Tag: Sex Trafficking

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Human Trafficking Near Phoenix

Human Trafficking Near Phoenix

86 Found in Human Trafficking Incident

The Phoenix Police Department along with Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton announced Thursday their completion of a recent vice operation. According to officials, the completion of the recent human trafficking operation resulted in 86 criminal arrests in just 10 days.

Undercover detectives opened a massage parlor and arrested patrons who wanted them to perform sexual acts.

The arrests occurred last December near the area of 7th Street and Greenway Road.

The suspects were men and their ages ranged from 22 to 78 years.

Mayor Stanton said that the task force has made the city get tougher on enforcement.

Mayor Stanton’s Statement:

That’s why we created the human trafficking task force four years ago. To bring together outstanding community leaders, partners, to offer our city resources and to make sure we are taking the lead on ending human trafficking in our community.

Mayor Stanton added that the task force is turning the city of Phoenix “into a national model for combating human trafficking.”

Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams said the arrests were a reminder of what a huge impact sex trafficking has on the community.

Chief Jeri Williams Statement:

It’s a global issue, but that’s not stopping us in the city from taking advantages that we have in our partnerships and Councilman (Jim) Waring alluded to this a little bit, every arrest counts.

Phoenix police say they’ll continue with these investigations and arrest “anyone participating in this criminal behavior.”

Mayor Stanton said that if the public sees something, they should say something and call the national hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Traffickers Arrested

Four Arizona juveniles have been rescued from sex trafficking through the FBI’s Operation Cross Country XI, according to officials.

Seven alleged Arizona traffickers were arrested during the four-day nationwide effort that focused on underage human trafficking. Nationally, 84 minors were rescued and 120 suspected traffickers were arrested.

Michael Caputo’s (Special Agent) Statement:

This crime has no boundaries and can impact any child, of any race or ethnicity, anywhere from large cities to small-town communities.

the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and Phoenix Police Department helped rescue the four juveniles. In total, nine Arizona police departments and four sheriff’s offices were involved in the operation.

This is the 11th iteration of Operation Cross Country and involved 55 field offices and 78 local and state task forces across the U.S.

As part of the operation, the FBI and task-force agents set up in hotels, casinos, truck stops, street corners and websites to try and rescue juveniles. The average age of victims was 15 years old and the youngest victim was 3 months old, the FBI reports.

Examples of stories the FBI released detail undercover agents being offered sexual favors from friends of a minor’s family or online advertisements. One agent was asked to pay $600.

Minors rescued in the operation are offered assistance from state protective services and the FBI’s Victim Services Division. Victims who require more attention are offered medical care and mental-health counseling.

The FBI said it contacted 86 adult victims in Arizona and offered resources.

Operation Cross Country began as part of the FBI’s Innocence Lost National Initiative, which was founded in 2003.

 Two Arrested In Trafficking Case

Police have arrested two men accused of child sex trafficking multiple victims in Arizona and Texas.

Mesa police say 24-year-old Oshay Small and 21-year-old Cornelius Wells were arrested near Metro Center Mall following a five-month investigation into the sexual exploitation and trafficking of 15-year-old girls through the website Backpage.com.

Police say the suspects first contacted the victims through Facebook and began exploiting them several days later. The victims left home and were reported as runaways while they were being exploited, according to police.

Investigators say an additional juvenile female and two adult females were also being exploited and some of the victims were transported to Tucson and El Paso, Texas.

The suspects allegedly used Backpage.com to advertise and locate buyers, and they received proceeds from exploiting the victims.

Mesa police detectives located the suspects at a hotel near Metro Center Mall where they were taken into custody. An adult female victim was with the suspects at the time of their arrest.

Sex Trafficking Victim

Both suspects face multiple counts of child sex trafficking.

Small is being held on $75,000 bond and Wells is being held on $50,000 bond.

If you have any information on someone being trafficked, you’re asked to contact your local police department or the National Human Trafficking hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or humantraffickinghotline.org.

Federal Crimes

In the United States, a Federal Crime or Federal Offense is an act that is made illegal by U.S. Federal legislation. In the United States, criminal law and prosecution happen at both the federal and state levels; thus a “federal crime” is one that is prosecuted under federal criminal law, and not under a state’s criminal law, under which most of the crimes committed in the United States are prosecuted. Whether a crime is considered Federal or State jurisdiction often depends on the location of the crime and where it falls within US State or territory lines. Numerous federal agencies have been granted powers to investigate federal offenses to include, but are not limited to the ATF, DEA, FBI, ICE, IRS, and the Secret Service. Federal crimes may include:

 

  • Tax Evasion
  • Possession of Weapons Banned by the National Firearms Act
  • Vehicular Manslaughter
  • Rape
  • Mail Fraud
  • Counterfeiting
  • Aircraft Hijacking
  • Kidnapping
  • Bank Robbery
  • Child Pornography
  • Art Theft
  • Damaging or Destroying Public Mailboxes
  • Immigration Offenses
  • The Assassination or Attempted Assassination of the President or Vice President
  • Drug-Related Offenses

 

Difference Between Federal and State Cases

It is important to understand that federal criminal cases are different from state cases. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines provide courts with significant guidance in such cases. Federal drug cases often involve mandatory prison sentences, as stated above. In addition, federal prosecutors often wait until they have a very strong case before bringing charges, so the government may have considerable evidence it intends to use against you at any potential future trial.

