Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
[Click to zoom.] Click to enlarge (File) AP 1 of 1 Close numSlides of totalImages A man is arrested and accused of holding a woman hostage and forcing her into prostitution. Police say the woman was held against her will on and off since December of 2007. Authorities say if she didn't follow the suspect's rules, she was beaten. "It's our understanding that she was beaten and forced to go to a certain part of the home and remain there. If she attempted to leave or to get food or go to the bathroom, she would be beaten," police say. Vacaville police say that a 23-year-old woman was held against her will, off an on for more than a year and forced into prostitution. Officers showed up to a Vacaville apartment complex on a disturbance call yesterday, and when they arrived they say 24-year-old Sean Grant didn't cooperate with detectives. nstead, Grant tried to escape out a second story window. Police caught him, which sparked an investigation which led them to a badly beaten woman. "He would beat her with it as an instrument to inflict pain to gain her compliance," detectives tell CBS13. Police say Grant also put her on Craigslist, selling sex, and forced her to prostitute herself on the streets locally in and around the Bay Area. "She started keeping a tally sheet so when she would go to the authorities its our understanding that he located the tally sheet, he destroyed the tally sheet and she was beaten as a result of doing that," say authorities. It started back in October of 2007, when police say the two started dating. The woman tried to get away, but she couldn't. "He had threatened her family with harm if she did not return. When she returned to save her family at that point she was beaten severely as to be taught a lesson that she was not to try and leave," police tell CBS13. Grant is charged with false imprisonment, human trafficking and criminal threats. Detectives say while this woman has been through so much she is doing well and she is safe.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
"VISTA -- Authorities shut down nine businesses and arrested 22 women during an undercover prostitution sting Wednesday afternoon in Vista, officials said. The operation targeted Asian day spas and acupuncturists suspected of plying the illegal trade. Some of the businesses appeared to have living and eating quarters for the women, according to authorities. The bust followed prostitution complaints by the public and several months of investigation by the Sheriff's Department and Vista officials. View the slideshow of Sheriff's Department photos "The city is determined to stop this," said Vista City Attorney Darold Pieper, adding that a spike in massage therapist permit applications helped spur the investigation. "We don't want this here," added Vista sheriff's Capt. Tim Curran, calling investigator's efforts "aggressive." Many of the 22 women arrested are Chinese citizens and some are in the country illegally, the captain said. The women face misdemeanor charges for prostitution, illegal touching and various city health and safety violations stemming from the presence of living and eating quarters inside the businesses. The following businesses were shut down: Touch of Asian Day Spa, Seren Acu-Care, Melrose Spa, Vista Town Spa, Bright Acupuncture, JW Acupuncture, Li Jun Acupuncture I, Li Jun Acupuncture II and Vista Health Center, sheriff's officials said. In photos of the sting released by authorities, several women are shown with their hands restrained and heads down. One photo shows clothing strewn on a bed, a large plastic tub filled with blankets and what appears to be a family photograph framed and sitting at the front of the bed. Authorities had not determined Wednesday whether some of the women owned or operated the establishments. Owners and operators could face charges of felony conspiracy to promote prostitution, officials said. County prosecutors will determine whether to pursue additional charges. Call staff writer Chris Nichols at 760-740-5426." Article from the North County Times
Sex Trafficking2009
Albania AL
First, trafficker lured her in with an engagement ring and promise of a better life abroad. It started with a speedboat trip from Vlore, Albania to Italia, then finally to brothels in London and Antwerp, Belgium where she was forced to work as a prostitute for five years. (The ban on speedboats by the Albanian government three years ago, which greatly reduced human trafficking, has recently been reversed because of protests by fishermen and people in tourist industry) "It was only after her trafficker sealed her mouth with electrical tape, drugged her and threatened to kill her family that the childlike woman, now 27, says she realized that the man she had planned to marry had seduced her with a terrible lie." The victim reports that "the man who abducted her had gained her trust over months, then locked her in a room and took her passport and cellphone. She said he beat her and cut her with a penknife, a warning of what he would do if she tried to escape." Victim also reported that trafficker had contacts in each city they visited. She said the trafficker also employed a forger, who provided fake documents. "She thought she would finally be freed when her trafficker was arrested in London in 2006 and deported to Albania. Instead, she said, his brothers and their wives, who were in London, put her back to work in the sex trade."
