Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
The victim walked over to a Casino Hotel and saw a man dressed in what she thought was a police uniform and told him what had been happening to her. She said the man was not an officer, but was with the Taxicab Authority. However he took her inside and Metro Police were contacted.
Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
Charles Ford, a Las Vegas man, was found guilty of repeatedly raping and forcing a Canadian tourist to work as a prostitute. Ford was convicted in April 2011 by a Clark County jury. During the trial, the victim testified she had been a prostitute as a teenager, had stopped for many years as an adult and had raised a family. She decided to go on vacation from her home in Alberta, Canada, to the U.S. While she was staying in Los Angeles she decided to earn money for herself as a prostitute. At that point, she met another prostitute along Sunset Boulevard, Annette Dennis. The two women struck up a conversation and the victim agreed to drive Dennis to Las Vegas. Then when they got to Las Vegas, Dennis' boyfriend, who was known as "T," introduced the Canadian woman to his friend, "Charlie Mac," the name used by Defendant Charles Ford. Prosecutors say that through threats and intimidation and with information gathered by Dennis, Ford coerced the Canadian woman into working as a prostitute for him, making about $2,500 for him over two nights. The victim said Ford gathered personal information about her, got access to her driver's license and her laptop computer, isolated her, monitored her phone calls and e-mails and sexually assaulted her from Jan. 1 to Jan. 3. Although the woman initially refused to "break" to Ford as her pimp, he told her he had information on her adult children and they would suffer the consequences if she didn't comply. Al Beas, a Metro vice detective who is an expert in the subculture of prostitution, told the jury about intimidation and psychological techniques pimps use to get a prostitute under their control.He also said it was easier for a pimp to get a woman who had previously been a prostitute under his control than a woman who had never sold sexual favors. He said a former prostitute was "almost like an addict being put back on drugs." The prosecutor, Deputy District Attorney Michelle Fleck, explained to the jury that those psychological techniques were the same ones used against the Canadian woman — shame, fear, humiliation and isolation.
Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
Case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with the Human Trafficking Rescue Project. The March. 30, 2011 superseding indictment contains an additional charge against Edward Bagley for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Cook is also charged with two additional counts of using an interstate facility in the commission of murder for hire, and with one count each of attempted tampering with a victim and attempted witness retaliation, all of which are related to an alleged attempt to kill FV between Sept. 28, 2010, and Dec. 9, 2010. Cook is also charged with tampering with another witness, who is identified as “JP” in the indictment. The superseding indictment also contains additional charges against Stokes for receiving child pornography over the Internet and for possessing child pornography. The Bagleys used the Internet and BDSM pornography to train and groom FV (while she was still a minor) to be a sex slave. Marilyn Bagley allegedly modeled “slave clothes” as part of recruiting FV to become Edward Bagley’s slave. Edward Bagley allegedly gave FV marijuana and ecstasy, showed her images of pornography and sadomasochism activities, and began sexually abusing her while she was still a minor. Edward Bagley began sexually torturing FV in February 2004, according to the indictment, when she turned 18 years old and he had her sign a sex slave contract, which he convinced FV legally bound her to him as his slave for the rest of her life. The indictment cites numerous allegations of a variety of sexual acts, torture, and mutilation over a five-year period. Marilyn Bagley posed in photographs taken by Edward Bagley, the indictment says, where she sexually abused FV. Marilyn Bagley allegedly told FV to “do as she was told” and refused to offer assistance when FV expressed fear of Edward Bagley. Marilyn Bagley benefited financially and by receiving something of value from her role in the sex trafficking scheme. If FV attempted to stop the activity or cried for help, the indictment says, Edward Bagley escalated the torture. Edward Bagley allegedly threatened to kill FV and