Schedule a Free Consultation – Phoenix Federal Crimes Lawyer

If you or someone you know has been accused of a federal crime, contact a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer Today to Schedule a Free Consultation. With a wealth of expertise, a commitment to integrity and a passion for defense, the Attorneys at Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC – Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyers – are here to support you with your case. We believe every defendant has the right to a solid defense. Call us today for a free initial consultation at 480-351-6445.

 

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
2942 N. 24th St.
Suite# 114-562
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445
https://www.criminaldefenselawyers.me

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Human Trafficking in Phoenix

Human Trafficking in Phoenix

Sex Trafficking in The United States

Sex Trafficking is sacredly becoming more and more common. Children and women need to be cautious with even every day errand to the store. Women and children can be abducted anywhere and anytime.

There were twenty-one alleged members of an international sex trafficking ring. They have been charged within the United States for forcing hundreds of Thai women to travel to the United States so that they could be “modern sex slaves”. How disgusting can people be? Those poor girls.

They will be joining another 17 members that were charged last October. Three of those 17 have already pleaded guilty.

According to reports, the details is of a scheme that went all the way back to 2009. Women were sadly denied their freedom until payment of “bondage debts” . Some of the debts the some of the women owed were as high as $60,000.

Sex Trafficking Numbers Rise

US Attorney, Gregory Brooker said that the defendants include: 10 Thai nationals and 11 United States citizens. They were all arrested at different locations in Los Angeles, San Diego, Dallas, Austin, Houston, as well as Chicago. One of the defendants are still being searched for.

County Sheriff, Thomas Dart’s Statement:

The complexities of this organization represent the lengths to which criminals will go to profit off of human beings. This is an important reminder that sex trafficking and the associated buying, are not victimless crimes — this organization preyed and profited on vulnerable women.
The operation lasted from early 2009 – May 2017. Talk about a long run. The criminal organization trafficked hundreds of women from Bangkok, Thailand to also various cities across the United States. Some of those places include: Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, Washington, Las Vegas, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, as well as Austin. Quite a wide spread.
 There was an indictment of eight different counts, including: bulk cash smuggling and money laundering offenses, detailing “funnel accounts” to route cash from several cities across the United States to money launderers in L.A.
 The criminal ring moved tens of millions of dollars from the United States to Thailand as well as other places. The criminals used a “hawala-based system”. This was so that trusted family members and others could carry large amounts of money on the person. Some cash was hidden in clothing as well as dolls.
The women who were brought to the Untied States for sex purposes were also forced to open their own bank accounts that were controlled by “members of the organization for coordinated deposits”.

IRS Criminal Investigator, Charge Shea Jones’s Statement:

The special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation are committed to taking the profit away from these human traffickers.  As all financial transactions leave a trail, IRS Criminal Investigation special agents used their accounting expertise to analyze the complex financial transactions made by these criminals.
Criminal positions ranged from traffickers who also held the bondage debt of the victim to house bosses. House bosses owned the houses of prostitution. There were also money launderers and facilitators, their duties included transportation of women to different houses of prostitution, travel costs that had to be added to the “victims bondage debt”.
Attorney Brooker said that the investigation has taken years to complete. They were finally able to dismantle the criminal organization from all angles.  Thank goodness, hopefully this is just one step closer to ending trafficking.

Human Trafficking Suspect Arrested

The District Attorney’s Office said that a twenty-five year old young man was arrested and sentenced to thirty years in prison for human trafficking and sexual assault. Sad that a young man has wasted his life on such a horrible act.

In 2016, Donald Pierre Whiteside, traveled with two young females aging at 18 and 22 years old. They traveled through Colorado, Phoenix and up and down the West Coast. He forced the women into acts of prostitution.

The man forced the women to post advertisement for prostitution then set prices to be charged and then even drove them to their appointments and then took all of their money.

He physically, sexually, and emotionally abused the girls. He did this so that he could have the upper hand and gain “compliance”. The sicko also forced the girls to get tattoos of his “pimp moniker”.

The man pleaded guilty to human trafficking for sexual servitude and attempted sexual assault. After he is released from prison he will have to register as a sex offender.

Coffee Shop Helps Fight Against Human Trafficking

A Local coffee shop helps in changing lives.

President of NRG, Elizabeth Killinger’s Statement:

A 2nd Cup, you are the $100,000 winner from Reliant Gives.

