Who's in the News?

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Man arrested for sex trafficking used fake name for decades
OKLAHOMA CITY — A man facing human trafficking charges is now being tied to marijuana grows in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics said Feng Jiang was arrested in New York late last month for running a brothel in northwest Oklahoma City. This was part of a growing trend of OBN arrests and seizures involving illegal marijuana grows. "There were women being prostituted, and the evidence showed they were forced into this and not free to have freedom of movement. So it would make them prostitutes, but they were also victims of sex trafficking," said Mark Woodward, an OBN spokesperson.
Woodward said Jiang was one of the two suspects accused of operating a brothel in northwest Oklahoma City, frequented by managers and administrators of commercial marijuana farms, who had been arrested. He faces two counts of human trafficking for commercial sex. The search remains ongoing for Jian Lin, who is believed to still be in Oklahoma City. OBN said both he and Jiang ran the brothel in Oklahoma City.
» https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-obn-arrest-sex-trafficking-brothel-fake-name/45879408      (VIDEO) 
»

▫️Former Franklin Co. deputy found guilty in child sex abuse case
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. — Justin Dale Sigmon, a former Franklin County Sheriff’s deputy was found guilty Friday, Nov. 17 of abusive sexual contact of a minor. According to court documents from the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Florida, Sigmon was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals. The ruling comes roughly six months after federal court documents said he was caught on camera abusing a child under the age of 12 while on a cruise near Miami.
https://www.wfxrtv.com/local-crime/former-franklin-co-deputy-found-guilty-in-child-sex-abuse-case/ 

▫️Police offer warning after man attempts to lure child into car on Southwest Side
CHICAGO — Police are offering a warning to residents on the Southwest Side after officers say a man attempted to lure a 12-year-old girl into his car on Monday afternoon. According to police, a 12-year-old girl was walking her dogs in the area when a man in a black SUV called to the girl and asked her if she needed a ride. Police say the child saw the man performing lewd acts and continued to walk away. The man then began to curse at the child before driving away. Anyone with information on the child luring attempt is asked to call the CPD Bureau of Detectives Special Investigations Unit at 312-492-3810.
https://wgntv.com/news/police-offer-warning-after-man-attempts-to-lure-child-into-car-on-southwest-side/ 

▫️Millcreek couple arrested for alleged human trafficking, forgery
MILLCREEK, Utah — A Millcreek couple has been arrested for human trafficking and forgery after they allegedly brought two women into the country illegally from Guatemala, kept them at their residence, forced them to work without pay at fast-food restaurants, and prevented them from contacting family members.
Luis Fernando Mendez-Portillo, 50, and Lesbia Lisseth Figueroa Gallardo, 44, have been booked into the Salt Lake County jail.
https://gephardtdaily.com/local/millcreek-couple-arrested-for-alleged-human-trafficking-forgery/ 

▫️Gilbert police seek info on man convicted of sex offenses
GILBERT, Ariz. — The Gilbert Police Department is seeking information about the whereabouts of a man convicted for sex offenses involving children, police said.
Paul Nelson was convicted for sex offenses involving children on Nov. 15 stemming from a 2021 Gilbert police investigation. The judge issued a warrant for Nelson’s arrest after he failed to appear for the verdict, police said. Nelson is believed to be possibly armed and suicidal, according to police. If you have any information regarding Nelson’s whereabouts, contact Gilbert Police at 480-503-6500.
» https://sg.news.yahoo.com/video/search-continues-convicted-sex-offender-050431696.html    (VIDEO)
» https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/gilbert-police-seeking-information-about-convicted-sex-offender/75-f4d8141c-6aa9-458f-9903-cf58816c1570 

▫️Multiple indicted after investigation into local prostitution ring
MERCER COUNTY — Five people were indicted on charges related to prostitution and solicitation in Mercer County on Friday, according to Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey.
On Oct. 5, Mercer County detectives began investigating a potential prostitution ring after receiving information on its existence.
The investigation found five adult females and one adult male were allegedly involved in the prostitution ring, Grey said.
A grand jury indicted the five individuals on Friday, Nov. 17.
https://www.whio.com/news/local/multiple-indicted-after-investigation-into-local-prostitution-ring/BBLPTOGRJJHSNMWFVMMK752ISQ/ 

▫️Madison County Sheriff's Office charges man with Sexual Abuse, Promoting Human Trafficking
During the evening of Friday Nov. 17, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office Street Crimes Unit – Deputy S. Johnson and K9 Deputy Christian – served an arrest warrant on Steven McKinney for the following charges: Distribution of Obscene Matter to Minors 1st Offense, Sexual Abuse 1st Degree and Promoting Human Trafficking (Victim U/18 YOA).
The initial investigation began on Oct. 16, 2023 and is being led by Lt. Allen and the Investigations Division.
https://www.richmondregister.com/news/madison-county-sheriffs-office-charges-man-with-sexual-abuse-promoting-human-trafficking/article_57d6bb24-8626-11ee-b29f-b7a78d3cbc85.html 

▫️East Tennessee priest found not guilty in sexual battery trial
A Sevier County jury has found an East Tennessee Catholic priest accused of sexual battery not guilty on all counts.
The case of the Rev. Antony Punnackal, who most recently served as pastor at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Gatlinburg, had become the subject of a 2022 lawsuit accusing the diocese of intimidating and discrediting a sexual assault victim. Punnackal denied the allegations, and the lawsuit was paused to await the outcome of his criminal case.
https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2023/nov/18/east-tennessee-priest-found-not-guilty-in-sexual/ 

▫️California male nanny who called himself ‘the original Sitter Buddy’ sentenced to 705 years in prison for molesting 16 boys and filming many of the assaults
The California male nanny said he “prided himself” on bringing smiles to the children he sexually assaulted before being sentenced to over 700 years in prison on Friday. Matthew Zakrzewski, 34, was found guilty of 34 felony counts including lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14 for his evil abuse of children which included molesting 16 young boys trusted under his care, and showing pornography to a 17th, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced. “A death sentence is too good for him… Please show no mercy on this animal,” a grandmother of two of the victims said, according to ABC 7.
His victims ranged in age from 2 to 12 years old, the DA’s office said. He filmed many of the sexual assaults on the boys as well.
» https://abc7.com/costa-mesa-nanny-prison-sentence/14077327/      (VIDEO)
» https://nypost.com/2023/11/19/news/california-nanny-matthew-zakrzewski-sentenced-to-over-700-years-in-prison-for-molesting-children/
» https://lawandcrime.com/crime/monster-disguised-by-smiles-and-giggles-male-nanny-who-called-himself-the-original-sitter-buddy-sentenced-to-705-years-in-prison-for-molesting-16-boys-and-filming-many-of-the-assaults/
» https://fox5sandiego.com/news/california-news/california-nanny-faces-over-705-years-in-prison-for-sexual-abuse-of-16-boys/ 