demonstrated to her that he could do so by keeping numerous guns in the home. Edward Bagley shot animals that FV cared for in front of her, the indictment says, and bragged about the bodies he had already buried in the woods behind the trailer home. Edward Bagley also threatened to bury FV alive, the indictment says, and showed her a video demonstrating how he intended to do it. Edward Bagley had FV tattooed to mark her as his property, the indictment says, including a bar code on her neck, a tribal tattoo on her back to mark her as a slave, and the Chinese symbol for slave on her ankle. Between February 2004 and February 2009, the indictment says, Edward Bagley tortured FV on live webcasts on the Internet. Cook allegedly watched live video over the Internet of FV being sexually abused and tortured, and downloaded pictures of FV to his computer. Cook allegedly sent images to Edward Bagley of females in his residence that he beat, bound and tied up to share ideas of how to abuse FV. Cook allegedly used those torture methods on FV when he visited the Bagley residence. Cook gave Bagley a hard drive with sadomasochism and torture videos downloaded from the Internet, including videos demonstrating to Bagley how he could bury FV alive. Stokes allegedly traveled to the Bagleys’ residence and engaged in both sexually torturing FV and watching Edward Bagley torture FV. Stokes gave Bagley steaks, cigarettes, coats, clothing, lighters and cash. Stokes paid $1,000 for Bagley to transport FV to California in December 2006 for a photo shoot in which FV performed sexual acts. Stokes paid Bagley $300 for a torture session, and also gave him money to build a home-made device to sexually torture FV. In addition to the criminal conspiracy, each of the defendants is also charged with one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and one count of using the Internet to facilitate the unlawful activity. Edward and Marilyn Bagley are also charged together with forced labor trafficking and document servitude. The federal indictment alleges that the Bagleys forced FV to work as a stripper and exotic dancer at adult entertainment clubs from June 2007 to February 2009. They allegedly earned approximately $112,200 from FV’s work. According to the indictment, Edward Bagley punished FV with torture and physical and sexual abuse for failing to be a top earner at the adult entertainment clubs where he had her dance and strip. Edward and Marilyn Bagley allegedly confiscated FV’s identification documents, including her state-issued identification card, birth certificate and Social Security card. Edward Bagley is also charged with one count each of using the Internet to entice a minor to engage in illicit sex, enticement to travel for illicit sexual activity, transportation for illicit sexual activity, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21 and being a drug user in possession of firearms and ammunition. Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Domestic Servitude2011
United States US
Edk Kenit, 29, and Choimina Lukas, 31, a Micronesian couple living in Longview pleaded guilty Tuesday in a human trafficking case in which they were accused of forcing an 18-year-old woman from their homeland to work for them. Kenit and Lukas admitted in federal court in the Western District of Washington that in March 2010 they recruited the victim, identified in court documents as "S.S.," to care for their three children and do cooking and cleaning seven days a week without pay. Kenit, Lukas and S.S. all are from the Chuuk island group in the Micronesian archipelago in the South Pacific. Culturally, S.S. felt bound to obey her elders, who threatened to harm her if she disobeyed, according to court documents. Longview Police Detective Steve Dennis, the initial investigator on the case, said their families apparently knew one another, so Kenit and Lukas "made arrangements to fly her here. They promised her wealth and everything that comes with America." Once S.S. got to the U.S., Kenit and Lukas forced “S.S.” to care for their children without pay, Dennis said. Kenit and Lukas fed the victim and allowed her to live in their duplex apartment at 2008 46th Ave. But in July 2010 they forced her to take a job at Foster Farms and seized her pay until she finally quit the job in October, Dennis said. When she began objecting to her treatment, they hid her passport. Micronesians need only a passport but no visas to enter the United States, Dennis said. So the woman was living and working here legally. However, stripped of her paperwork and unable to speak English, she was left in a frightening situation, Dennis said.
