Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
The charges were announced by Benton J. Campbell, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John Morton, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), New York; Richard Dormer, Suffolk County Police Commissioner; Joseph M. Demarest, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New York Field Office; and Patricia J. Haynes, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigation, New York. The joint investigation revealed that Antonio Rivera, a Registered Sex Offender, and his sister Jasmin Rivera owned and operated the Sonidos de la Frontera bar, located in Lake Ronkonkoma, and the La Hija del Mariachi bar, located in Farmingville. Whaley was employed as a manager in both bars. From September 2007 through the present, the Riveras and Whaley allegedly lured young women, primarily Central American illegal immigrants, to work in the bars as waitresses and hostesses. Some of the women were as young as 17 years of age. As set forth in the complaint, after the women began working in the bars, the defendants forced them to engage in sex acts with bar patrons in exchange for money, with the defendants keeping half of the proceeds. When the women refused or resisted, the defendants used physical force, including rape and assaults, and threatened to report the women to immigration authorities. The defendants also controlled the movement of the women between the bars and other locations in Hempstead, Huntington, and Brentwood, transporting them in vehicles registered to the Riveras and Whaley. The complaint also charges the defendants with conspiring to harbor illegal aliens by concealing the women’s true identities and immigration status from state licensing agencies and law enforcement authorities. Suffolk County Police Commissioner Dormer stated, “These serious crimes against young women will not be tolerated in Suffolk County. This Department values its role as the local law enforcement component of the Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force for Long Island. This case demonstrates the effectiveness of the task force paradigm, which coordinates the efforts of local and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as community service agencies, support groups, and educational entities. We hope these arrests will put others on notice that sex trafficking and similar crimes will continue to be a high priority for this Department.” The details of the investigation cannot be found yet, but one article reports: While dozens of women have been working in the bars, the raids are based on evidence provided by four of them who have been cooperating with investigators, according to court papers and sources. One of the women told investigators that she entered the country illegally and was recruited by the operators of the ring as a waitress when she was 17, the court papers said. She said she was repeatedly raped by one of the operators, according to court papers. To stop the rapes, she said she created an imaginary boyfriend. But her attacker told her "Boyfriend! Watch what I'm going to do to you. Your boyfriend will never want to touch you again." Shortly after, a security guard at the club bashed "her head into the pavement of the parking lot" breaking several teeth and causing black eyes, bruises and lacerations, the papers said. Several of the women said that they had been recruited to work as waitresses through ads on Spanish-language Internet sites and newspapers, promising pay of $40 a day plus tips, and half of the price of the $20 shots of tequila they sold to the undocumented clientele, according to papers. Brookhaven Town Supervisor Mark Lesko said the town had been cooperating with the police and federal investigation.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Honolulu police, the U.S. Immigrations and Custom Enforcement and the state Department of Public Safety conducted a human trafficking investigation at massage parlors in Honolulu from Feb. 18 to March 3, police said. They arrested a 27 year old man who came after a 24-year-old woman. She came forward and said she was coerced into working as a prostitute for the man who used a firearm to threaten her.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Police arrested Felix Thaxton, of Honolulu, Tuesday on two counts of first-degree sexual assault, two counts of third-degree sex assault, two counts of promoting prostitution and one count of criminal solicitation.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Allen Brown Jr. of Jersey City, NJ, along with his mother and niece, were holding women in "stable" like conditions for the past 19 years. Mr. Brown's girlfriend was head of the "stables" and made sure the girls were transported to various locations in Jersey City and NYC, along with keeping track of the money the women made. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were saved by Mr. Brown and placed in family members bank accounts. All those involved in the prostitution ring face up to 20 years in prison, and $200,000 fines.