▫️Temporary emergency shelter open for human trafficking victims during F1
The Salvation Army Southern Nevada said a temporary emergency shelter is open to any victims of human trafficking during the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
https://news.yahoo.com/temporary-emergency-shelter-open-human-075715848.html     (VIDEO) 

▫️A law that launched 2,500 sex abuse suits is expiring. It´s left a trail of claims vs. celebs, jails
ALBANY, N.Y.  - For a year, a special New York law has cleared the way for a wave of headline-grabbing lawsuits against famous men accused of sexual misconduct. But when the Adult Survivors Act expires after Thanksgiving, it also will have led to a multitude of legal claims by women who say they were sexually abused while serving time in the New York's prisons and jails.
More than 2,500 lawsuits have been filed so far under the law, which created a year-long suspension of the usual time limit to sue over an alleged sexual assault. Some of those lawsuits have targeted employers, or institutions such as hospitals, accused of failing to do enough to stop abuse by doctors or other workers.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-12767197/A-law-launched-2-500-sex-abuse-suits-expiring-It-s-left-trail-claims-vs-celebs-jails.html 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️12 victims recovered, 1 arrested after human trafficking operation in Jackson
JACKSON, Miss. - Twelve victims were recovered and one person was arrested after a multi-day human trafficking operation in Jackson. Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement Monday morning. The Attorney General’s human trafficking team, in coordination with the Capitol Police, ran the operation in Jackson from November 14 to November 16.
In the past two years, the Attorney General has completed 55 multi-jurisdictional operations that have led to the recovery of 324 victims and 82 arrests.
» https://www.wlbt.com/2023/11/20/12-victims-recovered-1-arrested-after-human-trafficking-operation-jackson/
» https://www.ago.state.ms.us/2023/11/20/ag-fitch-announces-completion-of-human-trafficking-operation-in-jackson-12-victim-contacts-and-one-arrest-made-november-20-2023/
» https://darkhorsepressnow.com/human-trafficking-operation-recovers-12-victims-ag-fitch-says/ 

▫️PBSO arrest three involved in a prostitution ring out of Lake Worth
Three people are arrested for involvement in a prostitution ring happening out of multiple houses in Palm Beach County. According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Rosa Molina-Quijada, 34, coerced women to take part in prostitution. Quijada faces the following charges: Human trafficking, procuring for prostitution, and keeping a house of ill fame. Lucio Gonzalez, 44, is charged with procuring for prostitution, keeping a house of ill fame, and cocaine possession. 36-year-old Johelson Riviero-Caballero is charged with procuring for prostitution and keeping a house of ill fame. Victims were enticed to work for financial gain as a prostitute.
https://www.wpbf.com/article/three/45883016# 

▫️Paintsville man sentenced to time served in human trafficking case
After spending more than a year behind bars, a Paintsville man was sentenced to time served on an amended charge in a human trafficking case that led to his arrest in Oct. 2022. While Steven Davis, 57, of Main Street, Paintsville, was sentenced to time served, official sentencing has yet to be handed down for his co-defendant, Rebecca Daniel, 41, of Barber Branch, Paintsville, who received a new sentencing date as her lawyer could not be present for the Oct. 27 sentencing hearing. The pair were originally arrested on human trafficking charges in Oct. 2022 after, police said, the duo had a conversation about exchanging pills and money for sex with the woman’s 13-year-old daughter, according to court documents.
https://www.paintsvilleherald.com/news/paintsville-man-sentenced-to-time-served-in-human-trafficking-case/article_94443e1c-8331-11ee-be37-67b979c8781f.html 

▫️Human Traffickers Arrested In Cochise County
Around 8:15 a.m. Thursday, the Cochise County Safe Streets Task Force attempted a traffic stop for a vehicle on Highway 92 South near Miller Canyon. Authorities say the driver of the car began turning down side streets and eventually stopped near Hereford and Moson roads when the officer caught up with him. The officer approached the driver, Hector Quezada, 22, and his passenger, 19, both residents of Phoenix, and learned that they were transporting four undocumented immigrants, including a two-year-old child.
https://nationworldnews.com/human-traffickers-arrested-in-cochise-county/ 

▫️Bodycam Video Shows Officers Saving 5-Year-Old Boy From Abuse - Breaking911
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New video shows multiple officers saving a five-year-old boy from serious physical abuse. The boy’s mom and her boyfriend are in custody – both charged with felony child abuse. 
» https://breaking911.com/we-are-taking-your-son-bodycam-video-shows-officers-saving-5-year-old-boy-from-abuse/ 
»

▫️Dark Secrets Unveiled: In Disturbing Court Testimony, Women Allege DVC Professor Assaulted Them In “Sex Dungeon” and On Campus
MARTINEZ, Calif.—In a tense courtroom scene here on Friday, prosecutors accused Diablo Valley College professor Kyle Lee Whitmore of a shocking array of felony crimes that involved his use of a “sex dungeon” in his basement. Whitmore now faces eight felony charges, including two counts of human trafficking, one count of pandering, one count of pimping.
https://www.dvcinquirer.com/news/2023/11/19/dark-secrets-unveiled-in-disturbing-court-testimony-women-allege-diablo-valley-college-professor-assaulted-them-in-sex-dungeon-and-on-campus/ 

▫️'Heinous Act': Dad's Friend Breaks Into Home, Sexually Assaults 4-Year-Old Sleeping Inside, Cops Say - Breaking911
SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.  – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Darwin Barbacastillo, 27, of Brentwood, was indicted for breaking into a home in Bay Shore, and sexually abusing a 4-year-old child who was sleeping inside. On November15, 2023, Barbacastillo was arraigned on the indictment before County Court Judge, the Honorable Karen M. Wilutis, for the following charges:
Predatory Sexual Assault Against a Child, a Class A felony; Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony; Burglary in the Second Degree as a Sexually Motivated felony; Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a Class D violent felony; and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor.
https://breaking911.com/heinous-act-dads-friend-breaks-into-home-sexually-assaults-4-year-old-sleeping-inside-cops-say/ 

▫️ERO Boston apprehends Brazilian sex offender in Martha’s Vineyard
BOSTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston arrested an undocumented Brazilian sex offender Nov. 14 on Martha’s Vineyard. Deportation officers from ERO Boston’s Fugitive Operations Team South apprehended the 37-year-old noncitizen near his residence in West Tisbury. The Brazilian national is wanted by authorities in his home country for failure to serve a prison sentence for raping a 5-year-old child.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ero-boston-apprehends-brazilian-sex-offender-marthas-vineyard 

▫️Man Forces Massage Parlor Employees To Perform Sex Acts at Gunpoint Before Robbing $2K: Sheriff
44-year-old Thomas Avery Hillman, Jr., was arrested in California after he allegedly stole $2,000 in cash, held employees at a massage parlor at gunpoint and demanded they perform oral sexual acts on him, per authorities. Deputies responded to a report of a robbery involving a handgun on Wednesday afternoon, according to a news release from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. They searched the area but were unable to find the suspect. Hillman surrendered at his home in Paramount while officers were executing a search warrant.
https://themessenger.com/news/massage-parlor-man-forces-employees-to-perform-oral-sex-on-him-at-gunpoint-before-robbing-sheriff 

