Nevada Archives - News - U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking

Las Vegas man charged with using dating app to lure minor into sex

Mar 24, 2020 | Awareness, Nevada

A las Vegas man was arrested on sex assault after police say he solicited a child for sex
on a dating app. The 44 year old man was charged with four felonies including soliciting child for prostitution, sex assault, first-degree kidnapping, and facilitating sex trafficking for a victim who is under the age of 18. The victims grandmother reported her missing and she found her iPad that showed she was talking to the 44 year old. The girl, who was described as under 14, told the man if he wanted to have sex it would cost $5 and gave him her address. The man said he was driving a silver Malibu.

Lyft drivers learning how to spot human trafficking

Feb 6, 2020 | Awareness, Nevada

In Las Vegas, Nevada Lyft drivers are learning the signs of human trafficking and how they can assist if they suspect victims are riders. Nevada is number 10 in the total number of human trafficking cases in the U.S, around 5,600 victims of child sex trafficking in the state. Lyft has partnered with Business Ending Slavery and Trafficking and the Dressember Foundation to train the drivers. Lyft wants to effect a positive change and build and maintain a safe community.

Las Vegas man charged with multiple counts of child sex trafficking, witness tampering

Jan 8, 2020 | Nevada, News, Perpetrators

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.

Sex trafficking survivors thrive in new Las Vegas environment

Jan 2, 2020 | Nevada, News, Survivors

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.

Report: Retired Las Vegas cop thought teen was sex worker, tried to pick her up

Nov 27, 2019 | Awareness, Nevada, News, Perpetrators

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.

Man Sentenced in Napa to 10 Years for Pimping 2 Teen Girls

Nov 20, 2019 | Awareness, California, Nevada, News, Perpetrators

Marquez Thomas, 20, of Sacramento, CA, sexually exploited two 17-year-old high school girls and acted as the girls’ pimp and arranged commercial sex work for them in hotels in San Francisco, Daly City, Napa County and Reno, NV, prosecutors said.

Judge Allows Legal Brothels To Continue Business In Nevada

Nov 4, 2019 | Awareness, Nevada, News, Politics

U.S. District Judge Miranda Du in Reno, NV, said in her ruling “that plaintiffs were unlawfully forced into prostitution and sex trafficked in Nevada and other states is not sufficiently traceable to Nevada laws … as opposed to other factors, namely the illicit behaviors of private bad actors.”

Arizona authorities book man recently hired by CCSD on sex charges

Aug 23, 2019 | Nevada, News, Perpetrators

Sean David Rix, 53, from Las Vegas, was arrested in early August by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police department for two counts of attempted commercial sexual exploitation of a minor. Authorities explained that the charge is in relation to a subject attempting to purchase sexually explicit photos from the minor.

Woman accused of sex trafficking, child abuse involving girl

May 21, 2019 | Nevada, News, Perpetrators

The arrest report says the “11 year old girl” wore a tight-fitting dress and black high heels and had condoms in her purse. It also says she acknowledged smoking and drinking with the accused perpetrator 40 year old Gigi Mitchell in Las Vegas, NV. casinos.

Las Vegas: Homeless youth most vulnerable to sex trafficking

Mar 25, 2019 | Awareness, Nevada, News, Survivors

“We didn’t have food or money and this guy was offering it. I didn’t think I had a choice,” Angela says. She felt her self-worth disappear completely when the stranger subtracted the cost of the condoms he bought from the total he gave her. “I felt disgusted.”

Legislation treats child sex trafficking survivors as victims, not criminals

Mar 14, 2019 | Awareness, Nevada, News, Politics

Nevada lawmakers are considering a bill that takes the first step toward treating survivors of child sex exploitation as victims, not criminals. Assembly Bill 151 ensures Nevada’s compliance with federal law requiring states to tweak their child abuse and neglect statutes to include sex trafficking.

Ex-Las Vegas fire captain pleads guilty in teen prostitution case

Mar 5, 2019 | Nevada, News, Perpetrators

A former Las Vegas fire captain pleaded guilty to two felonies Monday after authorities accused him of paying a teenage girl $300 to have sex with him at a fire station. Richard Loughry, 48, entered a plea to one count each of attempted statutory sexual seduction and soliciting prostitution. He entered a type of guilty plea that required him to admit only that prosecutors had enough evidence to prove the case to a jury.