Sex Trafficking2009
Australia AU
A Canberra woman will face the ACT Magistrates court on sex slavery charges. Australian Federal Police raided a house in the southern Canberra suburb of Kambah at the weekend. It is alleged the 42-year-old woman illegally brought in sex workers to Australia to work in exploitative conditions. The woman is charged with possessing a slave, debt bondage and operating an illegal brothel. A 55-year-old man will also face court.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
The investigator, who requested anonymity, said the local sex slave operations were controlled by South Korean organized crime rings operating out of the Flushing section of Queens, N.Y.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Leonarda Martinez, age 53, was charged with human trafficking when a bordello was uncovered where she allegedly charged men $400 to have sex with women, using force, fraud or coercian to force the women to provide those illicit services. During the law enforcement raid, the invetigative team found a bedroom with two mattresses on the floor, condoms lying on a dresser and security bars on the windows.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Investigators believe members of a gang called the Westside Street Mobb forced 12 women and girls to perform sex acts for money, beat them and took the money they earned over several months last year, according to charges filed in King County Superior Court. The names of the gang members are as follows: *DeShawn Clark- 18-year-old who also goes by "Cash" or "Cash Money". Was charged in November with promoting prostitution and other charges. Prosecutors added the charge of second-degree human trafficking. *Thomas L. Foster- 19, was also charged in November *Shawn S. Clark, 20 *Gerald Jackson, 21 *Mycah Johnson, 19 *Desmond Manago, 20 Investigators say the gang, which is affiliated with the Bloods, has 20 to 30 members involved in robbery, drug sales, weapon possession and aggravated assaults, according to charging papers. The women claimed they were forced to work at a hotel in Portland, hotels in Seattle and Tukwila and at a basement apartment in the 10400 block of Des Moines Memorial Drive South, charging papers said.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
This trafficker allegedly kidnapped his victim from Guatemala and forced her to live and work for him for 20 years. They moved to Lexington, KY about 5 years ago. He disappeared 2 years ago and his current whereabouts are unknown. The trafficker is also the father of his victims 2 adult children.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
The alleged perpetrator kidnapped an underage minor from Guatemala where she was held captive for 20+ years. At some point during her captivity the victim was brought to the United States and then moved to Kentucky. The perpetrator fathered two children with the victim during her time in captivity.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Jodi went to the FBI in 2003. On March 5, 2007, Marcus was convicted of forced labor and sex trafficking, but cleared of obscenity. In a 42-page ruling, U.S. v. Marcus, 05-CR-457, Eastern District of New York Judge Allyne R. Ross upheld the conviction. Ross stated that there was a difference between consent and abuse in such relationships. She also ruled that the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 could be interpreted to apply to domestic relationships. On September 7, 2007, Marcus was sentenced to 9 years in prison. On August 14, 2008, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Marcus' conviction and ordered a retrial because the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act was used to prosecute him for events before the law was in place. In July 2009 the Department of Justice Appealed the 2nd circuit courts ruling to the Supreme Court and in October 2009 the Supreme Court agreed to review the prosecutions appeal. Arguments will be held early in 2010.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
On April 11, 2006, after a multi-agency investigation by ICE, the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, and the LA County Sheriff’s Department, agents conducted a raid of eight locations, including the brothels and homes of the suspects. Mao, Lutt, and Johnson were arrested on April 11, 2006, on a 40-count indictment. Fields remained a fugitive, but was found and arrested on a later date. On August 2, 2007, Mao pleaded guilty to two felony counts--conspiring to use interstate commerce to promote prostitution, and using the proceeds from the brothels to purchase real estate, including four motocross tracks for her motocross company, MX Oasis. Mao will serve 18 months in federal prison and forfeit $10 million worth of real estate. Fields pleaded guilty to two felony counts—conspiring to use interstate commerce to promote prostitution, and conspiring to engage in money laundering. Johnson pleaded guilty to one felony count of money laundering.
Sex Trafficking2009
Spain ES
23 suspects are charged with human trafficking. Women were brought over from Nigeria to Spain. Forced them into prostitution with threats of Voodoo curses.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Uche Ifedikwa, 28, of Hyde Park was prostituting females out of the Super 8 on Brown Avenue in Manchester, NH using craigslist.org. Police said Ifedikwa was using hotels in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachussetts. They are certain that an 18 year old female was being prostituted, and suspect that a girl as young as 12 was also being prostituted.
Sex Trafficking2009
Argentina AR
Victim was picked up by a man claiming to be her "cousin". Then sent to a brothel.