▫️Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Traveling to Engage in Sex with a Minor
CHARLESTON, S.C. —Brandon Lazarus Pelphrey, 26, of Monroe, North Carolina, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct and Commission of a Felony Sex Offense by a Registered Sex Offender. Evidence presented to the Court showed that Pelphrey traveled from Monroe, North Carolina, to Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina on Nov. 5, 2021, to have sex with whom he believed to be a 13-year-old girl he met online.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/registered-sex-offender-sentenced-20-years-prison-traveling-engage-sex-minor 

▫️Front Royal Police Using Proactive Chatting To Nab Online Child Predators
Since last March, the department has arrested 19 people across the state for offenses involving online solicitation of minors or child sexual abuse material, including six who traveled to Front Royal to meet “with lascivious intent” with what they thought were children under the age of 15. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children fields 29 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation each year. That’s 563,461 each week.
https://www.dnronline.com/news/front-royal-police-using-proactive-chatting-to-nab-online-child-predators/article_e3b94ce5-c897-5de1-8875-4c2cf2338ebf.html 

▫️Nashville Sex Offender's Kidnap Attempt Raises Safety Concerns
In a disturbing incident in Nashville, an armed registered sex offender stands accused of attempting to kidnap an 11-year-old child from their porch. The identity of the suspect has not been disclosed, and information regarding the specific date and time of the attempted kidnapping remains unclear. However, the incident has raised significant concerns about public safety and the effectiveness of monitoring registered sex offenders.
https://bnn.network/breaking-news/crime/armed-registered-sex-offender-attempts-child-kidnap-in-nashville-safety-concerns-heightened/ 

▫️22 more ex-patients say Norwell pediatrician molested them. ADA: 'Dozens more' expected
HINGHAM - Twenty-two more former patients of a Norwell pediatrician have come forward to accuse him of sexual assault, a prosecutor said during the former doctor's arraignment Monday in Hingham District Court. Twenty women and two girls are among the new accusers who say former Dr. Richard Kauff, of Norwell, assaulted them, Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Beth Kusmin told Judge Heather Bradley.
https://news.yahoo.com/former-norwell-pediatrician-accused-child-094641010.html 

▫️Jets legend Joe Namath is accused of allowing child sex abuse by well-known prep school coach to take place at his football camp
New York Jets legend Joe Namath has been accused of covering up sexual abuse at his football facility, according to a man who claims he was assaulted there. Philip Lyle Smith, 64, has alleged in a Brooklyn lawsuit that well-known Brooklyn Poly Prep Country Club football coach Philip Foglietta sexually abused him 51 years ago at a Joe Namath Instructional Football Camp. 
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/nfl/article-12769561/Jets-Joe-Namath-allowing-child-sex-abuse-Philip-Foglietta.html 

▫️Former MSP trooper found guilty of sexually abusing girl years ago
A former Maryland State Police trooper was found guilty Friday of sexually abusing a Washington County girl more than 16 years ago following a four-day trial in Washington County Circuit Court.
A jury of eight men and four women found Brian Hanford Murphy, 50, of Frederick County, Md., guilty of three felonies: sexual abuse of a minor while he was temporarily responsible for her supervision; knowingly soliciting a minor to engage in sexual acts; and sexual abuse of a minor — engaging in a continuing course of conduct over at least 90 days.
https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/story/news/local/2023/11/20/former-msp-trooper-found-guilty-of-sexually-abusing-girl-years-ago/71613826007/ 

▫️State ordered to pay $3M in Monroe sex abuse lawsuit
MONROE — The state must pay $3 million to a woman who alleged officials failed to step in when she was being sexually abused by a former Monroe police officer when she was a child, a jury ruled this month.
After two weeks of deliberation, a Snohomish County Superior Court jury faulted the state Department of Social and Health Services for negligence in the early 2000s.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/state-ordered-to-pay-3m-in-monroe-sex-abuse-lawsuit/ 

▫️Laredo CBP officers apprehend man wanted on sexual assault of a child warrant at Gateway to the Americas Bridge
Jesus Perez Parra, 50, a Mexican citizen, was the subject of an outstanding felony arrest warrant for sexual assault of a child issued by Webb County Sheriff’s Office.
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/laredo-cbp-officers-apprehend-man-wanted-sexual-assault-child-warrant 

▫️Big Bend officials say human trafficking cases are up
Sheriff Walt McNeil of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office said “victims of human trafficking occur in our community but quite honestly they often go unnoticed”. Many of them are happening right here on North Monroe Street.
Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, a service provider for human trafficking survivors, has helped over 200 survivors since their inception 8 years ago.
https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/in-your-neighborhood/northwest-tallahassee/big-bend-officials-say-human-trafficking-cases-are-up-heres-what-one-survivor-wants-you-to-know 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️14 missing children found, officials vow to keep looking as big events hit Las Vegas valley
The operation was focused on searching for missing children amidst concerns of increased risks of juveniles being sex trafficked during large events. 14 missing children were found during the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, according to law enforcement officials and a non-profit that says it is devoted to ending human trafficking.
F.R.E.E. International plans to follow up with the families of the children who have been returned, offering a holiday meal as a gesture of support. The group is also preparing for another operation during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in February, continuing their vigilant efforts to protect children from trafficking.
» https://original.newsbreak.com/@nik-hatziefstathiou-1748012/3237386356020-14-missing-children-found-during-las-vegas-grand-prix-efforts-to-combat-human-trafficking-intensifi
»

▫️18 people detained amid human trafficking investigation in Detroit, 6 survivors
Michigan State Police say a human trafficking investigation led to the detainment of 18 people at three Detroit homes. Investigators with the Second District Special Investigation Traffic Abduction Group (TAG) identified three homes in Detroit where the possible victims were held. Authorities conducted several days of surveillance and executed a search warrant at each home.
MSP says that 6 alleged victims were interviewed and asked for services.
» https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2023/11/21/troopers-arrest-18-people-involved-in-possible-sex-trafficking-operation-at-3-detroit-homes/   (VIDEO)
» https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/18-people-detained-amid-human-trafficking-investigation-in-detroit/
» https://midmichigannow.com/news/local/18-people-detained-during-human-trafficking-investigation-in-detroit-area-multiple-alleged-victims-found 

▫️(UPDATE)  26 arrested during 2-day human trafficking operation in Coweta County, 6 survivors
COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — A two-day human trafficking operation in Coweta County has led to the arrest of more than two dozen people. During the two days, six victims of human trafficking were rescued and moved to safety.
https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/coweta-county/26-arrested-during-2-day-human-trafficking-operation-coweta-county/2JFJOXPTFJDGNDZXAZQBMUCSLY/ 

