot the signs of human trafficking and pass legislation to strengthen laws.
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Woman Sentenced in Sex Trafficking of 12-Year-Old Girl
38-year-old Kellie Cannon was convicted of aiding, inducing or causing child molesting and trafficking of a minor. A man charged in the case, Rusty Reuille, killed himself when officers showed up at his home with a warrant for his arrest back in May of 2018.
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Tulsa Man Accused Of Human Trafficking, Kidnapping Arrested
Investigators said Gary Ballard is accused of driving the woman to a gentleman’s club then beating her. They said Ballard also forced her to dance for money, then he took her money and wouldn’t allow her to leave or get in touch with her family.
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Sex trafficking survivors thrive in new Las Vegas environment
The Metropolitan Police Department has a human trafficking task force that includes the department’s vice unit; law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels; Refuge for Women, the Rape Crisis Center, Seeds of Hope and a network of survivors who meet monthly to discuss how best to assist human trafficking survivors in the valley.
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Lawsuit alleges hotels ignore sex trafficking
“K.B.’s trafficker would give her to other traffickers who bought, sold and required her to sexually service paying strangers as she endured brutal physical assaults, psychological torment, verbal abuse, and false imprisonment at the defendant’s hotels as the defendants did nothing but profit from her exploitation,” the suit alleges.
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WINCHESTER TEEN DONATES CHRISTMAS MONEY TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING
15-year-old Olivia Durphy of Winchester, KY. said “I’m so blessed I don’t need anything and there are so many people, brothers and sisters of mine through Christ, who need stuff so much more than me,”. This year, she asked her mom to take the money she would use to buy her gifts and give it all to ‘Buy a tree, this year, a non-profit helping children around the world, through an annual Christmas tree sale.
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San Joaquin County To Provide Care To Human Trafficking Survivors With Federal Grant
Stockton, which has become known as a hub for human trafficking in recent years, will be getting more than half a million dollars from a federal grant to help human trafficking survivors in the area find a safe haven.
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NC man charged with holding 17-year-old in ‘sexual servitude’
32-year-old Lorenza Jenkins Monday on charges from Wake County.According to a warrant from the Raleigh Police Department, Jenkins is accused of holding a 17-year-old in sexual servitude and profiting from the prostitution of that teenager between May and June 2019. Officers said the girl was found unharmed at a hotel on South Wilmington Street.
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Local help is available for human trafficking victims
“This happens to men too,” she said. “I’m working with a man who was taken to Texas. He was held in a pen and had to sleep near the animals. He was fed about every three days. He finally made it back home to his family. Now he’s getting the help he needs.”
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Village Offers Human Trafficking 101 Presentation
The presentation will provide a basic understanding of human trafficking and how to identify a trafficking victim. The presenter, FBI Agent Carrie Landau, will discuss the psychology behind human trafficking, how traffickers gain and maintain their control and trends in recruiting.
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Missing 15-year-old Portland girl rescued during human trafficking investigation in Bend
Inside the car, police found Jennifer Johnson, 40, of Portland, Tyler Ford, 29, of Gresham, and a 15-year-old girl who was reported missing out of the Portland,OR. area. Investigators believe she was being groomed for working in the commercial sex trade.
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Man pleads no contest in Oakland human trafficking case involving 14-year-old girl
A 37-year-old man has pled no contest in a human trafficking case out of Oakland, CA. The victim was a 14-year-old girl. It’s one victory in a never-ending war against the sexual exploitation of young people.
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Four arrested in Pierce County juvenile sex trafficking sting
In Dupont, Wash. Four people are facing human trafficking and sexual abuse of a minor charges after a sting operation in Pierce County. “The safety of our children and citizens is our number one priority, and we want to send a message to anyone who is thinking of victimizing the innocent: Don’t come to DuPont to hurt our kids or our community.”
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3 arrested on suspicion of trafficking 2 teenagers for sex in Anaheim
Deputies believe that Kendell Morris of Stockton, CA. had recruited the victims, groomed them to work in the sex trade with Kaylyn Melendez and Carelli Barajas are being held at the Orange County Women’s Central Jail in place of $70,000 and $75,000 bail. Morris is in custody in lieu of $1 million bail.
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Cuomo Vetoes Bill That Would Train Public Transportation Workers To Spot Human Trafficking
New York Senator Alessandra Biaggi noted that “human-traffickers rely heavily on public transportation to move their victims, in plain sight, across the country.” In his veto memo, Cuomo noted that the New York Interagency Task Force Against Human Trafficking already offers a training that “meets the minimum requirements” outlined in Biaggi’s bill.