CSEC2011
United States US
Juan Rico Doss was indicted for one count of conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking of children, three counts of transportation of minors for prostitution, and two counts of criminal forfeiture. He was sentenced to life in prison. Ford testified against Doss and was sentenced to 15 months
Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
A two-day trial has resulted in the conviction of a child sex trafficker. A U.S. District Judge convicted the male with sex trafficking of a child under the age of 18. He was arrested March 30th by Lubbock Police for related charges. Evidence presented at the trafficker's trial showed that he knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained and maintained a minor female with knowledge that she was under the age of 18. Witnesses also testified that the trafficker would use the proceeds of the child prostitution to provide them with food, shelter, transportation and marijuana. The victims were 16 yrs old, and 18 yrs old. His sentencing date has not been set yet, the 25 year old could face life in prison and $250,000 fine.
CSEC2011
United States US
The young girl's mom called authorities on October 27, 2011 to report her daughter was missing. She told police that she found her daughter's photo on an adult entertainment website. Jensen, who went by the alias Remy, had made a deal on behalf of the teen to have sex with the man, who called himself Mad Mike, for $150. When the man asked for a location for the duo to meet, Jensen gave her address and was arrested -- after a brief struggle -- in her home. The teen, who has not been identified, was also discovered in the apartment. According to police, Jensen was going to start training the teen to become a prostitute.
Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
Mi Sun Cho was convicted November 8, 2011 for her role in an international sex trafficking conspiracy. After a one-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood, Cho was found guilty of conspiring with others to induce or entice women to travel across state lines for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, and for personally transporting individuals across state lines for the same purpose. Cho is the last of 17 defendants to be convicted as part of this wide-ranging, international conspiracy. Two other defendants charged in the conspiracy remain fugitives. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “The conviction of Mi Sun Cho closes a chapter in the prosecution of those responsible for a vast, international sex trafficking ring that exploited countless women. This guilty verdict also sends a clear message to others engaging in similar conduct that they will be punished.” According to the superseding indictment and the evidence presented at trial: A network of brothels in the Koreatown section of Manhattan masqueraded as massage parlors and used various brokers and taxi drivers to provide a steady supply of women to engage in prostitution. Cho was a broker who supplied prostitutes from New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Korea to these brothels, which were operated by other defendants in the case. Brokers like Cho received anywhere from $200 to $500 each from both the brothel owners and the prostitutes for facilitating connections between them.
Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
Craig Allen Rodgers Age: 34 Originally from California Rodgers, who has previous prostitution-related convictions, is accused of procuring customers via the Internet and traveling with his prostitutes to meet clients in hotel rooms in Charlotte, Covington, Ohio, Albuquerque, N.M. and Nashville, Tenn., the complaint said. A federal criminal complaint alleges that Craig Allen Rodgers transported the woman against her will and used force to make her engage in sexual activity with paying customers. According to court records, Rodgers is originally from California and has several previous prostitution-related convictions. In 2006, he pled guilty in Oklahoma to aiding and abetting in prostitution and using a computer to violate Oklahoma law.
CSEC2011
United States US
24yr. old step father pimping out his 14yr. old step daughter on major prostitution street for $45-$50. She had also reported that he had been molesting her and took her virginity in March.
CSEC2011
United States US
Kala Bray, 18, pleaded guilty in federal court on November 4, 2011for her role in a conspiracy to engage in child sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. According to the Indictment, in July and August of 2011, Bray and her co-defendant, Vincent Jones, recruited two Memphis-area juveniles and lured them to Houston, Texas with false promises of atrip to a water park. Bray and Jones plied the teens with drugs including Oxycontin and Xanax and made the juveniles engage in commercial sex acts both in Memphis and Houston for the financial benefit of Bray and Jones. Bray faces up to a life sentence for the conspiracy charge. As part of the plea, the United States agreed to dismiss other charges related to the conspiracy. Bray is set to be sentenced on February 10, 2012.
CSEC2011
United States US
Demond Levail Osley transported a 17 year old from Florida and forced her into prostitution. He was convicted of one count of sex trafficking of a minor, one count of transportation of an individual for prostitution, one count of coercion and enticement of an individual to engage in sexual activity; and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. He was sentenced to 30 years and 5 months.