▫️(UPDATE) ‘Too late’: Man admits to sex trafficking missing Lubbock child
LUBBOCK, Texas — A Lubbock man previously accused of sex trafficking a child, Cameron Phifer, 24, agreed to plead guilty to Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography on Friday, according to federal court documents obtained by EverythingLubbock.com on Monday.
Court records stated Phifer admitted that he “groomed and sexually abused” the victim, who he knew was under 18 years old.
EverythingLubbock.com previously reported Phifer, Bianka Vega, 22, and Deryan Thomas, 32, were arrested back in June.
» https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/local-news/too-late-man-admits-to-sex-trafficking-missing-lubbock-child/ 
»

▫️West Bountiful company executives arrested on human trafficking charges
WEST BOUNTIFUL, Utah — Three executive officers of a West Bountiful company have been arrested on multiple human trafficking charges possibly involving hundreds of employees following a six-month investigation.
Rubicon President Tyler Brinkman, along with Chief Financial Officer Clayton Phillips and Human Resources executive Adam Perea were charged Monday with seven counts of Aggravated Human Trafficking and one count of Pattern of Unlawful Activity following their alleged actions with employees brought into the country from Mexico.
» https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rwCWXIlWCI   (VIDEO)
» https://www.fox13now.com/news/crime/west-bountiful-company-executives-arrested-on-human-trafficking-charges 
» https://youtu.be/4rwCWXIlWCI

▫️High-risk violent sex offender arrested in Lemmon Valley during joint operation
RENO, Nev.  — A convicted sexual abuser is back in custody after he was arrested during a joint operation in Lemmon Valley on Monday. Marcus Allen Martinez was wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service for a supervised release violation warrant. Martinez, who's been convicted of sexual abuse of a minor and sex offender failing to register, was taken into custody in Lemmon Valley on Nov. 21.
https://mynews4.com/news/local/high-risk-violent-sex-offender-arrested-in-lemmon-valley-during-joint-operation 

▫️Two arrested in Concordia Parish following child sexual abuse investigation
CONCORDIA PARISH, La. - On Friday, Nov. 17, the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested Derrick L. Frazier, 38, and Rebecca Green, 32, based on evidence that they were sexually abusing a child.
The CPSO Crime Unit began investigating the case on Nov. 15 after receiving allegations of a child being sexually abused by Frazier and Green. According to CPSO, The child was given medical treatment and taken to safety. Frazier was charged with first-degree rape. Green was charged with principal to first-degree rape, cruelty to juveniles, and failure to report certain felonies/sexual abuse of a child.
https://www.knoe.com/2023/11/20/two-arrested-concordia-parish-following-child-sexual-abuse-investigation/   (VIDEO) 

▫️Former Madison school resource officer, mayor appears in court on child seduction charges
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A former southern Indiana mayor and school resource officer remains in jail on child sex charges after pleading not guilty in court on Monday. Tim Armstrong, 63, was arrested last week on multiple felony charges after a 15-month investigation by Indiana State Police revealed he had "inappropriate communication with a juvenile male student" multiple times between April and August 2022.
https://www.wdrb.com/news/crime-reports/former-madison-school-resource-officer-mayor-pleads-appears-in-court-on-child-seduction-charges/article_6f347454-8811-11ee-87a0-9f97d2895905.html 🇺🇸

▫️High school instructor in Omaha accused of child sexual abuse
An instructor at an Omaha alternative high school has been charged with sexual abuse. Rev. Montel Jones, Jr., 20, who was hired in August as the school’s new Leadership Academic Instructor, is charged with felony sexual abuse by a school employee.
According to court records, the mother of a teenage girl who goes to the school saw her daughter’s private conversation with Jones on Instagram and took a screenshot before it disappeared. 
» https://www.wowt.com/2023/11/21/omaha-alternative-school-teacher-charged-with-child-sex-abuse/   (VIDEO)
»  

▫️Wimauma murder suspect accused of having sexual relationship with minor surrenders to authorities
While investigating, deputies say they discovered Castillo was having a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16. He has been charged with murder in the second degree with a weapon, nine counts of lewd and lascivious battery, three counts of in-state transmission of child pornography by an electronic device, three counts of use of a child in a sexual performance, three counts of child pornography.
https://www.fox13news.com/news/wimauma-murder-suspect-accused-of-having-sexual-relationship-with-minor-surrenders-to-authorities 

▫️Transgender Pedophile Charged On Eight Counts Of Child Sexual Abuse, Grooming Involving Victim Under The Age Of 13
A trans-identified male from Bloomington, Illinois, is facing trial on eight counts of sexually abusing a child under the age of 13. Michelle Blessent, born James, was charged with five counts of predatory sexual assault earlier this year but is now facing three more in light of new evidence.
https://reduxx.info/transgender-pedophile-charged-on-eight-counts-of-child-sexual-abuse-grooming-involving-victim-under-the-age-of-13/ 

▫️Abercrombie & Fitch suspends $1million lifetime annual bonus to former CEO Mike Jeffries after sex trafficking allegations and lawsuit claiming fashion brand enabled him to sexually abuse male models
Fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch has suspended its annual $1 million annual bonus to disgraced former CEO Mike Jeffries in the wake of a bombshell BBC documentary which saw him accused by male models of sexual abuse and sex trafficking. The lawsuit filed Manhattan federal court on Friday is seeking an unspecified amount of damages.
» https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12775603/Abercrombie-Fitch-suspends-1million-lifetime-annual-bonus-former-CEO-Mike-Jeffries-sex-trafficking-allegations-lawsuit-claiming-fashion-brand-enabled-sexually-abuse-male-models.html
»  https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67480142
»

▫️Attorney General Moody Announces JAXPORT Joining Efforts to Spot and Report Human Trafficking

▫️'Smallville' Actress Involved in a Sex Trafficking Ring
In this episode, we speak with students, Chaney and Dana, about how Allison Mack, an actress from Netflix Series (Smallville), was recruiting for a sex trafficking ring. We discuss the warning signs of trafficking, preying on vulnerabilities, and coercion. Join us for this important conversation and learn how you can play a role in preventing trafficking and protecting the most vulnerable.

