Las Vegas Man Sentenced To Over 12 Years in Prison For Sex Trafficking Children While Visiting Metro-Detroit

For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan

DETROIT – A Las Vegas man who sex trafficked children in metro-Detroit while visiting the area in December 2020 was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.

Ison was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Devin J. Kowalski, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division.

Jquon Wroten, 31, pled guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor in April 2023. Wroten was sentenced today by United States District Judge Bernard A. Friedman.

Law enforcement first began investigating Wroten while attempting to locate two minor females who had run away from the Lansing area in late 2020. A relative of one of the minors contacted law enforcement with information and expressed fears that the minors were being trafficked in the Detroit area. Law enforcement recovered the minors from a motel room in Southfield, Michigan in December 2020 and learned that Wroten had recruited the minors to work for him after meeting them in a local motel while he was in town. Wroten and an adult female associate took the minors to a local beauty supply store and bought items in an effort to make them look older. Wroten then set up a commercial sex date for the minors at a residence in metro-Detroit and drove the minors to the date, where they engaged in commercial sex with multiple men. Wroten took proceeds from the sex trafficking for his own use.

“The sex trafficking of children is a hideous crime that preys on some of our district’s most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “The court’s sentence today is a just punishment and will prevent the defendant from further victimizing children here or anywhere else.”

“Protecting young people from dangerous predators is a top priority for the FBI in Michigan and across the country,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Mr. Wroten in an example of how manipulative these criminals can be. I commend the work of the special agents, deputies, police officers, and prosecutors who worked to make our children safer by ensuring he remains behind bars for a significant period of time.”

This case was investigated by the FBI Detroit Division, FBI Las Vegas Division, FBI San Francisco Division, SEMTEC (Southwest Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes), and State of Michigan Children’s Protective Services.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Sweeney Bean and Eaton Brown.

Detroit Officers Sense Something Wrong, Rescue Four Kidnapped Kids in a stolen car During A Traffic Stop

 

Posted by: Chris Elliot | Featured, Law and Legal, Must Reads

DETROIT, MI – Not all heroes wear capes, and that much is evident in terms of police officers all over the nation.

That’s exactly the case in Detroit, Michigan where two officers noted something was off.

Through their digging, they were able to determine that the children in the car they’d pulled over had been kidnapped and they were able to rescue them.

On November 30th, Detroit Police Officers allegedly witnessed a vehicle run a red light in the area of Grand River and Evergreen Avenue and stopped the vehicle for the infraction.

When officers spoke to the female driver, she told them that she was in a hurry to get the children that were in the vehicle to school.

The officers noted the body language of the children inside the car and decided to dig a little deeper and began questioning the driver as to which school the children attend. The woman was unable to provide a straight answer to the question which immediately raised red flags.

This woman kidnapped 4 Black Kids in Detroit on Tuesday.

Detroit police officers who noticed something peculiar about a woman and four children in a van they stopped for a traffic violation saved the youngsters from a kidnapping, authorities said Friday. https://t.co/hWNTmHxRQN

— THEE Robyn of Detroit (@dawtahajudah) December 4, 2021

According to Detroit Police Chief James White, Officers Parrish and Flannel asked the woman if the children were hers and she said that they were. White said:

“Are these your children? To which she said yes, and the children at the same time were shaking their head no.”

   LET Unity - It's being called the "Netflix" of the Emergency Responder and Veteran Community

The officers separated the woman driver from the children and began to ask what the relationship was between them and her. What they learned was shocking, the children, whose ages ranged from 11 to 5, did not know who the woman was that was driving the car.

The discovery came during a traffic stop from a car going through a red light by a pair of officers from the Eighth Precinct. https://t.co/HEKXT3eqm7

— FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) December 4, 2021

As the officers continued their investigation, they learned the vehicle the suspect, identified as Stephanie Marie Binder, was driving was reported stolen.

Binder was arrested and charged with four counts each of kidnapping – child enticement, unlawful imprisonment, and one count each of receiving and concealing stolen property -motor vehicle, and unlawfully driving away of an automobile.

While conducting further investigation, Detroit Police learned of a Ring doorbell camera that was in the area where the children would normally walk to school.

When they reviewed that video they saw the van the woman was allegedly driving pull up to the children as they were walking and have an interaction with them. During the interaction, Binder was allegedly able to convince them to enter the car and leave the area.

Officers believe that Binder was able to convince the children to enter the van by targeting the youngest one and convincing him to enter. The older siblings followed the youngest one to ensure that he was safe while one of them, who had a cell phone, was calling for help.

The children’s mother, Shayla Burleigh, reported:

“She preyed on my youngest one. The oldest one didn’t want to leave his youngest brother. He did what he had to do.”

She added:

“I just thank everyone involved that my children are back home safe.”

Today Chief James E. White held a press conference to recognize @DPD8Pct officers Parrish and Flannel, for rescuing four children who were kidnapped. The officers stopped a van near Grand River and Evergreen after the driver ran a red light. pic.twitter.com/TFwgeChKxc

— Detroit Police News (@detroitpolice) December 3, 2021

Keith Lindey, one of the children’s father, expressed his praise and gratitude that the Detroit Police officers dug further on a simple traffic stop to ensure the safety of the community. He said:

“I just want to congratulate the City of Detroit police officers for performing their duties. I am thankful.”

There has been no information released that would give any insight as to why Binder allegedly kidnapped the four children. Binder is being held in a Wayne County Jail on a $5 million bond.

The court has ordered Binder if she can bond out to not have any contact with the victims in the case and will be ordered to wear a GPS monitor. Additionally, she will be confined to her home until further ordered by the courts.

Nurse Practitioner Student Creates Screening To Identify Human Trafficking Victims

By Chaunie Brusie

At the moment, Michigan might be best known for the extreme cold temperatures, snow, and ice it is facing, but to Danielle Jordan Bastein, an ER nurse at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan is also known for something far more dangerous:

Human trafficking. 

But now, thanks to a new screening protocol that she implemented while a student at Wayne State University, Bastein is fighting back — and working to help trafficked individuals before it’s too late. 

What Does Human Trafficking Have to Do with Hospitals? 

In an article with Fox 2 News Detroit, Bastein explained that a large majority of trafficked individuals come into contact with health care workers at some point during their trafficking, but shockingly, very few of them are actually identified by healthcare staff. One study found that approximately half of all trafficked individuals (mostly women and female children) do see a healthcare worker at some point during their exploitation. In fact, healthcare workers are the most likely of any profession to come into initial contact with a trafficked girl or woman, so even the National Conference of State Legislatures has identified healthcare workers as a key first-line defense against trafficking. 

So, what are we missing here? 

Well, in Bastein’s eyes, we are missing out on crucial screening protocol and training that would ensure that emergency room triage nurses are able to routinely ask the right questions and do the right assessment that would flag a potential trafficking victim for further follow-up. Her screening tool looks for patterns of inconsistencies in the patient’s story, abuse, torture, or neglect signs, and other behaviors consistent with trafficking victims, such as if they aren’t holding their own ID or money, or if the person they are with is answering questions for them and refuses to leave or let them be alone. 

If the patient is identified as a victim and agrees to help, the hospital then works to provide the individual with housing, transportation and any necessities they may need. And if you’re thinking that all this is well and good in theory, but may not fly in “real life”, get ready for this stat: since implementing the screening, the hospital has successfully rescued 17 victims of trafficking in the past year alone, a number that shocked even Bastein herself. 

"It took me aback it actually worked and we kept it going," she told Fox 2 News.

Making a Difference in the Mitten State

What Bastein is doing is important for the nation, for the future of nursing, and for the state of Michigan. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline organization, Michigan has the 6th highest reported incidences of human trafficking in the entire country, with 176 reported cases in 2018 alone. The organization reports that sex trafficking among female adults and children make up the vast majority of Michigan’s trafficking, with cases high in the traveling and hotel/motel industries.

It’s thought that Michigan’s highway connectivity, as well as its proximity to bordering states and Canada, make it a prime location as a pass-through or origin source for trafficking. Additionally, major events, such as the Detroit Auto Show tend to attract large spikes in human trafficking incidents. For example, WXYZ Detroit reported on Jan 17th that the FBI rescued as many as 40 children who were trafficked during the show and that sex trafficking goes up between 280% and 300% during the auto show. 

How Nurses Can Get Involved Against Human Trafficking 

In a post about Bastein’s story shared by Johnson & Johnson on Facebook, several nurses in the comment section praised her efforts and noted that they wished more training on trafficking screening would be offered to current and upcoming nurses in the future. “This is so needed,” commented Laurie Crosgrove. “Hopefully other hospitals will use the protocol and even more woman can be saved from the horrendous life they are leading. As a nurse myself, I applaud your efforts. Great job Danielle!”

Supporting and sharing Bastein’s efforts are important and could be a conversation starter with your own facility about implementing a similar program, but there are other steps you can take if you’re a nurse who wants to do more to help human trafficking victims: 

• Take a CE course on human trafficking. There are several CE classes dedicated to helping you learn more about how to identify and help victims of trafficking online, such as this one. 
• 
  
• Know the stats for your state. Many people think human trafficking isn’t a problem in their area—until they actually look at the statistics. 
• 
  
• Memorize and display the information for the National Human Trafficking Hotline for potential victims: (888) 373-7888 or text “help” to 233733. 

The more nurses who are aware of the problem of human trafficking and the vital role they can play in helping to stop and rescue victims, the more of an impact can be made. Bastein hopes that her efforts will spread to other areas across the country to save even more victims of the modern-day form of slavery. 

"It feels pretty amazing that at least I had a small part in getting this person help,” she noted. 

FBI: 30-40 children sex trafficked within metro Detroit during Detroit Auto Show

DETROIT (WXYZ) — The FBI says 30-40 children are trafficking within the greater Detroit area during the North American International Auto Show. The bureau joined Detroit Police Chief James Craig to talk about human trafficking ahead of the auto show opening to the public on Saturday.

According to Michael Glennon with the FBI, there is a 280-300 percent increase in sex trafficking workers in the area. Ten percent of them are under the age of 18.

Chief Craig said that on Wednesday, VICE unit got a tip on a missing girl. They followed up, and found out that the missing girl was abducted and she was sexually assaulted. The suspect was preparing for her and another missing female to move them to Atlanta to continue with sex trafficking activity.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations says human trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes, and is akin to modern-day slavery.

"Victims pay to be illegally transported into the United States, only to find themselves in the thrall of traffickers," HSI said. "They are forced into prostitution, involuntary labor and other forms of servitude to repay debts - often entry into the United States."

In certain cases, human trafficking victims are children, surrounded by an unfamiliar culture and language without identification documents.

"Human trafficking cases are notoriously difficult to pursue," said Steve Francis, HSI special agent in charge. "Victims and their families are often intimated into compliance with the threat of violence and other forms of abusive coercion."

"We urge members of the public to educate themselves on these heinous crimes so they recognize the indicators. An educated public can help law enforcement rescue individuals in these situations and ensure those committing these acts are punished.”

HSI says recognizing key indicators of human trafficking is the first step in identifying victims and can help save a life. Not all indicators listed below are present in every human trafficking situation, and the presence or absence of any of the indicators is not necessarily proof of human trafficking.

Does the person appear disconnected from family, friends, community organizations, or houses of worship?

Has a child stopped attending school?

Has the person had a sudden or dramatic change in behavior?

Is a juvenile engaged in commercial sex acts?

Is the person disoriented or confused, or showing signs of mental or physical abuse?

Does the person have bruises in various stages of healing?

Is the person fearful, timid, or submissive?

Does the person show signs of having been denied food, water, sleep, or medical care?

Is the person often in the company of someone to whom he or she defers? Or someone who seems to be in control of the situation, e.g., where they go or who they talk to?

Does the person appear to be coached on what to say?

Is the person living in unsuitable conditions?

Does the person lack personal possessions and appear not to have a stable living situation?

Does the person have freedom of movement? Can the person freely leave where they live? Are there unreasonable security measures?

Does the person appear to have all their belongings in a plastic bag, easy to grab if forced to quickly move locations?

Is the juvenile using a false ID or lying about his or her age?

Does the person appear to not be familiar with his or her surroundings, e.g., not know their location?

HSI urges the public to not attempted to confront a suspected trafficker directly or alert a victim to any suspicions. 
If you notice suspicious activity, please contact HSI through its tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services provided the below statement:

Davenport Shelter is licensed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services as a child-caring agency for youth who are in the care of the department. The Division of Child Welfare Licensing at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services today began a special investigation of Davenport Shelter as a result of the information that surfaced yesterday. The department will conduct an expeditious and thorough investigation.

Case specifics about children in the care of the department are confidential.

MDHHS takes very seriously its duty to protect the safety and well-being of children and thoroughly investigates child safety issues at licensed facilities. Human trafficking of vulnerable children is a national problem that is of extreme concern to the department.

Infant goes missing after court brawl in Detroit:

(CBS/AP) DETROIT - The search is on in Detroit for a missing 4-month-old girl after a fight erupted at a court hearing. The brawl broke out after custody of the child was awarded to her father. Somehow, the baby was lost in the mayhem.




Last week during a domestic dispute, the infant's father Damon Daniel allegedly shot and killed the girl's mother Ebony Gaines. However, Wayne County prosecutors said Daniel acted in self-defense. Thursday, Gaines' cousin brought their four-month-old baby, Evelyn, to a custody hearing where a referee granted custody back to Daniel.

According to local station WJBK, a security guard passed off the baby to a mysterious woman when the scuffle broke out.

"(There) was so much going on, (there were) so many officers, so many people, pepper spray, everything," said friend Shandela Vaughn to the station.

However, no one knows the woman's identity.

Prior to the hearing, Evelyn had been cared for by the Gaines family. But now, both sides of the child's family claim they know nothing about the child's whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Detroit police took a kidnapping report but the state police did not issue an amber report. Sources also told the station that on Thursday night police were searching for the baby and they would visit the families to see if anyone had the child.
Anyone with information on Evelyn's whereabouts is asked to contact the Detroit Police Department at 313-267-4600 or call the DPD tip line at 313-596-2313.