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Men Against Human Trafficking
The Convergence Resource Center, a faith-based nonprofit organization, offers support to men and women who have experience trauma. The goal is to help them rebuild their lives and there’s a specific focus on helping women and female survivors of human trafficking.
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From one survivor to another, helping survivors of human trafficking escape and stay safe
“I never heard from her again. She only had a week left to go before her bed opened up, but the two weeks she toughed it out waiting on the street kept her in harm’s reach,” says Saylor of San Diego, CA. who is a survivor of human trafficking.
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Warren police arrest 25 women, 21 men as part of human trafficking, prostitution crackdown
On Friday, Detroit, MI. police announced 31 felonies and 72 misdemeanors have been handed down from phase two of the operation. The 46 people taken into custody range in age from 25 to 60 years old, Dwyer said. He also said the prostitutes range in age from 18 to 60 years old.
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Two East Texans arrested in Louisiana anti-human trafficking bust
The Louisiana State Police arrested 11 people in Shreveport, including two East Texans, in an anti-human trafficking operation in the Shreveport-Bossier area.
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Utah man sentenced up to life in prison for human trafficking
A 53-year-old man of Salt Lake City, UT. has been sentenced to the maximum possible sentencing on each of eight counts of human trafficking-related charges. Including, Four terms of five years up to life in prison
* One term of fifteen years up to life in prison *Two terms of one year to fifteen years in prison *One term of zero to five years in prison
January dubbed Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Alabaster
Alabaster, AL. Mayor Marty Handlon declared January 2020 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in the city of Alabaster during a City Council meeting on Monday, Dec. 16.
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Lawsuits allege hotel chains ignored human trafficking
Lawyers in Columbus, OH. representing human trafficking victims want a single federal judge to oversee multiple lawsuits alleging that major hotel chains have ignored human trafficking taking place on their premises.
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He was sexually abusing underage girls. Then, police said, one of them killed him.
Metal cuffs strained against her ankles as she shuffled down the courthouse hallway of Kenosha, Wis.. She passed her mother, who had grown used to seeing her teen daughter in a jail uniform. She passed the activists, who saw her as a victim of child sex trafficking.
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Bloods Gang Member Convicted For Sex Trafficking Operation: SCDA
Abiodun “Abi” Adeleke, 33, of Kings Park, NY. was convicted by a jury of two counts of sex trafficking as a class B violent felony, three counts of sex trafficking as a class B felony, third-degree promoting prostitution (a D felony) and third-degree assault (a class A misdemeanor).
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Victim of sex trafficking helps officers find, arrest two suspects in Stockton
Investigators said they responded to reports of human trafficking on Dockery Court near Rev Henry Drive in early December, where they found a 22-year-old female victim. The victim told police she was forced into human trafficking by 32-year-old Saint Marques Taylor of Stockton, CA.
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Man accused of human trafficking now faces rape charges
James Stewart, 39 of Albuquerque, N.M. has been charged with criminal sexual penetration of a child under 13, a fourth-degree felony that carries a maximum of 24 years in prison, according to the indictment filed in District Court. Stewart and his wife, Terri Sanchez were originally arrested on human trafficking charges in spring 2018.
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FL Attorney General partners with truckers and Uber drivers to spot sex trafficking
With Superbowl LIV less than 2 months away, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced today in West Palm Beach that Florida will not tolerate human trafficking and she’s asking for the public’s assistance in identifying it.
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Arizona man sentenced to 108 years in prison for forcing girl, 16, into prostitution
The girl was rescued from a hotel by detectives with the Phoenix, AZ. Police Department’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (H.E.A.T). She told authorities that Hood had been trafficking her for months.
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‘My Prince Charming turned into a monster’: Local woman survives sex trafficking
For months, she was forced into the sex trade by one of the most dangerous traffickers in the state, if not the country. Karla Solomon barely survived months of torture and what is known as modern slavery. Now that she’s safe, she has dedicated her life to telling her devastating but important story in hopes of saving others from the terrors of sex trafficking.
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PGA Tour golfer Tommy ‘Two Gloves’ Gainey arrested in massive Florida prostitution sting
The goal of the operation, Polk County, FL. Sheriff Grady Judd said, was to “identify victims of human trafficking and those who prey on victims, as well as the deviant child predators who stalk children online.”
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Council approves resolution declaring Birmingham nation’s largest Trafficking Free Zone
According to the U.S Institute Against Human Trafficking, “The (TFZ) Trafficking Free Zone program is a community-based initiative to reduce the number of buyers, whose continuous financial investments create an illicit market for traffickers to exploit young victims in Alabama.
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https://www.fox13news.com/news/124-arrested-by-polk-county-detectives-during-operation-santas-naughty-list
The six-day sting targeted prostitution, human trafficking and child predators – busting 124 people. The charges included: solicitation, using a computer to lure a child and traveling to meet a minor for sex. , Sheriff Judd of Polk County, FL. explained counselors were immediately available for those who appeared to be human trafficking victims.