▫️Thurmont Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Jose Alexander Diaz-Rodriguez, age 23, of Thurmont, today to 18 years in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child, after he broke into his neighbor’s home and took sexually explicit photographs of a child.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/thurmont-man-sentenced-18-years-federal-prison-sexual-exploitation-child 

▫️Prince George's County Public Schools Calendar - Family Institute: Keeping Our Children Safe
Thursday, December 7, 2023: Virtual/Zoom Meeting. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Blue Campaign is a national public awareness campaign to educate the public on how to recognize and properly report cases of human trafficking.
https://go.activecalendar.com/pgcps/event/keeping-our-children-safe/ 
_

 

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️10 arrested after two-day undercover trafficking investigation in Williamson Co.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.  — Ten men accused of seeking commercial sex from minors have been arrested as part of an undercover investigation by special agents with the TBI human trafficking units, Williamson County Sheriff’s Department, the Spring Hill Police Department and the 21st Judicial District Attorney General’s Office.
» https://www.newschannel5.com/news/10-arrested-after-two-day-undercover-trafficking-investigation-in-williamson-co
» https://www.wgnsradio.com/article/84369/undercover-tbi-operation-focused-on-suspects-wanting-to-engage-in-commercial-sex-acts-with-minors-nets-2-from-rutherford-county-being-arrested-in-williamson-county
» https://tbinewsroom.com/2023/11/21/two-day-trafficking-operation-in-williamson-county-leads-to-10-arrests/
»

▫️(UPDATE) Details emerge from inside human trafficking operation busted in Detroit
The human trafficking operation spanned across three houses in Detroit according to police. First Lt. Mike Shaw says eight other people were detained, interviewed and found to be uninvolved.
Shaw said the victims inside; "They weren’t allowed to have phones. They weren’t allowed to have ID. They couldn’t leave the house on their own. They had certain quotas they had to reach as far as money from each day or else they were beaten and made to prostitute themselves by these pimps out there." Six victims were interviewed, with one needing medical assistance. Twelve others were also interviewed - afterward, the four suspects were arrested. Eight other people were released. Shaew says the conditions the victims were forced to live in, were awful.
» https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/four-arrested-in-suspected-human-trafficking-bust-drugs-and-guns-seized      (VIDEO)
 » https://www.wxyz.com/news/region/detroit/details-emerge-from-inside-human-trafficking-operation-busted-in-detroit
»

▫️Sean Stevenson: University City teacher faces new federal charges in attempt to entice a minor
SAN DIEGO — Sean Stevenson appeared back in federal court for new charges. With no camera allowed inside the federal court, Stevenson pleaded not guilty to possession of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor. Stevenson has retained criminal defense attorney Dana Grimes. Investigators discovered Stevenson during another sex traffic investigation in April involving the arrests of a pimp and a sex worker. The latest indictment alleges Stevenson had a “cell phone and two thumb drives” that contained images of two children “engaging in sexually explicit conduct.” The documents show one of the children is younger than 12 years old.
https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/university-city-teacher-faces-new-federal-charges-in-attempt-to-entice-a-minor/   (VIDEO) 

▫️12-year-old boy kidnapped and inappropriately touched after leaving Broward fair, cops say
A day at the fair in Margate had a traumatic ending for a 12-year-old boy who police say was kidnapped and inappropriately touched by a Dania Beach man last weekend. Randy Shillingford, 29, was charged with kidnapping, robbery and abuse of a child without great bodily harm. He was still in the Broward Sheriff’s Office jail as Tuesday evening, records show.
https://news.yahoo.com/12-old-boy-kidnapped-inappropriately-025052409.html 

▫️Woman escapes after being held captive for days in Washington home, police say
GIG HARBOR, Wash.  - A woman covered in blood and begging for help shocked a Washington state neighborhood after she escaped from a home where she was reportedly held captive for multiple days. Robin Marcello and her husband were shocked to see a woman covered in blood wandering near their driveway last Saturday morning.
“When she turned around, he saw that she obviously had been assaulted and was pretty much covered in blood,” Marcello said. The couple brought the woman inside and immediately called police, as they tried to tend to the victim as best they could. The investigation is ongoing.
https://www.wlbt.com/2023/11/22/woman-escapes-after-being-held-captive-days-washington-home-police-say/
 

▫️Texas teacher charges with trafficking, assaulting young girl
DALLAS — Gershon Caston has been in the Dallas County jail since July. If you ask him, he’ll tell you he has “no idea” why. Caston agreed to do an interview in jail, following a request from WFAA. Caston was arrested and booked into the jail in the early hours of July 20. According to an arrest affidavit, he is accused of having sex multiple times with an 11-year-old girl he’d met at a gas station earlier that month and then directing her to perform sex acts for money. Caston was one of four people arrested in this case over the summer. 
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/investigates/north-texas-teacher-charged-with-trafficking-assaulting-young-girl-investigated-by-multiple-districts-where-he-worked/287-c857c9b0-debc-4b6d-89d9-48245f371da4   (VIDEO) 

▫️A Smyrna man pled guilty to child molestation and aggravated molestation in Cobb County Superior Court
Now he’ll serve 15 years in prison and another 15 years on probation, according to Cobb County District Attorney Flynn D. Broady’s office.
Carlos Eduardo Diaz, 38 of Smyrna, molested an underage family member while their mother was away from home, according to prosecutors.
https://news.yahoo.com/smyrna-man-guilty-child-molestation-192440750.html 

▫️Convicted child sex offender cuts off ankle monitor
SAN ANTONIO —  A family has waited four years for justice in a child sex assault case, but the child predator recently cut off his ankle monitor and fled. Authorities identified the registered sex offender as Sean Joseph Haynes, 47. Haynes pleaded guilty over the summer, according to the victim's family. However, right before his sentencing, authorities say he cut off his ankle monitor and fled. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The victim’s mother is furious with the justice system. “If I could give two impact statements, one would be to [Haynes]," she said. "The other one I would give to the judges and the district attorney's office because they failed. They failed my child, they failed all children." 
If you see Haynes, call police.  
https://www.kens5.com/article/news/crime/convicted-child-sex-offender-cuts-off-ankle-monitor-disappears-before-sentencing-of-another-case/273-14d157b4-d04c-461d-8d19-57b07c1e25f4 

▫️Fulton Co. Sheriff’s Office searching for 400 registered sex offenders
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Investigators in Fulton County are searching for more than 400 registered sex offenders who call the state’s largest county home. Officials say Fulton County has more than 2,400 registered sex offenders, making it the county with the largest sex offender population in the state. Officials with FCSO reported that over 130 offenders have relocated without notifying the sheriff’s office and have failed to register with another agency. Preliminary reporting by the 73 participating sheriff’s offices revealed that there are currently 12,092 registered sex offenders, 466 predators, and 552 homeless sex offenders living in their counties.
https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/fulton-county/fulton-co-sheriffs-office-searching-400-registered-sex-offenders/YFYCPSN6ZRDYPAZJBIOS3JMSKI/     (VIDEO) 

▫️Haitian police say member of a gang accused of kidnapping Americans has been extradited to the US
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  — Haitian law enforcement authorities said a man belonging to a violent gang accused of kidnapping four U.S. citizens has been extradited to the U.S. Haiti's National Police said Tuesday that Jhon Peter Fleronvil is affiliated with the gang known as “Kokorat San Ras," roughly translated to mean “Cohorts of No Race.” Fleronvil was extradited on Monday and faces charges of abducting four U.S. citizens in Haiti’s central Artibonite region in July 2022, police said.
https://www.middletownpress.com/news/world/article/haitian-police-say-member-of-a-gang-accused-of-18508517.php 

▫️San Antonio Sonic worker said he’d kill anyone who reported sex crimes
A 37-year-old San Antonio man who worked at a local Sonic Drive-In was arrested and charged with multiple sex crimes Monday and allegedly threatening people, according to court records. An arrest affidavit says the 17-year-old victim told investigators that Humberto De La Cruz, who is charged with indecency with a child and indecent exposure, said he'd "kill" someone before going back to jail. 
https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/san-antonio-sonic-sex-crimes-18506111.php?/Update 

▫️Syracuse police allowed ‘sexual predator’ to work in uniform for years, lawsuit claims
Syracuse, N.Y. — A former Syracuse police officer, who is alleged to have coerced sex from women for years while on-duty, is facing another lawsuit from four women who say they are still traumatized by his actions. The women name Chester Thompson, his supervising officers and the city of Syracuse in the complaint. They say Thompson raped them while in uniform, sometimes on several occasions, while his supervisors did little to nothing to stop his behavior during his 18-year career, according to court papers.
https://www.syracuse.com/crime/2023/11/syracuse-police-allowed-sexual-predator-to-work-in-uniform-for-years-lawsuit-claims.html 

▫️VIDEO: ‘We’ve been living a nightmare’: Lawsuit in Drexel case aims to target human trafficking
The family of Brittanee Drexel, who was raped and murdered while on vacation in Myrtle Beach in 2009, filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit on Thursday. The lawsuit asks for punitive damages against the hotel and alleges negligence, aiding and abetting and wrongful death by Bluewater Resort, stating that the hotel “created a foreseeable zone of risk by creating, fostering, and maintaining an environment where minors, including Decedent, could stay on their premises unaccompanied by their legal guardians.”

▫️Middle school music director from Lancaster County arrested over multiple child sexual abuse allegations
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa.  — Pennsylvania State Police have arrested a middle school music director on charges alleging child sexual abuse. David P. Griffith, age 28 of Strasburg Township, is being charged with seven different felonies and numerous other misdemeanor charges stemming from a months-long police investigation.
https://local21news.com/news/local/middle-school-music-director-from-lancaster-county-arrested-over-multiple-child-sexual-abuse-allegations-lancaster-county-strasburg-pennsylvania 

▫️Prisoner, accomplice, guard indicted in Upstate child sex abuse case
COLUMBIA, S.C. – A grand jury delivered indictments against a prisoner at Lee Correctional Facility and an outside accomplice in a child sex abuse case in Greenville County, as well as a guard and kitchen worker. According to the State Attorney General’s Office, Abbygale Alexandria El-Dier, Jacob Nathaniel Lance, Brittany Nicole Welch and Brian Darold Keely were each indicted in what the state dubbed operation “Clean Sweep,” an investigation into the sexual abuse of a minor in Greenville County.
https://www.wspa.com/news/local-news/prisoner-accomplice-guard-indicted-in-upstate-child-sex-abuse-case/ 

▫️The Brothel Next Door Part 4: Three suspects arrested
LAKE WORTH, Fla.  — This is part four of our series on a prostitution ring in Palm Beach County. Last week, as the CBS12 News I-Team was putting the finishing touches on our third report, the sheriff’s office was raiding multiple brothels and arresting suspects in management and employees. After our first report, a man who works inside the network told us we were on the right track, but there was a lot more to the story, so we kept digging.
https://cbs12.com/news/cbs12-news-i-team/the-brothel-next-door-part-4-three-suspects-arrested-rosa-maria-molina-quijada-alex-rivero-cabellero-and-lucio-gonzalez-november-21-2023   (VIDEO) 

▫️Lancaster County mini golf course employee facing child sex crimes
LANCASTER, Pa.  – A Lancaster County miniature golf course employee has been charged with child sexual abuse after allegations involving his work with underage coworkers. Pennsylvania State Police say an investigation into David Preston Griffith began in October in his capacity as a manager of Village Greens in Strasburg. State Police say Griffith is employed by Phoenix Academy and volunteers with Lampeter-Strasburg School District as a middle school musical director.
https://news.yahoo.com/lancaster-county-mini-golf-course-221440210.html 

▫️CBP officers arrest man wanted for sexually abusing child in Laredo
A man wanted for asking a teenage girl to touch his private part and sending her inappropriate messages has been arrested, authorities said. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested Jesus Parra-Perez, 50, as he was entering the country. He was wanted out of the Webb County Sheriff’s Office for indecency with a child by sexual contact and online solicitation of a minor by sex conduct, both second degree felonies.
https://www.lmtonline.com/local/article/cbp-officers-arrest-man-wanted-sexually-abusing-18507046.php 

▫️Man arrested 3 times in 3 counties in 6 months for child sex offenses, including first-degree rape of a child
A man is facing child sexual abuse and rape charges in three Kentucky counties. Chad L. Delucenay, 34, of Scottsville, was initially arrested on child sexual exploitation offenses in June of this year in Allen County, according to Kentucky State Police. In the Allen County case, Delucenay was charged him with 10 counts of distribution of matter portraying a minor in a sexual performance (victim under the age of 12),
https://www.k105.com/2023/11/21/man-arrested-3-times-in-3-counties-in-6-months-for-child-sex-offenses-including-first-degree-rape-of-a-child/ 

▫️ERO Washington, D.C. apprehends Guatemalan noncitizen convicted of crimes against Virginia minor
WASHINGTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. arrested an undocumented noncitizen who was convicted of crimes against a Virginia minor. Deportation officers from ERO Washington D.C.’s Mobile Criminal Apprehension Team apprehended the 26-year-old Guatemalan national in Falls Church, Virginia, Nov. 6.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ero-washington-dc-apprehends-guatemalan-noncitizen-convicted-crimes-against-virginia 

▫️DHS continues to remove individuals and families without a basis to remain in the US
WASHINGTON — Last week, the Department of Homeland Security, through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) working in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), facilitated dozens of removal flights, including single adults and family units to Venezuela, Central America, Brazil, Colombia, India, and Peru. During each of the past two weeks, we have conducted over thirty repatriation flights transporting thousands of individuals back to their country of origin and have repatriated over five thousand individuals directly to Mexico.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/dhs-continues-remove-individuals-and-families-without-basis-remain-us 

▫️Marine Veteran Sues Tim Ballard and OUR Over Sexual Assault Claims, Injuries Suffered In Training
Bree Righter, a Marine veteran and social worker who previously spoke to VICE News under a pseudonym about her experiences with Operation Underground Railroad, has filed suit in Utah’s Third District against Tim Ballard, the group’s founder; OUR; an OUR subsidiary called Deacon, Inc.; and Matt Cooper, who worked for years as OUR’s director of security. A copy of the complaint reviewed by VICE News alleges, among other things, that Cooper committed sexual assault and battery; that Cooper, Ballard, and OUR conspired to commit battery; and that Cooper and Ballard committed fraud.
» https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxjbz5/veteran-marine-sues-tim-ballard-and-our-over-sexual-assault-claims-injuries-suffered-in-training
»  https://www.abc4.com/news/wasatch-front/former-marine-sues-tim-ballard-and-our-over-sexual-assault-claims/
»