Sex Trafficking2009
India IN
the police team led by senior inspector Rajendra Bhamare laid a trap and detained the suspects from Fatimanagar.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Terrence A. Yarbrough (a.k.a. "T-Rex"). A 34 year old male. "he women, referred to only as "Jane Doe 1 and 2" in court documents, were being rented out against their will to men who responded to online ads on Craigslist and backpage.com, court documents and testimony show. They were forced into the business by Terrence A. Yarbrough, FBI Special Agent Cynthia Dockery wrote in a court affidavit unsealed Monday." From http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/laworder/story/8F87FBF0F9C6CCE9862576240001A191?OpenDocument
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
A pair of aspiring models were turned into sex slaves after two fiendish pimps responded to their Craigslist ads, lured them to a Midtown hotel and forced them to have sex with up to 60 men, authorities said. Two savvy pimps, Jason Breska, 38, of Brooklyn, and Sabina Rabinovich, 36, of Florida, responded to the ads while trolling the Internet for potential sex victims, cops said. One of the women had posted an ad looking for a "position in pornography." The thugs, who are childhood friends, promised the women modeling careers with health benefits and dates with clients, police said. They even paid for their travel expenses from Ridgewood, NJ, and Sun Valley, Calif., police said. The women -- ages 21 and 27 -- ended up at the La Quinta Hotel at 17 West 32nd Street, where they were allegedly forced into the sex industry. Using the name "Joey," Breska oversaw the operation and collect all the money - never giving a penny to the victims, cops said. Rabinovich, who went by the name "Charlie," would set up the sexual liaisons by calling the victims to inform them she was sending over a client, police said On June 7, Breska allegedly raped the 27-year-old woman in a room at the hotel. Between, June 8 and June 15, the same victim was forced to have sex with up to 60 men and kept at the hotel through "scare tactics," such as threats to tell their families. At the same time, the 21-year-old victim was kept in a room while having sex with a constant stream of Johns for two straight days.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
A Renton man, Tyrone A. Bellinger, 24, pleaded guilty to attempted commercial sexual abuse of a minor girl, 13. Prosecutors asserted he lured the girl into his car and, after showing her his pistol, forced her to sell herself in August, 2007. According to court documents, the girl's first prospective clients were two undercover King County Sheriff's Office detectives. They arrested the girl on suspiciion of prostitution. Bellinger faces 21-35 months in prison.
Sex Trafficking2009
Poland PL
A Warsaw taxi driver, Krzysztof M. forced girls to prostitute themselves in a Warsaw night club. Two men, Miroslaw W. i Rafal S., acted as “guards.” A Ukrainian woman, the girlfriend of one of the traffickers, acted as a “guard” while the women were at the nightclub. After a few months they were sold for 3,000 PLN to Tomasz M. of Wroclaw where they were beaten, drugged, and forced to prostitute themselves. They we sold again for 2,000 euro to Maciej C of Wroclaw who had a plan to sell them to brothel in Vienna.
Sex Trafficking2009
Netherlands NL
the 39-year-old Gilbert E. and the 45-year-old Solomon O.every eight years cell requirements. Against Solomon's wife, Vera EO, is four years imprisonment demanded.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Based on this information, the department started an undercover operation on Feb. 12.09 From that date through May 29, two undercover officers, who carried audio and video surveillance equipment, visited the club once a week to gather information. During that time, the affidavit said, the undercover officers documented about 288 violations of the county ordinance that regulates sexually oriented businesses, at least 349 violations of conduct in a licensed premise, and 17 drug violations.
Sex Trafficking2008
Togo TG
The practice of ritual or customary servitude was outlawed in Ghana in 1998, but no one has ever been prosecuted under the law. Rather, the practical implementation of the law has fallen largely to NGO's who have facilitated the shrines in ending the practice. The NGO Every Child Ministries Ghana negotiated with the Sovigbenor shrine community and educated them as to the issues over a span of over a year, finally winning the approval of the shrine for the liberation of all 126 of its trokosi slaves on December 9, 2005. The liberation was a public event in which the shrine freed the slaves and agreed to end the practice of ritual servitude in that place. In this case a 79 year old woman was liberated who had been enslaved there since she was about one year old.
Sex Trafficking2008
Netherlands NL
Saban Baran 38,and Hasan Baran 43, born in Turkey. Convicted in 2008 of leading a gang forcing more than 100 women into prostitution, tattooing some of them to mark them as the gang's property
Sex Trafficking2008
United States US
Don Arthur Webster Jr., aka "Jerry Starr," age 51
Sex Trafficking2008
Thailand TH
Nikki, who is from Central Asia, was desperate to find a job after her husband died of a heart attack. A friend told her that she could make a lot of money in Bangkok serving as a "companion" for wealthy clients at exclusive hotels. So she left her two children in her home country to try out the new job in Bangkok. She didn't realize until her first night in Bangkok that she would be prostituting herself, and she did not realize it would turn into three years of hell. But by then it was too late. The owners of the hotel intimidated and threatened her into submission.
Sex Trafficking2008
Belgium BE
Komitov was originally sentenced to six years in prison, however on October 15, 2008, the Belgium Appellate Court increased his sentence to eight years because of the human rights violations and violence used against victims.
Sex Trafficking2008
Germany DE
male, 40 years old male, 42 years old owners of the bar "Jaysons" had agentur for modeling in Berlin Kreuzberg asked boys to model for them made them drunk sold them to other man
Sex Trafficking2008
United States US
William Strunk, Chun Yong Madden, and John Evans Jr. operated a prostitution business located in Berwyn, PA on Lancaster Ave. called “Swan Day Spa.” From April 2005 to January 2008 Evans recruited women from China to come to the spa to provide sexual services to clients. Victims believed they would have legitimate jobs as masseuses. When the victims refused to work, they were told they could not leave and were threatened that immigration authorities would be called. The women were available to customers 12 hours a day, six days a week. The victims were give $15 for each customer, of the $60 to $65 fee they were charged. Total profits from the business totaled $195,000.
Sex Trafficking2008
United States US
Todd B. Barkau, with the assistance of the victim’s mother, obtained control of the then-12-year-old girl in 2000. With her mother’s knowledge and consent, Barkau sexually groomed and trained the child to become a BDSM (bondage-domination-sadism-masochism) sexual dominatrix. He did so by engaging in BDSM activities with the child himself, forcing her to engage in sexual activities with other men while he watched, and using BDSM pornography over the Internet to teach her techniques and skills to use as a dominatrix. Barkau resided in the same home as the child and her mother, who allowed Barkau to engage in BDSM activities with the child and teach the child techniques to become a sexual dominatrix. When the child was 14 years old, Barkau created a business out of the home where he advertised the child over the Internet as a 19-to-20-year-old BDSM dominatrix, “Mistress Alisha,” on a website that he created called www.EvilMistressAlisha.com. The victim’s mother suggested the name “Alisha” for the child because it was her own former stripper name. For two years, Barkau sold the child, as “Mistress Alisha,” to sexually dominate men during online web sessions and in-person BDSM activities. This included, among other things, bondage, beatings, burning, and genital mutilation. The customers paid for the sexual services via PayPal cash transfers and with “tributes,” which were products that served in lieu of cash payment; for example, a DVD player, a cappuccino machin,e and other electronics. The victim’s mother knew the child was performing as “Mistress Alisha” on the Internet and in her home and witnessed some of the sessions herself. In committing the offenses, Barkau utilized the victim’s mother to assist and encourage the child to serve as the dominatrix for Barkau’s illegal BDSM business. The victim’s mother accepted financial benefits from Barkau in exchange for her cooperation and support of the child’s BDSM activities. http://kansascity.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/kc050510a.htm
Sex Trafficking2008
United States US
47 year old man nicknamed " Prince" and 49 year old women nicknamed "China" both from the New Jersey area. They used heorin and beatings to mantain control over the many victims.
Sex Trafficking2008
United States US
In 2004, Roman Valdma was sentenced to 41 months in prison and three years supervised release for charges of importation of aliens for immoral purposes, transportation for illegal sexual activity, persuading and enticing illegal sexual activity, encouraging and inducing aliens to come to the US in violation of the law, brining na alien to the US without official authorization for commercial advantage, and visa fraud. Valdma was also ordered to pay a $75,000 fine, and to forfeit $80,000 in cash, a car, and a condo to the government.
Sex Trafficking2008
United States US
Chai Hock Ng trafficked three women from Indonesia to work in brothels first in Connecticut then in Brooklyn. The victims knew the man as Johnny, who recruited them, saying that for $3,000 the women would receive a falsified visa, a plane ticket, and a restaurant job in New York. After arriving, the women were told they would be working as prostitutes, and threatened with being shot by Ng and several of his friends. The victims were forced to have sex with men, who were charged $140 for 45 minutes, and told that they now owed Ng $30,000 and that he would make arrangements to sell them to brothels in order to collect his money.
Sex Trafficking2008
United States US
Alex Babaev and Asker Memmedov recruited women to come to the US from Azerbajaijan to work as prostitutes. From March 2003 to March 2004 women were forced to work through violence and verbal threats. The victims were told they could keep half of the earning from working, but received none of it, and had their passports taken.
Sex Trafficking2008
United States US
Multiple arrests were made, with 4 convictions to date: *Ronald H. Tills (18 months in prison) *John Trowbridge (two years probation after) *Michael R. Stebick (probation for two years, ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and directed to provide 250 hours of community service) *Len Wah Chong (six years in prison, five years supervised release)
Sex Trafficking2008
United States US
The trafficker is Harrison "Hardbody" Norris, a former professional wrestler. He has two residences in Cartersville, GA. It is known that he has been running prostitution rings in Atlanta, GA since 2001. Norris, with several partners, operated a scheme where they recruited vulnerable women and promised them that they could train to be professional wrestlers. Instead, the women were held captive, physically abused, held in debt, and forced to perform numerous sexual acts against their will. Norris also had several of the women perform domestic work on his house such as painting and laying sod.