Sex Trafficking2009
Italy IT
The arrests follow a police bust of a drug trafficking network in April, in which drugs were smuggled from Madrid in Spain to the Italian regions of Piedmont and Marche by using drug 'mules', who were often the women forced into protitution. The suspects were arrested.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Police investigation led to the intervention and arrests. From the article: "TBO.com Published: May 28, 2009 Pinellas County sheriff's detectives continue to investigate a human trafficking ring and on Thursday announced the arrest of Roosevelt James "Pudgie" Wade, 31, 1910 Cobb Drive in Marietta, Ga., Wade was charged with one count of human trafficking and remained in the Cobb County Jail in Georgia on Thursday, according to local authorities. Since the initial arrests of three men on May 10, detectives say they have talked to additional victims and witnesses and more charges may be filed. In all, six men have been charged. This week, prosecutors dismissed nudity charges against two dancers at the Vegas Showgirls nightclub because they might be victims of the human trafficking ring, they said. The women had been charged with violating a law that prohibits nudity in an establishment that serves alcohol. The Tribune is not using their names because they are alleged to be the victims of sex crimes. Court documents say female victims were transported from a house in Treasure Island to nude dance clubs - including Vegas Showgirls at 10570 Gandy Blvd. - where one woman was forced to have sex with men, documents say.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Mark Burns, 48 was indicted by the Carroll County Grand Jury on two more counts of Aggravated Rape in addition to his previous charges of 10 counts of Aggravated Statutory Rape, 5 counts of Rape, 4 counts of Aggravated Rape, 2 counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver, 1 count of Trafficking for Sexual Servitude and 1 count of Evading Arrest. He also previously violated his parole on three counts of Attempted Murder. Burns’ girlfriend, Lindsey Marie Tutor, 26, of Lexington, TN was also involved in abusing the victim with Burns. She was charged with 6 counts of Statutory Rape, 6 counts of Rape and 4 counts of Aggravated Rape. The charges stemmed from one victim who was repeatedly abused in 2008, but additional victims came forward after TBI arrested Burns in January 2009.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Avery recruited his prostitutes at bus stations and off the street, wooing them with pricey clothes and jewelry, according to a criminal complaint. One prostitute said Avery was "selling me my dreams," it said. The case is being investigated by the Criminal Division of the Internal Revenue Service, the FBI and the detectives from the Milwaukee Police Department and prosecuted by the U.S. attorney's office.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
Charged with multiple accounts of sex trafficking and transporting children across state lines for the purpose of engaging in prostitution. 19-year-old son Nicholas Harrison agreed to plead guilty to one charge of sex trafficking of a child and testify against his father. In return for this testimony prosecutors dropped four related charges. Nicholas faces a prison sentence of 10 years to life and a $250,000 fine. The father, Todd Carter, faces similar charges.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
15 members of the Evans family were arrested in August 1999 for running a multi-million dollar prostitution ring. It was believed that it was running for more than 17 years in more than 24 states and also in Canada. The ringleader was Levorn Evans.
Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
An Eden Prairie resident helped Tatiana escape to a battered women shelter. She eventually got connected with Civil Society.
Sex Trafficking2009
Canada CA
http://www.thestar.com/article/602988 Mississauga man charged with human trafficking Crime Stoppers Mar 16, 2009 10:13 AM Bob Mitchell Staff Reporter A 25-year-old Mississauga man has been charged with human trafficking in connection with luring two young women to the city on the pretence they would begin modelling careers. Instead, police allege the women aged 17 and 22, were forced into the sex trade and ordered to turn over all their earnings. Peel Police believe the younger of the two was lured from a northern Ontario town through a social networking connection. The young woman believed she would be hired as a model in a music video, but when she arrived in Mississauga she was put to work as an exotic dancer in various strip clubs in Mississauga and Brampton. The second victim had also never worked as a stripper before meeting the accused, police said. But she was allegedly forced to work at various strip clubs for six months. Enoch Johnson, 25, of Mississauga has been charged with human trafficking, receiving material benefit from the crime and exercise control for the purpose of prostitution and living off the avails of prostitution. He remains in custody.
Sex Trafficking2009
Canada CA
The man will be the first person to be charged with human trafficking by York Regional Police after he allegedly forced his so-called girlfriend to strip. The police announced that he will be charged with a long list of charges several charges including trafficking in persons, material benefit, kidnapping, forcible confinement, assault, choking and theft. according to Toronto Sun.