▫️(UPDATE)   Pentagon Official At Office Overseeing Elementary Schools Arrested In Human Trafficking Sting
Stephen Francis Hovanic, a top administrator for the Pentagon’s school system in the Americas region, was arrested on Nov. 15 in a human trafficking sting in Coweta County, Georgia, the Daily Caller News Foundation has learned. Hovanic, 64, of Sharpsburg, Georgia, was arrested on suspicion of pandering, according to a press release the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.
Hovanic was one of more than two dozen arrests over a two-day operation meant to locate victims of human trafficking. Six women, identified as victims of human trafficking, were rescued in the operation, which saw arrests on charges of pandering, drug possession, prostitution and pimping, according to the press release.
» https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2023-11-22/dodea-americas-arrest-human-trafficking-12133785.html
» https://dailycaller.com/2023/11/21/top-pentagon-school-administrator-arrested-human-trafficking-sting/
» https://americanbriefing.com/pentagon-official-at-office-overseeing-elementary-schools-arrested-in-human-trafficking-sting/ 

▫️kNOw MORE! Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention
kNOw MORE! is a drama-based and student-centered human trafficking awareness and prevention curriculum, for middle school- and high school-aged youth in San Diego County.
https://www.pointloma.edu/centers-institutes/center-justice-reconciliation/know-more-human-trafficking-prevention-program 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️8 sex offenders arrested for failure to comply with laws, Las Vegas police say
LAS VEGAS  — The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said 8 sex offenders were arrested for failure to obey sex offender registration laws. Police said a Fall Season Sex Offender Compliancy Check took place between Nov. 6 through Nov. 10. The operation contacted 742 sex offenders.
Those arrested were: Michael Hudson, 62; Scott Yates, 69; James Taper, 44; Curtis Holmes, 61; Cristian Serrano, 25; Brandon Johnson, 36; Hollie Martin, 62; Eldridge Brantley, 53.
» https://www.ktnv.com/news/crime/8-sex-offenders-arrested-for-failure-to-comply-with-laws-las-vegas-police-say 
»

▫️Bay Area rapper BussDown Bandy charged with human trafficking of teen girl
OAKLAND — A Fairfield rapper has been arrested and charged with trafficking a 16-year-old girl after she allegedly identified him from one of his music videos, court records show. Michael Isrealishia Moore, 28, was charged this month with human trafficking of a minor, as well as pimping and pandering, all related to the same girl, who came forward to police on Nov. 2. Authorities say patrol cops in Oakland stumbled upon the girl outside of a local convenience store and struck up a conversation with her because she appeared upset. The conversation led to a police interview where she allegedly identified Moore as her pimp. 
» https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/11/22/bay-area-rapper-bussdown-bandy-charged-with-human-trafficking-of-teen-girl/
» https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/11/22/bay-area-rapper-bussdown-bandy-charged-with-human-trafficking-of-teen-girl/

▫️2 men charged in human trafficking investigation in Detroit
Rodney Darrell Wheeler was charged with two counts of prostitution accepting earnings, one count of delivery manufacture narcotics, one count of human trafficking enterprise, two counts of human trafficking forced labor, one count of keeping a house of prostitution, and one count of controlled substance second offense. Bobby Donnell Clark is charged with one count of controlled substance delivery and one count of human trafficking forced labor.
https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/2-men-charged-in-human-trafficking-investigation-in-detroit/ 

▫️Two Larimer County men arrested during predator operation
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office, with help from Johnstown police and the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, arrested two men during a joint operation to fight child prostitution. 41-year-old Jose Calderon of Greeley and Vincent Chirafisi, 37, of Fort Collins were arrested in early November on charges of soliciting child prostitution, attempted sexual assault on a child, attempted patronizing a child prostitute and using a computer to solicit sexual contact with a minor.
» https://denvergazette.com/news/child-predator-operation-arrests-larimer-county/article_e0b671da-8984-11ee-b735-77c8db76a0e6.html
» https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/2-men-arrested-in-larimer-county-for-allegedly-soliciting-from-fake-child-prostitute 

▫️One arrested, one wanted in human trafficking case in Calcasieu Parish
LAKE CHARLES, La - According to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Special Victims Unit detectives received a report in July about the abuse of a girl under the age of 16.   The victim also said Ibarra and Ramblas would give her narcotics before sexually assaulting her. On October 31, an arrest warrant was issued for Alejandra Ibarra, 31 and Gustavo Ramblas, 46. They are both charged with 1st degree rape, cruelty to juveniles and human trafficking for sexual purposes. Detectives have not located Ibarra and believe she is evading arrest. She is believed to be in the Houston area. If anyone knows her whereabouts or has additional information related to this case they are asked to call CPSO at (337) 491-3605.
» https://www.klfy.com/louisiana/one-arrested-one-wanted-in-human-trafficking-case-in-calcasieu-parish/ 
»

▫️Tennessee fugitive, serial sex assault suspect Sean Williams nabbed by US Marshals in Florida
Tennessee authorities on Tuesday evening announced the capture of fugitive Sean Williams, who is accused of raping women and children, in Florida after a weeks-long chase down the East Coast. 
Williams, former owner of Glass and Concrete Contracting LLC in Johnson City, was recently arrested and charged with 20 counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, three counts of child rape and three counts of sexual battery stemming from three separate cases in Washington County before he escaped custody in October. All the victims mentioned in the lawsuit allegedly became incapacitated after drinking or using drugs at Williams' apartment or with his accomplices. They also all allege that Williams tried to rape or assault them while they were incapacitated.
» https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-12781519/Escaped-inmate-facing-child-sex-charges-Tennessee-captured-Florida.html
» https://www.foxnews.com/us/tennessee-fugitive-serial-sex-assault-suspect-sean-williams-nabbed-florida-weeks-long-chase
» https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/national/ap-escaped-inmate-facing-child-sex-charges-in-tennessee-captured-in-florida/ 

▫️Cybertip Leads to Arrest on Sexual Exploitation Charges
MARSHALL COUNTY – An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) squad and agents with Homeland Security Investigations has resulted in the arrest of a Shelbyville man, charged with sexual exploitation of a minor.  The investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Marshall County, and agents were able to identify the victim child in the images. The investigation further identified Mitchell Tompkins as the individual responsible for the images. Last week, the Marshall County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Mitchell J. Tompkins (DOB 12/31/1992) with two counts of Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, and one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. He was served on those charges at the Marshall County Jail, where he is currently being held on an unrelated charge.
https://tbinewsroom.com/2023/11/22/cybertip-leads-to-arrest-on-sexual-exploitation-charges/ 