Anti-trafficking activist files lawsuit to declare legal Nevada brothels unconstitutional

Feb 27, 2019 | Awareness, Nevada, News

Nevada state law currently allows legal brothels in rural counties with fewer than 700,000 residents. Steve Sisolak (D) seeks to ban Nevada from allowing legal prostitution and create a $2 million fund to help women leave the sex trade, The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. “We’ve got increased public awareness leading to community action,” he said.

Nevada bill would let sex trafficking victims expunge criminal records

Feb 19, 2019 | Nevada, News

A bill introduced in the Nevada Senate Monday would permit victims of sex trafficking or forced prostitution to seek expungement of convictions for any non-violent crime they committed arising from their servitude.

Upcoming Legislation: Senate Bill 7 would sentence child sex trafficking consumers to life in prison

Feb 18, 2019 | Nevada, News, Politics

The state of Nevada’s Senate Bill 7, if adopted, would additionally provide that a customer who violates such a prohibition by knowingly soliciting a child who is less than 14 years of age for prostitution is committing a sex trafficking crime, and therefore is guilty of a Category A Felony, life in prison with possible parole after 15 years.

Group lists Nevada on ‘Dirty Dozen’ of sexual exploitation

Feb 12, 2019 | Awareness, Nevada, News

Nevada’s rural counties has turned the state into a magnet for sex traffickers. Las Vegas, NV. resident Kevin Malone, the former general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the president and co-founder of the non-profit U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, applauded Nevada’s inclusion on the center’s list.

Modern Day Slavery: Saving young lives from sex trafficking

Feb 5, 2019 | Awareness, Nevada, News

Mary Ballinger is one of 250 volunteers taking part in the three-day effort. It’s where people canvass the streets, handing out flyers and gathering tips, that’ll potentially lead them to males and females listed as missing by the state of Nevada. Those missing have been identified by law enforcement as vulnerable, with a great chance of being exploited or sexually trafficked.

Latest numbers show 2018 is on track to be record breaking year for sex trafficking

Jan 31, 2019 | Awareness, Nevada

Human sex trafficking is a disturbing crime affecting both children and adults in the state. Officials say cases of sex trafficking have been on the rise since at least 2012. The latest numbers show 2018 is on track to be another record year.

Caesars Entertainment Announces New Global Commitments to Eradicate Exploitation of Vulnerable Individuals

Jan 3, 2019 | Awareness, Nevada

Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas, NV. the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment provider, is strengthening its commitment to end human trafficking in partnership with two global organizations that lead the fight to prevent and eradicate the issue. In observance of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, Caesars announced it has committed to combat commercial sexual exploitation of children by signing ECPAT’s Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct which provides a platform for companies to share best practices to end human trafficking.

COMMENTARY: Time to attack the Las Vegas sex trade

Dec 20, 2018 | Awareness, Nevada, News

What happens in Vegas shouldn’t always stay in Vegas — especially when children are likely being sold for sex every day in this city. This is an atrocity that needs to be stopped and Kevin Malone says,
”I’ve moved to Las Vegas to do it”.

COMMENTARY: Time to attack the Las Vegas sex trade

Dec 18, 2018 | Awareness, Nevada, News

What happens in Vegas shouldn’t always stay in Vegas — especially when children are likely being sold for sex every day in this city. This is an atrocity that needs to be stopped and Kevin Malone says, ” I’ve moved to Las Vegas to do it.

Health System Gets $1.5 Million to Combat Human Trafficking

Dec 7, 2018 | Arizona, California, Nevada, News, Politics

Research indicates a large share of sex and labor trafficking victims interact with a health care provider at some point while they are being exploited.

FBI Changing Vegas Billboard Campaign to Highlight Opioids

Oct 11, 2018 | Awareness, Nevada

The FBI in Las Vegas is replacing billboards seeking tips about human trafficking with signs seeking information about illegal and prescription distribution of opioid painkillers.

Father and son arrested in South Bay sex trafficking scheme

Oct 1, 2018 | Nevada, News, Perpetrators

A father and son from Reno, Nevada, were arraigned in federal court in San Diego on charges they conspired to engage in the sex trafficking of children and the attempted enticement of an adult and children, authorities said Friday.

Las Vegas man sentenced to 5 years on child prostitution charges

Aug 31, 2018 | Nevada, News, Perpetrators

A Las Vegas man arrested last year will serve up to five years in prison for prostituting a child, the Nevada Attorney General’s Office announced today.