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Cullman to proclaim Trafficking Free Zone
The Trafficking Free Zone is a nation-wide program of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking and local anti-trafficking coalition, the Child Trafficking Solutions Project, an initiative of Alabama’s Children’s Policy Council and the Jefferson Family Court.
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Deputies Find Human Trafficking Victim While Responding to Disturbance at Rancho Cucamonga Hotel
The victim, a 20-year-old woman from Los Angeles County, CA. was treated for injuries and said she was assaulted by 38-year-old Sethtaniel Tyrece. Davis was involved with trafficking the woman, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said.
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Putting the spotlight on human trafficking
University of Miami, FL. Miller School of Medicine students hung 3,000 posters in Wynwood last weekend to raise awareness about human trafficking.
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Lompoc Man Suspected in Multiple Sex Crimes Arrested in Goleta
Benito Rodriguez Bravo, 34, of Santa Barbara County, CA. was booked on suspicion of several felonies: arranging a meeting with a minor, human trafficking of a minor, contacting a minor with intent for sex, sending harmful material to a minor with attempt to seduce, attempting to commit crime, and pandering.
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Two men arrested in southern Colorado human trafficking operation
undercover investigators in Eads identified 27-year-old Luis Hernandez of Fountain, CO. Hernandez was arrested and taken to the Bent County Detention Facility, where he is being held without bond. He faces charges of Human trafficking – Sexual Servitude, Felony Eluding, and Reckless Driving.
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Black girls abduction rates soar
She believes that parents need to be direct in addressing these issues so that children are not oblivious to what is going on around them. Having a daughter of her own, Jacquelyn Grant encourages parents to have open and honest conversations with their child because kidnapping and trafficking are, unfortunately, a harsh reality.
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Hillsborough forms Commission on Human Trafficking
Weeks after a human trafficking sting netted more than 100 arrests in Hillsborough County, FL. commissioners took a step Wednesday to eradicate forced labor, domestic servitude and sexual exploitation within its borders.
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Two Men Charged with Child Sex Trafficking
According to court documents, FBI and OKCPD investigators determined that Rolando Cifuentes-Lopez of Oklahoma City, OK. owned the trailer where the two minors lived and threatened to evict their family if they did not comply with requests for sex. If found guilty of child sex trafficking, each defendant faces a mandatory punishment of at least ten years and up to life in prison.
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More pressure on Prince Andrew after alleged victim on TV
British legal experts, meanwhile, are divided over whether Andrew enjoys immunity from prosecution as a senior British royal and the matter has not been tested in court.
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Man arrested in Jefferson County wanted in Harris County for sex trafficking children
The arresting trooper found that Jackson is wanted out of Harris County, TX. for sexual assault of a child, compelling prostitution, and promotion of prostitution and trafficking of a person.
Jail records show Jackson is held on $55,000 bond for the drug charges, but no bond is set for the human trafficking and prostitution charges.
Hurting, hunting Black Girls and Women: Facing a devastating sex trafficking crisis not limited to vans, strangers and abductions
“As I kept hearing the stories—after they have been gone for days—it started adding up like this was a plot,” said Ms. Cleveland, who runs a group called It’s On Me 2. “Someone knew what they were doing in order to get these girls.”
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‘A’: Alabama near top of states in response to human trafficking
Alabama recently received an A on its “report card” from Shared Hope International (SHI) for the state’s positive response to the issue of human sex trafficking. Its overall score landed Alabama at the sixth position in the country; neighboring Tennessee took the top spot.
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Police: Man, woman arrested for human trafficking out of Bay Area massage parlors
Police have arrested a California man and a woman on suspicion of coordinating prostitution and human trafficking out of several Bay Area massage parlors.
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Recognizing The Signs Of Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery and it’s happening across the U.S., including in Maryland. Baltimore is considered a hub as it’s along the I-95 corridor which is used by traffickers to move victims across state lines easily
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Child Exploitation Unit and Copperas Cove PD arrest six men in sting operation
Since its inception, the Child Exploitation Unit in Texas has made 264 arrests and obtained 194 convictions on charges of Online Solicitation of a Minor.
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Former UNG police officer, nine others charged in child exploitation investigation
Jason Noel Lingerfelt, 47, of Cleveland, GA, and nine others were arrested after the month-long investigation concerning online communication between adults and children.
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State’s anti-human trafficking laws among best in nation
Alabama’s laws regarding the sex trafficking of minors rank sixth in the nation, according to a national report card released this week by the nonprofit Shared Hope International.
