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CSECArchive 2008–2016

CSEC in Tampa, Florida (2011)

A CSEC case from 2011 in Tampa, Florida, United States. 1 source on file.

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What happened

The cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. The ICE investigation is part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to identify, investigate and arrest those who prey on children, including human traffickers, international sex tourists, Internet pornographers, and foreign-national predators whose crimes make them deportable. ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com. The Innocence Lost national initiative of the FBI addresses domestic child prostitution through 39 task forces and working groups around the nation. To date, the 39 Innocence Lost Task Forces and Working Groups have recovered 1,250 children. Both cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel Moore Lee for the Middle District of Florida.

Response and intervention

In a separate investigation, O'Neill used the social networking website "MySpace.com" to communicate with an undercover detective, who was posing as a 15-year-old girl online. O'Neill made plans to meet with the "girl" for the purposes of engaging in sexual activity and traveled to the agreed upon meeting place, where he was arrested. When O'Neill arrived at an undisclosed location in Pinellas County he was met by detectives and arrested. Minor victim’s dates of bondage are estimated, based on O’Neill’s November 10, 2010 arrest for the separate offense. No aftercare was reported. As of this post, sentencing/restitution has not been reported.

Sources

Nearby cases

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Sex Trafficking2011

Tampa, Florida, United States, 2011

United States US

Eric Antwan Bell (37,Tampa) was indicted September 29, 2011 by a grand jury. The indictment charges Bell with four counts of conspiracy to entice a minor to engage in a commercial sex act, four counts of enticing a minor to engage in a commercial sex act, three counts of production of child pornography, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the indictment, Bell, along with a co-conspirator, enticed four minor victims to engage in prostitution. Bell and his co-conspirator lived off of the prostitution proceeds. Bell produced child pornography of the four minors and possessed multiple firearms after being convicted of a felony offense. One of his victims, a 15 year old, told Bell, who identified himself as “Santana”, she was 15. Bell raped her as soon as he got her to his home in the Highland Pines neighborhood near U.S. 41 and Interstate 4, court documents say. He also made her undress, took pictures of her and uploaded them onto Internet sites, advertising her as an escort, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Tampa in January. For the next three weeks, "Santana" raped her daily, videotaped her sexual encounters with adult men and threatened to kill her if she told anyone, the girl told detectives. According to the complaint, she charged about $150 per "date," performed 15 to 20 "tricks" a day and estimated that she handed over $40,000 to $50,000 to the man during the time she lived with him. The girl who told investigators that Bell often wore a gun in his waistband. She said Bell sold oxycodone and marijuana from the home. Authorities did not provide details about how the girl eventually got away from Bell. Investigators serving a search warrant at Bell's home found firearms, ammunition, body armor, and cameras and computers containing pornographic images of the victims, the complaint said.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016
Sex Trafficking2009

Tampa, Florida, United States, 2009

United States US

Deputies arrested Kenyatta Cornelous, 38, Edward Jones, 47, and Corinna Shaffer, 24, all of Treasure Island, this weekend. Cornelous, being held without bail, is charged with sexual battery, and all three are charged with human trafficking. Deputies also are looking for Colin Anthony Dyer, 36, in connection with the case.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016
Sex Trafficking2009

Temple Terrace, Florida, United States, 2009

United States US

A two month investigation led to the arrests of 38-year-old Kenyatta Cornelous, 47-year-old Edward Jones and 24-year-old Corinna Shaffer, all of Treasure Island. All have been charged with human trafficking, a 2nd degree felony. Kenyatta Cornelous, 38, Edward Jones, 47, and Corinna Shaffer, 24, all listed their address as the home at 10214 Tarpon Drive. Cornelous is charged with sexual battery, human trafficking and deriving proceeds from prostitution, the sheriff's office said. He was being held without bail on the sexual battery charge. His bail on the other charges totals $60,000. Jones is charged with human trafficking and was being held on $50,000 bail. Shaffer is charged with human trafficking and deriving proceeds from prostitution and was being held on bail totaling $60,000.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016