CSEC2011
United States US
Montavius Rakeem Postell, 20, and Boby Louis, 23, both of Orlando, are wanted in a case involving the abduction of a 15-year-old girl from the Universal Studios area in Orlando. Ten others (named below) were arrested in connection with this case. The girl was abducted, then forced into prostitution in Miami. The girl had run away from a group home with a friend and, after meeting some men on a bus, was soon transported to Miami-Dade and forced to work as a prostitute. The unidentified 15-year-old and a female friend of the same age escaped from a group home in Highlands County. The two ended up in Orlando and eventually at Universal Studio's CityWalk. On a bus ride back from the theme park's mall area, the girls met a couple of men and agreed to go home with them for a good time. Police say the girls drank alcohol, smoked marijuana, and engaged in sex with the men. The good time turned terrifying, though. The girls were taken to an abandoned warehouse where six men raped one of the girls, while the other was raped by two men and then forced into prostitution in Miami. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the others arrested in connection with this case were: • Guytembert Garcon, 23, of Orlando, who is on probation for a 2006 conviction for lewd or lascivious battery on a person between 12 and 15 years old • Olgens Alcide, 22, of Orlando, who is on probation for a 2009 conviction for armed robbery • John Peter Henry, 27, of Miami, who was released from prison in 2009 after serving a 13-month sentence for selling cocaine. • Lachristophe (also spelled "Lachristoph") Smith, 29, of Orlando, who was released from prison in 2006 after serving about three years for burglary, grand theft, and selling marijuana. • Luc Louidor, 25, of Orlando. • Brothers Leo David, 30, and Rodney David, 26, both of Orlando • Shayne Parsons, 25, of Orlando. • Martha Wilson, 23, of Orlando, was arrested on a charge of interference with custody; investigators say she allowed some of the sexual activity to occur at her home. • Craig Golden, 26, of Orlando. All arrested persons/suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
ICE special agents in Miami identified Jorge Velasquez and Jaime Velazquez-Zompantzi, 26 as responsible for forcing the two females in Florida into prostitution. ICE special agents also determined that the Velazquez brothers had held the female victim’s children captive in Mexico and prohibited the victims from contacting their children. In May 2010, ICE HSI special agents in Miami requested assistance from the ICE Attaché Mexico City special agents regarding this ongoing human trafficking investigation after the two female human trafficking victims from Mexico were identified in Florida. On May 12, 2010, ICE special agents presented the investigation to Secretary of Public Safety (SSP) Border Enforcement Security Task Force officers in Mexico for enforcement action, and ICE special agents assisted those officers with locating and identifying the organization’s leaders in Mexico. Subsequently, on June 6, 2010, Assistant Attorney General for Special Investigations (SIEDO) and SSP officers executed search warrants on a business and residence belonging to the Zompantzi family, an alleged human trafficking organization operating in Tenancingo, Tlaxcala, Mexico. SSP officers arrested Jaime Velazquez-Zompantzi, Jorge Velazquez-Zompantzi, Fausto Velazquez-Zompantzi, and Severina Zompantzi, all Mexican nationals, indicted in Mexico on federal charges to include trafficking of persons and organized crime. During the search of the Mexican business, SSP officers found four minors suspected of being the children of trafficked victims currently in the United States. Two of the minors were identified as the children of the two female human trafficking victims in Florida. In 2011, Mexican authorities successfully prosecuted Jorge Velasquez for his role in this commercial sex trafficking ring. Velasquez was sentenced in Mexico to 18 years and 3 months in prison. Mexico prosecuted Velasquez along with three other Mexican traffickers.
CSEC2011
United States US
Trafficker convicted January 2010 of 11 felonies including sexual assault and human trafficking. First conviction under Wisconsin's human trafficking law.
Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
Local (Oak Creek, WI) police discovered the victim, a 14 year old girl, during an investigation into escort services. In or about May 2010 Booker picked up his 14 year old victim on West North Avenue in Milwaukee, then took nude photos of her. The photos were posted on www.backpage.com, advertising the girl as a 19 year old escort. The girl was then taken to a hotel where she engaged in sex with men, who paid Booker and another woman, Holly Arnold, age 23. The victim told a detective she was afraid to leave the hotel because she did not know where she was, had no money, and no way of going elsewhere.
Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
The trafficker is Sean Patrick, a 37-year-old pimp from Milwaukee. Patrick was charged with child sex trafficking on 10/26/2011 in federal court in Milwaukee. The charges pertain to the trafficking of three girls, whom he forced to work as prostitutes between 2006 and 2010. They were trafficked to Chicago and other locations not specified in the sources. Patrick often transported the girls in a van on which he had painted "Ho Hauler" and forced the girls to pose nude outside the van for his friends. The victims were forced to sell sex 5-7 nights per week and turn the money over to Patrick. The victims were subjected to physical violence if they failed to make enough money. Information regarding how the victims were recruited, their ages, or the length of time each was in bondage is not available from the sources.
CSEC2011
United States US
MAURICE DONTAE ALEXANDER - Male - 24 And LATOSHIA NORRIS - Female. Both of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Maurice Alexander has been sentenced to 72 months in prison, followed by supervised release for life. His female associate is scheduled to be sentenced.
CSEC2011
United States US
Mohamed Ahmed Amalle, from Twin Cities, MN was arrested on or about May 9, 2011 in connection with an alleged sex ring that prostituted underage girls. Mohamed Ahmed Amalle is the 30th defendant in a massive child-prostitution case. Authorities allege the Somali Mafia and Somali Outlaws gangs operated the ring out of the Twin Cities, MN, Nashville, TN, and Columbus, Ohio. A grand jury indictment alleges that in November 2006, when Mohamed Amalle was 18, he became part of an original group of men that began selling a girl younger than 13 for sex. The vicitm was identified in court documents as Jane Doe Two. The group allegedly called up customers and then dropped her off at apartment complexes in Minneapolis and St. Paul. About two-thirds of the 29 people charged so far are from Minnesota. The alleged recruitment of young girls by Minneapolis-based Somali gangs to work as prostitutes took place in Minnesota and many of the alleged sex acts were carried out at Minnesota homes and businesses, from a Blaine mall to a Brooklyn Center hotel. The victims, who authorities say were as young as 12, were allegedly transported to work in the sex trade in other states, including Tennessee and Ohio.
CSEC2011
United States US
case was investigated by the FBI’s Innocence Lost initiative with the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation-Obscenity Section and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
CSEC2011
United States US
According to the facts filed with the court at the time of the plea, Jane Doe met Maurice Alexander and Latoshia Norris in the Minneapolis area around May 2010. Doe told them that she was 17 years old, when she was actually 16 years old. Alexander invited Doe to live with them after she was abandoned on the street by a third party. Alexander and Norris bought food and clothing for her and quickly trained her to work as a prostitute. Alexander also gave her marijuana and alcohol. Doe told investigators that Alexander was her pimp, who kept the proceeds of the commercial sex. Alexander also drove Doe and Norris to other cities, including Des Moines, Indianapolis and the Kansas City area for commercial sex after he and Norris posted her advertisement on Backpage.com. Doe eventually left Alexander and Norris and moved to St. Louis without them. Prior to moving she left a letter for them revealing her true age of 16. Alexander continued to travel the circuit with Norris, eventually returning to St. Louis. Sometime between August and September 2010, Doe met Alexander and Norris in St. Louis and they all shared alcohol and marijuana. The trio decided to post advertisements in Indianapolis for Norris and Doe to solicit for commercial sex. Alexander drove the females to an Indiana hotel, but they did not meet any potential customers, so he drove Doe back to St. Louis and they parted ways again.
Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
28-year-old Minnesota pimp, Byronte Juwann Reed. Trafficked individual in Minnesota and Chicago. Lived with trafficked person.
Bonded Labor2011
United States US
This is an update to an earlier posting. See: http://www.slaverymap.org/index.html?show=986 On October 21, 2010, Defendant Abrorkhodja Askarkhodjaev, 31, pled guilty to charges for his role as the leader of a criminal enterprise that engaged in forced labor, fraud in foreign labor contracting, visa fraud, mail fraud, identity theft, tax evasion and money laundering. The c onviction was prosecuted under the statute prohibiting fraud in foreign labor contracting enacted as part of the Trafficking Victim’s Reauthorization Act of 2008. Askarkhodjaev pled guilty to four counts of the 143-count indictment, with prosecutors dismissing the other counts in exchange for his cooperation and a 10- to 12-year prison term. On or about October 28, 2010, co-Defendant Kristen Dougherty, 51, of Ellisville, was found guilty of all three counts contained in a Jan. 7, 2010, superseding indictment. Dougherty was convicted of racketeering, participating in a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act conspiracy, and wire fraud. Dougherty, as vice president of sales and marketing for Giant Labor Solutions, LLC, was involved in the recruitment and exploitation of foreign national workers. Dougherty also controlled three businesses that were used to facilitate the scheme: Anchor Building Services; People, Inc.; and Hotel and Resort Services. These businesses employed illegal workers and were used to obtain additional illegal workers. Under federal statutes, Dougherty is subject to a sentence of up to 60 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $750,000. A sentencing hearing was scheduled for February 24, 2011. Previously, nine other co-defendants pled guilty in connection with the case. three remaining defendants are fugitives.
CSEC2011
United States US
Beleal Garcia-Gonzalez, 35, of Mission, Texas was convicted Sept. 23, 2010 after a three-day jury trial. He was charged with three counts of sex trafficking, one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens and six counts of harboring aliens. During his September 2010 trial, the jury heard testimony that underage illegal aliens were being forced to work and being prostituted at the El Paraiso Bar in Mission, Texas. Ultimately, agents rescued three girls, ages 14, 15 and 17, working at the bar and being prostituted by Garcia-Gonzalez, the bar's owner. The jury learned that the three minors had been living with their family in Honduras when they were promised a job working at a restaurant making $700 a week in the United States. In court, the girls testified that the defendant spoke to their mother on the phone to make the arrangements. The girls were illegally smuggled into the United States expecting jobs. Instead, they worked at Garcia-Gonzalez' bar making only $120 a week which was deducted from the $4,500 fees they each “owed” Garcia-Gonzalez for being smuggled into the country. Garcia-Gonzalez told the girls that they could make $3 for every beer that a customer bought them and that they could keep any money they made having sex with customers, minus $50 they would have to pay him. The girls began working by selling and drinking beer with the customers. However, they soon realized they were not making any money because Garcia-Gonzalez never paid them. Needing money, the girls turned to the only other option Garcia-Gonzalez had given them - prostitution. Garcia-Gonzalez was charged along with several other co-defendants and who were also sentenced on Tuesday. Cesar Enrique Sarmiento-Mendoza, 33, of Honduras, worked at the bar and was left in charge of the bar when Garcia-Gonzalez was not there. Jenny Beatris Parada-Ponce, 27, of El Salvador, who was a prostitute herself, explained to the girls about prostitution among other things. Sarmeinto-Mendoza and Parada-Ponce each pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking prior to Garcia-Gonzalez's trial. Judge Crane sentenced Sarmiento-Mendoza to seven years of imprisonment; Parada-Ponce was sentenced to six years. Two others were also charged as a result of this ICE HSI investigation. Elizabeth Mendez-Vasquez, 23, of Mexico, and Maria Luisa Vasquez-Garcia, 21, of Mexico, were also charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to harbor aliens on Aug. 27, 2010. Mendez-Vasquez was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment