Trinity Mount Ministries

Sunday, November 4, 2018

MISSING TEEN IN CALIFORNIA: HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIM

Kayden Washington, 16-years-old (DOB: 5-14-02), has been missing from Oakland, California since September 28, 2018. Kayden’s father dropped her off to a friend in San Pablo, California. Kayden left the residence and is believed to be a victim of human trafficking in Richmond, Oakland and San Leandro areas. She is known to travel by BART (accompanied by an adult male) and was last seen in the city of Richmond.

Kayden stands 5’ 8” tall, weighs 165 pounds, and has brown eyes and brown hair. She has a birthmark on her cheek and it is unknown which side. Kayden has a scratch or scar around her eye from a recent altercation. She is also believed to have bruising on her legs.

If you have any information about Kayden’s whereabouts, please contact Oakland Police Department at (510) 238-3641 (Case # 18-054633).


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Thursday, November 1, 2018

Police: Children recruiting other kids for human trafficking at schools



Florida ranks 3rd in the nation for calls to human trafficking hotline

By Erik von Ancken - Anchor/Reporter

Posted: 4:37 PM, October 31, 2018 pdated: 6:33 AM, November 01, 2018
ORLANDO, Fla. - Human trafficking is real and it is happening in Central Florida.

Crystal Blanton, co-chair of the Marion County Human Trafficking Task Force, said she receives thousands of reports from the National Human Trafficking Hotline every year. 

"Usually the reports are in the thousands, every year," Blanton said. "Thousands of people are being human trafficked. Right here in Marion County and across the state of Florida."

Blanton said it's not like the movies ("Taken" 2008), where young girls are taken during their summer vacations by foreign human traffickers to be sold to sultans or sheiks.

But local children, often as young as 12, are being recruited into a life of forced prostitution.

"I just think it's the internet, I hate to say it," Blanton said. "Social media has grown the field of human trafficking. It's easier for these traffickers to make contact with victims."

Blanton said traffickers look for vulnerable teenagers online -- runaways, teenagers complaining about their lives and their parents, young people with drug addictions -- and befriend them.

But human trafficking isn't confined to any race or class, according to Blanton.

Some victims were on the honor roll headed to college.

"We've had doctors' children who have been intertwined," Blanton said.

Blanton also said human traffickers align with students and use them and their schools as recruiting grounds.

"There are recruiters, juvenile recruiters in the schools, working with a pimp of some kind, and they are sent out in the schools and given a job to bring other minors on board," Blanton said.

Blanton said the task force has had success educating Marion County elementary, middle and high school principals in looking for signs of human trafficking and placing Human Trafficking Hotline posters in schools.

Mike Lanfersiek, a sergeant at the Human Trafficking Squad at Orlando's Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation (MBI), said the definition of human trafficking is forcing a person to have sex or to work through force, fraud or coercion.

"Human trafficking is quite simply the exploitation of another person for commercial sex or forced labor," Lanfersiek said. 

Lanfersiek said once victims, female or male, enter into the life of human trafficking, they are kept there by their captor, taking advantage of their vulnerability.

"A vulnerability to substance abuse, the fear of physical beating, or withholding passports or documents, things like that," Lanfersiek.

Lanfersiek's Human Trafficking Squad has rescued hundreds of young women and children, often from hotels in the tourist district of Orange and Osceola Counties.

"Anywhere where the trafficker thinks there might be demand for commercial sex," Lanfersiek said.

Traffickers often set up their prostitution operation at hotels because they cater to visitors in town for business or pleasure who are looking for sex, according to Lanfersiek.

Lanfersiek said he just rescued a 15-year-old girl from a hotel on International Drive.

"She had met someone on the 'Plenty of Fish' website and felt this person was her boyfriend, exploiting her vulnerabilities, pimping her out," Lanfersiek said.

In July, MBI agents arrested three men for luring a teenage girl through a social media app to an International Drive hotel and then prostituting her and having sex with her. 

In 2016, Orlando police charged two men with the death of a 14-year-old girlwho they'd been allegedly prostituting, driving her to men's homes to have sex.

Lanfersiek said MBI regularly sets up undercover sting operations to catch traffickers and rescue victims.

MBI analysts spend their days online, searching through postings by human traffickers looking for victims and offering them for prostitution.

Lanfersiek offered this warning: If you're coming to Central Florida looking for a date for sex, you may get a date with an undercover officer.

Copyright 2018 by WKMG


NCMEC - SEARCH FOR MISSING CHILDREN


Active AMBER Alerts
NameMissing FromIssued ForAlert Date
Jonathan Nunez-CoronadoPhoenix, AZAZSep 1, 2018
Victor Nunez-CoronadoPhoenix, AZAZSep 1, 2018
Jayme ClossBarron, WIWIOct 15, 2018

Notice: The The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® certifies the posters on this site only if they contain the NCMEC logo and the 1-800-THE-LOST® (1-800-843-5678) number. All other posters are the responsibility of the agency whose logo appears on the poster.

Select an image to view the poster for one of these missing children.












If you have any information, please call:

1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

FBI NEWS - CYBERSTALKING

Two Federal Cases Illustrate the Consequences of Sextortion

Stock image depicting a woman standing in front of a window holding a cell phone in her right hand and covering her eyes with her left hand.
Children and young adults seem particularly susceptible to sextortion—when a victim is threatened with the release of private and sensitive information unless sexual favors, nude photos, or other demands are met.
But two unrelated cyberstalking crimes committed months apart and hundreds of miles away from each other serve as a reminder of the dangers of compromising personal photos being in the wrong hands, no matter the age of the victim.
In Houston, Heriberto Latigo repeatedly used nude photos of his ex-girlfriend to coerce her to have sex with him. In Crescent, Oklahoma, Troy Allen Martin similarly blackmailed his victim for $50,000.
Both men were eventually convicted and sentenced to prison for their crimes under federal cyberstalking statutes. The harm they caused their victims, however, may never be undone. Such crimes are occurring more frequently, especially among younger victims.
Latigo not only demanded sex, he also sent his victim horrible images and threatening messages. He sent the nude photos to the victim’s sister and male co-workers, and created a disturbing Facebook page that included deeply personal information about the victim.
“It’s a violent crime; he just used cyber tools to carry it out,” said Special Agent Christopher Petrowski of the FBI’s Houston office, who worked the Latigo case.
Latigo’s victim approached local police several times. The case was complicated and the victim’s story changed a number of times, in part because of pressure from Latigo, Petrowski said, making it difficult for local authorities to help effectively. She turned to the FBI, visiting the Houston office in person in spring 2015.
“When someone walks in with a story like that, it’s very emotional and difficult to figure out right away,” Petrowski said. “They’re hurting. This went on for more than a year.”
It took some time for the FBI and federal prosecutors to determine that Latigo had likely violated federal cyberstalking laws. The FBI sent letters to social media companies to preserve certain records in order to prevent Latigo from covering his tracks. Agents also served search warrants, seizing computer equipment from his home.

“By taking this one guy off the street, we may have prevented countless future sexual assaults. We also gave past victims some closure, which local authorities legitimately couldn’t do.”

Christopher Petrowski, special agent, FBI Houston
Members of Houston’s Innocent Images Task Force—which investigates child pornography—helped search Latigo’s electronics. They uncovered photos and were able to document that Latigo accessed social media sites from the machines.
During the course of the investigation, Petrowski discovered that other victims had filed similar complaints with local police. Although Latigo wasn’t charged in other cases, it was important to the investigation that his name was mentioned in other police reports, Petrowski said. “These other victims, who did not know each other and have never met, effectively corroborated this pattern of behavior,” he said.
Latigo was arrested in June 2015 and convicted on a federal stalking charge—using the Internet to cause substantial emotional distress—in October 2017. He was sentenced to 60 months in prison in March.
“This guy is a predator, and he targeted her from the first time they met. He had a pattern,” Petrowski said. “By taking this one guy off the street, we may have prevented countless future sexual assaults. We also gave past victims some closure, which local authorities legitimately couldn’t do.”

“He was just harassing this lady, causing severe emotional distress. He was relentless.”

Ken Western, special agent, FBI Oklahoma City
In Oklahoma, the victim came to the FBI’s attention in a different manner. Bank employees in Ardmore filed a federal suspicious activity report with federal authorities after the victim showed up at the bank seeking to wire $40,000.
The victim was on the phone with Martin when she arrived at the bank. When asked for a destination bank for the wire transfer, Martin refused to tell his victim and insisted on speaking to the teller instead. The bank refused to handle the transaction.
When the wire transfer was denied, Martin told his victim to withdraw $50,000 in cash. The bank complied with the victim’s request, but urged her to speak to police about the obvious coercion. Bank officials also filed the suspicious activity report, which ended up with the FBI.
“That’s a significant amount of money,” said Special Agent Ken Western, who worked the case from the FBI’s Oklahoma City office. “The bank thought if he was requesting money by phone, maybe it was a threatening communication. So they reported it.”
The FBI reached out to the victim, who showed agents numerous text messages and played voicemails from Martin. He repeatedly said he would share nude photos he had taken of her unless she gave him money. Despite receiving $50,000, Martin also demanded a relationship and sex with the victim.
“He was just harassing this lady, causing severe emotional distress. He was relentless,” Western said.
As in the Latigo case, Martin had other victims as well. He even sent the nude photos of his victim to another victim to show he was serious.
Investigators found victims through protection orders that had been filed against Martin. That information helped show a pattern of behavior. Martin found several of his victims through a dating site for divorced adults.
Martin pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking in October 2017. A federal judge sentenced him to 33 months’ imprisonment in April.
“This goes on a lot,” Western said, adding that people should not share intimate photos over the Internet or social media sites. “This lady lost $50,000, and she was extremely distressed. I hope other people will think twice about it.”
Victims in both cases received support through the FBI’s Victim Services Division.



What is Cyberstalking?

It is a specific federal crime and falls under a federal stalking statute as part of the Violence Against Women Act of 2005. The law was amended in 2013 to include stalking by the Internet or by telephone and no longer requires that the perpetrator and victim live in different legal jurisdictions.
The amended law in part makes it illegal to use “any interactive computer service or electronic communication service” to conduct activity that places a person “in reasonable fear” of death or serious bodily injury, or that causes or could cause “substantial emotional distress.” The law states the actions must be intentional.
Cyberstalking is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. A life sentence can be imposed if the cyberstalking results in the death of a victim.

What is Sextortion?

It is a form of cyber extortion. It occurs when individuals demand their victims provide them with sexual images, sexual favors, or other things of value. There is no specific federal sextortion offense, but it falls under the federal cyberstalking law.

Monday, October 29, 2018

Pomona Police Rescue 16-year-old From Human Traffickers


A 16-year-old, said to have been a victim of human trafficking, was rescued by Pomona police during a vice patrol in the area known as the Holt Corridor, authorities said.
Officers were in the area Saturday in response to complaints from residents and business owners about prostitution and related crimes on Holt Avenue, said Cpl. Dan Gomez of the Pomona Police Department's Major Crimes Task Force.
During the patrol, officers encountered and rescued the 16-year-old victim, who was not further identified because of their age.
"The victim was interviewed and appropriate resources were activated to provide assistance to the victim,'' Gomez said. "The Pomona Police Department takes a zero tolerance approach to human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
"The Pomona Police Department is taking a proactive approach to improving the quality of life by addressing and deterring human trafficking and prostitution activities along the Holt Avenue corridor. The goal of the operation was to target prostitution-related crimes and focus attention on the entire Holt Corridor with a priority placed on recovering juveniles, arresting prostitutes and arresting johns. The Pomona Police Department continues to pursue the identification and prosecution of human traffickers (pimps) who facilitate the prostitution activity along the Holt Corridor.''
Anyone with information regarding Human Trafficking or the case involving the 16-year-old is asked to contact the Pomona Police Department at (909) 620-2085 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-(800)-222-8477.


Thursday, October 25, 2018

South Arkansas Online Predator Sting Nets 12 Arrests

By Rebecca Jeffrey



DALLAS COUNTY, Ark. -- A week long online predator and child exploitation sting generated 12 arrests in Dallas County. 
The small sheriff's office in south central Arkansas took on the operation as an experiment to see how prevalent these crimes are in the area. 
"I think that it's more rampant now than it's ever been," Dallas County Investigator Chuck Barker said. 
Since last Monday, at least 12 potential online predators were communicating with who they thought was a teenaged girl from the Fordyce area. 
Who they were actually talking to was Barker and Deputy Jacob Cain.
All 12 were arrested for internet stalking of a child, a class Y Felony, after meeting up with the virtual victim. 
The offenders ranged from 22 to 53 years old. Three were from Louisiana, the other 9 were from central and south central Arkansas. 
"If they're willing to come from other states to victimize our children then we're willing to be here to catch them," Barker said. 
The sheriff's office won't reveal where they found their potential predators because they are still working to catch more using different names, profiles and interests. 
"We only had one victim. So we haven't even explored the gamut of potential victims," Barker said. 
But they plan to. They want to expose the dark reality and protect their most vulnerable from predators using the only resource they have -- themselves. 
“We don't have any extra resources, we don't have any extra money or extra time, or officers to dedicate to this type of operation, but when you're talking about protecting children, that's paramount," Barker said. 
These arrests also serve as a reminder for parents to not use the internet as a virtual babysitter. 
"We think that because children are quiet and in their rooms playing on their phones that they're safe, and that's just not the case, as we've seen 12 times in the last 7 days," Barker said. 
Of the 12 men arrested, some are also facing drug and weapons charges. We're told some brought the items with them when they were planning to meet the teenaged girl. 
DCSO is now working with the FBI on the out of state cases and ICE will be deporting another inmate.


Targeting the Innocent: Sex trafficking myths spread on social media



by Rachel Glaser | Newschannel 3

Investigators and survivor advocates say there is no question that children and teens in Michigan are sold for sex, but it doesn't happen the way many think.
Investigators said that's not how traffickers take victims. Experts also warn advancing the false narrative of what's portrayed in movies is keeping real victims in the dark.
"It takes the attention off of what’s really going on," Michigan State Police Missing Children’s Clearinghouse Manager Jolene Hardesty said.
Children are more likely to be targeted inside their own homes, she said.
"It’s someone who has come into your house, on your couch or in your kids bedroom via their smart device," said Hardesty.
Hardesty works with state and local law enforcement to help find missing kids in Michigan.
According to MSP, the most common age range for sex trafficking victims is 13- to 16-years-old.
Scott Jenkins noticed his 12-year-old daughter Haylee become increasingly secretive.
The change in his oldest daughter started when a friend introduced Haylee to a boy on Instagram. Let's call him Brad, that's not his real name, but police believe he is a real 16-year-old boy.
"I was like wait, this isn't... something is wrong," Jenkins said.
Concerned about his daughter's change in behavior, Jenkins snuck into his daughters room to scour her social media accounts while she slept.
What he read, Jenkins said, looked like typical teenage flirting.
“I had no idea it was planned process to lure young girls and that's when it really hit me,” said Jenkins.
Upon further digging he found the email addresses linked to many of Brad’s friends, who were also contacting Haylee, belonged to adult men.
Investigators say sex traffickers use fake accounts to insert themselves into friend groups online.
They use kids to recruit other children, sometimes without their knowledge. Friends of friends, followers of followers, can make predators seem safe.
“They will groom them and talk to them and pretend like they care for them for however long it takes until they can gain this child's trust and once they gain the child's trust, then the game begins,” said Hardesty.
Traffickers target the most vulnerable and lonely children; kids fleeing family violence, runaways, children in the LGBTQ community and children without homes. Traffickers shower children with attention, affections, gifts and promises of a better life.
Hardesty said, "These kids are going missing completely under the radar, some of the kids that are missing, they still go to school every day. They come home sometimes at night, sometimes they are not at home, but we've had straight A students who are being trafficked and parents had no idea."
Hardesty said investigators now see the recruitment process spread from social media into schools.
"You want to make some extra money this weekend? Hey, you want to come party with me?"
Hardesty said students, current victims, act as scouts in schools for traffickers.
Senior Director of Law and Policy at the YWCA Jessica Glynn has provided legal representation to 60 sex trafficking survivors in Kalamazoo County since 2016.
"We do not see people snatched from grocery store parking lots, we do not see people kidnapped in the middle of the night form their beds," Glynn said.
In her decade-long career Glynn has never worked a case where a victim was abducted from a public place.
"We have to get human trafficking right," Glynn said, "Because if we don't then those who are truly victims of human trafficking will never reach safety."
Most of the cases she's seen involve one victim and one suspect, not a chain of victims.
Glynn said, "Like domestic violence, like sexual assault it’s far more complicated than why didn’t you just walk away, or why didn’t you scream for help?"
Reports of sex traffickers at stores masks the ways that children are actually being victimized. Glynn said, "Those are not human trafficking cases and, so, if we continue to get it wrong and if we continue to advance stories that are not human trafficking, it means that those victims who are in danger, they’re not going to be identified."
She said the Hollywood portrayal of sex trafficking also makes it difficult to prosecute traffickers.
Assaulted, threatened with violence, addicted to drugs or without another place to go, victims can feel trapped. Instead of looking for perceived predators in well-lit public places, Glynn stresses the importance of looking for potential victims.
"Nicer clothes and items they know they couldn’t have afforded or their parents could not have purchased for them and that should raise red flags," Glynn said.
Haylee, now 17-years-old, is happy her dad noticed those red flags and interrupted before she could meet up with Brad and his friends.
"I wouldn't be here right now if I would have met up with him," Haylee said.
A thought that still makes her dad emotional.
Jenkins said, "Mostly anger that this is still happening, I mean, this happens everyday. People need to be aware this happens here.I
In2017, reports of sex trafficking case to the National Human Trafficking Hotline increase by nearly 350 percent since 2012, when Haylee found herself in that questionable online relationship.