Talk about an amazing thing.

Erica Raggett’s Statement:

I feel like my mind just kind of went blank, like ‘waaa.’ I can’t believe this is happening.

According to Raggett, the journey started around six and a half years ago. She was a Houston teacher when she had watched a presentation on human trafficking at her church.

Erica Raggett’s Statement:

My mind was blown and I was horrified and outraged and … I heard stats, like the average age of entry into sex trafficking is 12 to 14 years old. I was, ‘Those are the kids that I’m teaching. I want to do something. I want to be part of the solution.

So after that she founded ” A 2nd Cup”.

She started as just a pop up coffee shop on the street, later her shop found a more permanent spot 2015. It’s helpped to attract others who has the same passion to help, such as Alyse Bordelon.

Alyse Bordelon’s Statement:

A lot of people come in here not knowing that it’s a nonprofit, not knowing that all of their resources go towards fighting human trafficking. They think it’s just a coffee shop.

Alyse, like most thought that it was just a regular coffee shop, but now she knows the truth and volunteers at the shop at least once a week. She was the one who nominated A 2nd Cup to receive the $100,000 grant. The money is to help launch their nonprofit coffee shop. This will also go to help in the culinary training program for survivors.

Bordelon’s Statement:

I’m very excited to support those survivors in getting jobs that they get to keep that are going to lift them into independence.

Raggett said that the logo is a phoenix because they really believe that they can rise and do something beautiful. How hopeful!

 

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668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
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Sex Trafficking in Arizona

sex trafficking in arizona

Rescued Arizona Sex Trafficking Victim

Sex trafficking is so scary. It’s a real possibility for anyone and anywhere.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety officials say that a traffic stop near Kingman was lucky for one sixteen year old girl who was going to be sold for sex.

They said that the teen was in the company of a man and woman. Luckily their vehicle was stopped by the DPS Trooper, Jonathan Otto.

Otto had clocked the car going very fast, more than 100 mph as it was traveling towards Las Vegas.

Otto said that the first thing that he had noticed when he made his way to the vehicle that that was an “overwhelming odor of perfume”. There was also an adult woman in the front passenger seat who was “dressed scantily”.

Otto’s Statement:

She was actually wearing lingerie. That’s something I’ve never encountered on a regular traffic stop before.

Teen Victim

He then saw a teen in the back seat of the vehicle.

Once the smell of perfume dissipated, Otto noticed a new odor coming from the car…marijuana.

The driver of course denied having marijuana in the vehicle, but did admit to smoking it in the vehicle a could of days earlier.

After that, Otto had everyone get out of the vehicle and got to identifying the woman and the teen.

The teen was also not wearing a lot of cloths. She wasn’t carrying an ID, but she was compliant and told him her name and said that she was eighteen years old.

Otto then put the three of them in the back of his vehicle and started searching the vehicle. He then started noticing “a lot of indicators of sex trafficking”. There was even a document from a children’s court in California, it had the teen’s name on it.

The search ended up showing nothing but “debris” but he did end up running the name of the woman and the teen. That’s when he found out that the young girl was sixteen and not eighteen.

 

 

Otto’s Statement:

With the indications of sexual trafficking and then knowing that she was a juvenile now, I separated her from the adults and questioned her about her date of birth.

The teen said that she wasn’t a runaway. She claimed that she had been kicked out of her home.

When Otto asked about her guardians he found out that her most recent guardian was her grandmother. When Otto contacted her grandmother he found out that the teen was a runaway and wasn’t supposed to be with any adults or in Arizona. Otto also found out that there’s a chance that “prostitution was involved” in the case.

Since he had more information, Otto tried to go talk to the young girl again.

She continued to deny everything and said that she was “okay”.  Otto luckily knew she wasn’t.

Otto’s Statement:

I feel like I gave her a chance to get away from this situation.

One of the things that Otto noticed that the young girl was malnourished. She also had makeup caked on her face and they had little luggage in the car. A happy family traveling always over packs.

It was later found out that the girl had been taken from Southern California. She was trafficked in Arizona and was going to be trafficked again in Las Vegas. Thankfully Otto didn’t give up on her or his instincts.

Otto’s Statement:

She had come from a poverty-stricken life, and this was a way to make quick money. She was trying to get away from  her impoverished life. … I’m just glad was able to intercept her. I believe she got into the prostitution world when she was 15, last year. She had gone missing from San Diego in November. … At that time, I believe these two adults from Vegas had gone out to California and picked her up and took her back to Las Vegas.

The suspects were identified as Rasheen Adams and Chicha Harris. Both suspects are twenty-three years old and from Vegas. They’ve both been charged with three felonies each including: custodial interference, sex trafficking of a minor and theft of means of transportation.

Police think that Adams and Harris connected with the teen through common friends.

 

 

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
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Phoenix, AZ 85008
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