Category: Florida
Human Trafficking is the Focus of New Place of Hope Initiative
The Place of Hope held an inaugural Human Trafficking Awareness Luncheon at St Lucy Catholic Church in Highland Beach. Place of Hope, Palm Beach County’s largest children’s organization; the Boca West Children’s Foundation; and other partners are fighting to interrupt the recruitment of more young people into the human trafficking system with another weapon – face-to-face education. Florida ranks 3rd in the nation for reported cases of human trafficking.
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Slavery in the shadows: Survivor tells her painful story for Human Trafficking Awareness Month
A modeling gig set up by her boyfriend was the first night Sara was sexually assaulted. What followed was about six months of drug-hazed sexual servitude. The man she thought was her boyfriend became her trafficker. Sara was trafficked for sex from the Naples area to Miami, Tampa and Orlando in 2012. She was 21 at the time. “You don’t have to be broken,” she said. “It’s not the same recovery road for everyone. Not everyone will feel how I feel. Not everyone will surpass trauma the same way. It’s about how bad you want out.”
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Kidnapper in Christopherson case pleads guilty to all charges
Maria Ann Counts, who was arrested for the kidnapping, rape, and sexual exploitation of a Bonney Lake teenager, has pled guilty to all charges last week. The dramatic saga began May 9, 2018, when Lily Christopherson disappeared from her home in the middle of the night.
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Human traffickers’ new tool to lure children: online video games
Last week’s arrest of seven adults on charges that they kept two boys prisoner in a St. Petersburg mobile home serves as a warning that predators are using popular gaming platforms such as Fortnite and Minecraft to lure in children. At least one of those boys was contacted through the online gaming app Discord.
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Did You Know that January is Human Trafficking Awareness/Prevention Month? PT.1
Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons (TIP) is a form of modern day slavery. It is defined as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by means of threat, use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse or exploitation.
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Did You Know that January is Human Trafficking Awareness/Prevention Month? PT.2 Recognize the Signs!
Are you or someone you know being trafficked? Is human trafficking happening in your community? Recognizing potential red flags and knowing the indicators of human trafficking is a key step in identifying more victims and helping them find the assistance they need.
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Accused sex trafficker: ‘Should probably shoot me’
The last person is now in custody after a human trafficking ring was busted in St. Petersburg, FL. As Gruwell was transferred to the Pinellas County Jail, FOX 13 asked him if he had anything to say about his actions and he answered…
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St. Petersburg Police arrest 7 people accused of sexually exploiting teen boys
Seven people in St. Petersburg, FL. have been arrested for human trafficking involving two teenage victims. Investigators believe one victim was lured through Discord, an online gaming app that allows direct communication and the other victim was lured from his family with promises of a better life, instead he was moved into a filthy trailer and used as a sex slave for nearly a year.
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St. Pete to become ‘trafficking free zone’
The trafficking free zone is USIAHT’s flagship demand reduction program with a modular approach based upon proven practices from around the United States. St. Pete is the latest city to implement this program declaring themselves a ‘trafficking free zone’. A police task force was designed to focus on arresting and prosecuting sex buyers instead of those who are being sold.
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Department of Health in Collier County spreading awareness on human trafficking
Dept. of Health in Collier County, FL. spreading awareness on human trafficking … Florida ranks third in the nation as a human trafficking destination. … traffickers can travel from Miami through Naples and Collier County through Tampa
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Former Pasco Schools employee sentenced to life in prison for child pornography
At the sentencing hearing, the victim’s family member spoke saying the words “child predator” should be across Napolitano’s forehead.
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How God prepared former Dodgers GM to fight sex trafficking: It’s spiritual warfare
Former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager and vice president Kevin Malone is a passionate man. Thanks in part to pastor and Crazy Love author Francis Chan, Malone would be introduced to his new devotion — the fight to abolish child sex trafficking — in 2009.
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Experts Warn Holiday Shopping is Prime Time for Human Trafficking Recruiters
The crazy holiday shopping season is a prime time for sex crimes and there’s a tactic criminals are now using that parents need to know about. Barletta is on a mission to create awareness about sex trafficking to help victims get out of it, and her message to holiday bargain hunters is don’t leave your daughters on their own without a serious talk.
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Safe house for child victims of human trafficking to open in Pensacola
A safe house for child victims of human trafficking will be opening in Pensacola this spring. It’s for girls between the ages of 12 and 17. Organizers say it will be the first home of its kind in our region. The next closest one is in Orlando.
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Florida has 3rd-highest number of human trafficking cases prosecuted in federal court
The Middle District of Florida, including Northeast Florida, has the most human trafficking cases in the state. Florida now ranks third in the country with 59 active human trafficking cases in federal court last year. Jacksonville is an attractive place for human traffickers.
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St. Petersburg Police forms new anti-human trafficking unit
The St. Petersburg Police Department started a new task force whose purpose is to fight human trafficking. They started their new Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit in July. There are eight people in the unit. Sgt. Mitch Detty is in charge of seven detectives.
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Human Trafficking Arrest Linking Georgia and Florida
The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office assisted in an arrest relating to a human trafficking case in Tallahassee, FL.
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Woman regrets using ‘human trafficking’ term in viral video, stands by raising awareness
The woman behind a now viral Facebook Live video says she regrets using the term ‘human trafficking’ to describe what happened at a local grocery store but does not regret bringing awareness to the issue.
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Florida restaurant non-profit provides free industry course on human trafficking
Representatives from the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association announced the launch of an online training course on human trafficking specifically designed to help restaurateurs and their employees.
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Jacksonville woman arrested for allegedly sex trafficking blind woman
A Jacksonville woman has been arrested after she allegedly kidnaped a blind woman with a firearm and forced her into sexual acts with men for money.
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Man sentenced in federal case involving rape and sex trafficking
Lee was convicted for human trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion and is sentenced to 27 years followed by 20 years supervised release.
Read MoreLake County man faces trial in human trafficking case
A Clearlake man who was arrested on charges of human trafficking, pimping, pandering and abuse of a dependent adult in February, will face trial in Lake County Superior Court. A preliminary hearing on July 19 found enough evidence existed to proceed with the case against Timothy Lee Williams, said Lake County District Attorney Don Anderson.
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Three arrested for trafficking child under 18
Three people have arrested and charged with Human Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Activity of a Child Under 18.
Read MoreMan accused of selling sex with underage girl in Orlando arrested human trafficking charges, authorities say
A man suspected of selling sex with an underage runaway was arrested on human trafficking charges after the girl’s rescue in May, authorities said Thursday.
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St. Cloud man charged with promoting prostitution, stalking from prison.
A 31-year-old St. Cloud man was charged with five felonies last week related to crimes he is suspected of committing while imprisoned at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud.
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Convicted sex offender in Village of Summerhill booked without bond for failure to register
A convicted sex offender living in the Village of Summerhill has been booked without bond for failure to register.
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Human Trafficking Victims Aided By Orange County Rescue Mission
Human trafficking is a prominent yet silent issue in Orange County. Now the Orange County Rescue Mission is working to help victims.
Read MoreProsecutors find more victims in Lake County sex-trafficking case
Lake County prosecutors expanded their case Wednesday against a Lakeport couple accused of recruiting a high school student to become a prostitute, charging them with selling three more victims into the sex trade.
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Three charged with sex trafficking
Three new people are sitting in the Hamilton County Jail after investigators said they found the suspects were using a 15-year-old girl for commercial sex trafficking.
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Two Palm Beach County men accused of sex trafficking involving a minor
Two Delray Beach men are facing human-trafficking charges after city police alleged they forced at least three women into prostitution.
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