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Pimp gets 15 years for role in sex ring that ensnared missing teen Corinna Slusser
Ishi Woney, 24, of New York, trafficked Corinna Slusser, 19, and others, including a minor and a mentally disabled woman with the IQ of a third-grader, according to court papers.
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Murray man arrested in Utah County human trafficking sting, along with 25 others
Shane Smith, 26, was one of the individuals arrested during the three-day human trafficking operation in Lehi, UT, with the intent to have sexual relations with a child under the age of 18.
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Girl’s plea for help triggers sex-trafficking bust at Ventura hotel; 2 arrested
A 17-year-old girl walked into the lobby of a Ventura, CA, hotel and told the front desk manager she was being held against her will by a man and a woman, Elijah Tucker, 22, and Davisha Sweat, 25, and forced into prostitution.
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Human trafficking survivor from Texas visits White House
Courtney Litvak grew up in Katy, TX, and attended Cinco Ranch High School. She recalled how a fellow athlete pursued her on campus and arranged a meeting with a pimp.
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Report: Retired Las Vegas cop thought teen was sex worker, tried to pick her up
A former Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer Kirk Hooten, 51, told detectives he used to work for vice and that he still “cat-called” women in the area to see their reactions. He said he regularly visited the intersection to hire sex workers.
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Houston rapper sentenced to life in prison for sex trafficking
Jaimian Sims, 27, of Houston, TX, trafficked multiple victims. Sims is a member of a rap group and in videos he rapped that he sells “white women” and bragged about his success as a “pimp,” prosecutors said.
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Recording studio owner accused of trafficking teens
Otis Berry, also known as “Big Face Tulu,” is wanted on warrants for sexual assault of a child and human trafficking in Houston, TX.
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YWCA expands services for victims of human trafficking
The YWCA of Northeast Kansas, Center for Safety and Empowerment opened the first daytime drop-in center for survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
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Vestavia Hills first city in the state to proclaim community a “sex trafficking free zone”
At Monday night’s council meeting in Vestavia Hills, AL, Mayor Ashley Curry signed a proclamation – an initiative of U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking that will require all city staff to be trained on how to spot sex trafficking.
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How Widespread is Human Trafficking in the US?
In its 2018 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, the US State Department said that despite its global reach, human trafficking takes place locally — “in a favorite nail salon or restaurant; in a neighborhood home or popular hotel; on a city street or rural farm” But four recent high profiles cases of human trafficking and commercialized sex have laid bare the growing problem in big cities and far corners of the US.
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Davidson college professor on leave, arrested following online child exploitation investigation
Michael Thomas Bovino, 38, of Mooresville, NC, and nine others were arrested in an online child exploitation investigation involving 13 state and federal law enforcement agencies across North and South Carolina.
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San Diego’s tourism also attracts the sex trade, pop-up brothels
Law enforcement globally is reporting a rise in pop-up brothels. Last year alone in San Diego, CA, human trafficking was an $810-million industry.
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Metro man charged in human trafficking sting allegedly held woman, child against their will
Jeffrey Higgins, 48, of Independence, MO, began to post the victim on escort websites against her will and would not allow the victim to have a job and had emptied her bank account.
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Students speak out on social media sex trafficking
College-aged women are disproportionately affected by sex traffickers online. Women represent 71% of sex trafficking victims according to the Global Data Hub on Human Trafficking.
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Authorities warn of human trafficking during holiday season
Authorities are warning how those behind sex trafficking rings can use the spirit of the season to lure victims into sexual slavery.
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MAN ACCUSED OF SEX TRAFFICKING WOMEN
One of the victims told investigators with the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force that she was being sold for sex by 39-year-old Joseph Troy Horton. She also stated he was selling a second woman for sex too.
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Man arrested after 7 human trafficking victims found in car during traffic stop, police say
A suspect has been taken into custody after cops found what they claim were seven victims of human trafficking during a traffic stop in North Carolina, CBS affiliate WBTV reports.
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UGA gets $15.75 Million to Research Ways to Reduce Human Trafficking
The U.S. State Department has awarded $15.75 million to the University of Georgia to conduct research and find ways to reduce human trafficking around the world, the school announced Tuesday.
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Seven indicted in central Ohio human trafficking, drug ring
The ringleader of the group, Samuel Lee Edwards, 49, of Columbus, OH, and his associates would use narcotics to manipulate and control their victims, who were threatened and assaulted if they did not comply with demands. The associates assisted with transporting, recruiting and supervising the women, as well as drug trafficking.
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Justice grants will help combat human trafficking in Georgia
A grant to the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council will fund a multidisciplinary task force composed of law enforcement agencies, including the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and several victim service organizations. Funds will also support direct victim services provided under the auspices of the Georgia Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking.
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