▫️El Dorado Police Department aid in investigation of New York child predator therapist
El Dorado, Ark. — The El Dorado Police Department assisted in the investigation of a man accused of the sexual exploitation of a child. The EPD along with Little Rock and New York investigators caught Michael Meyers, 62, of New York in the act using an online communication app to receive sexually explicit pictures from a minor child. Records received by law enforcement indicate that Meyers was employed as an occupational therapist at a school in Oceanside, New York, from September 1, 1998.
https://www.myarklamiss.com/www-myarklamiss-com-news-south-arkansas/el-dorado-police-department-aid-in-investigation-of-new-york-child-predator-cellular-device-restrictions-in-place-for-school-and-construction-zones/ 

▫️Nampa man charged for child sexual exploitation, video voyeurism
NAMPA, Idaho — A Nampa man was arrested Tuesday for sexual exploitation of a child, according to the Nampa Police Department (NPD). Police said a report of child abuse was made Monday, Nov. 20, prompting a search warrant to be issued at a home in the 1000 block of S. Ivy Street in Nampa. Following an investigation by Nampa officers and detectives, Nampa police arrested William Earl Walls, 51, on the charges of sexual exploitation of a child by electronic means and video voyeurism. They are urging the public if you or your child have been in direct contact or the care of William Walls, please contact Det. Ellie Scott at 208-475-5708.
» https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/nampa-man-charged-child-sexual-exploitation-video-voyeurism/277-712a83f2-480c-4849-8101-1e0bc78c1d9d b
»

▫️Hollywood Police issue arrest warrant for suspect in child abduction incident
HOLLYWOOD, FLA.  - The Hollywood Police Department has issued a warrant for a 63-year-old man in connection with a case of False Imprisonment.
Officers are seeking the public’s assistance in locating Adolfo Fonseca, who was last seen driving a 2014 Red Hyundai Elantra. If anyone has information related to this incident, they are urged to contact the Hollywood Police Department at 954-764-4357(HELP) or 954-967-4567.
https://wsvn.com/news/local/broward/hollywood-police-issue-arrest-warrant-for-suspect-in-child-abduction-incident/ 

▫️Baltimore CBP Officers Arrest DC Child Rape Suspect Fleeing to Iceland
BALTIMORE -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested an alleged Washington, D.C., child rape suspect on Sunday as he attempted to board a departing international flight at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. CBP officers arrested Mark Anthony Williams, 56, of Alexandria, Va., who was wanted by the D.C. Superior Court on charges of first-degree felony sexual abuse of a secondary education student. Williams is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Guyana.
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/baltimore-cbp-officers-arrest-dc-child-rape-suspect-fleeing-iceland 

▫️Steven Rodriguez sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing boys
A 34 year old man was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison in prison after admitting to sexually abusing two boys while he was a mentor at the Children's Home of Lubbock. Steven Rodriguez, who has been held at the Lubbock County Detention Center since his Dec. 2 arrest, appeared in the 137th District Court and pleaded guilty to a count of aggravated sexual assault of a child, which carries a punishment of five years to life in prison.
Steven Rodriguez is escorted out of the 137th District Court after he was sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing boys he was mentoring at the Children's Home of Lubbock. He was initially charged with four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of indecency with a child by sexual contact.
https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/courts/2023/11/22/steven-rodriguez-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-sexually-abusing-boys/71671499007/ 

▫️(UPDATE)  Biden Pentagon’s Head of Education Arrested for Human Trafficking, Who Is Stephen Hovanic, Pentagon Official Arrested In Georgia Human Trafficking Sting?
» https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/world/26-arrested-in-undercover-human-trafficking-sting/video/91ae03614ae71eed424f3b6a2cbb4009  (VIDEO)
» https://www.timesnownews.com/world/who-is-stephen-hovanic-pentagon-official-arrested-in-georgia-human-trafficking-sting-article-105425467
» https://thenewamerican.com/news/biden-pentagons-head-of-education-arrested-for-human-trafficking/ 

▫️(UPDATE)  Madam in Elite Massachusetts Brothel to Politicians, Military Spent Big, Kept ‘Impeccable’ Records: Feds
Brothels that serviced politicians and military officials raked in millions
WASHINGTON — Two people accused of operating a high-end brothel network with wealthy and prominent clients in Massachusetts and the Washington, D.C., suburbs will remain behind bars for now, a judge said on Wednesday. The accused ringleaders of a network of “sophisticated high-end brothels” that serviced politicians, military officials, and government contractors kept “impeccable” records of their illicit operation which netted them over a million dollars, one of the top federal investigators on the case revealed Wednesday. 
The new details about the prostitution ring, which operated in luxury apartments in Massachusetts and Virginia, were included in an affidavit submitted to the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts on Wednesday by Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Zachary Mitlitsky. 
» https://nypost.com/2023/11/23/news/brothels-that-serviced-politicians-and-military-officials-raked-in-millionsrecord-keeping-was-impeccable/  (VIDEO)
» https://themessenger.com/news/brothel-sex-trafficking-prostitution-madam-massachusetts-politicians-military-impeccable-records-louis-vuitton-shoebox-feds
» https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/11/mass-brothel-ring-documents-detail-suspects-extravagant-spending-habits.html
» https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/han-lee-junmyung-lee-high-end-brothel-arrest-evidence/ 

▫️'Gaslighting on a global scale': 6 Tim Ballard accusers speak publicly for the first time
SALT LAKE CITY  — Five women and one man who have accused Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard of sexual assault in a pair of anonymous lawsuits revealed their identities and spoke publicly with reporters for the first time Tuesday.
https://www.eastidahonews.com/2023/11/gaslighting-on-a-global-scale-6-tim-ballard-accusers-speak-publicly-for-the-first-time/ 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Tacoma police search for 'violent kidnap, rape' suspect
TACOMA, Wash. — The Tacoma Police Department is asking for the public's help in searching for a man suspected of violent kidnapping and rape last weekend. On Saturday, Nov. 18, Tacoma police responded to 4911 Tacoma Mall Blvd., the address of a Chuck E. Cheese, for a report on an armed robbery, kidnapping and rape. The victim told police she was kidnapped and raped at gunpoint in her vehicle. Tipsters can earn a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest and charges filed. Anyone with information on Salanoa or his whereabouts is urged to submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or through the P3 Tips app.
» https://www.king5.com/article/news/crime/tacoma-police-search-man-suspected-rape/281-8ead2ec4-e048-4430-a382-fe8401e35fea    (VIDEO)
» https://komonews.com/news/local/tacoma-police-department-tpd-searching-22-year-old-accused-kidnapper-rapist-stolen-cadillac-escalade-crime-stoppers-pierce-county-pacific-islander-man-mall-james-salanoa-gunpoint
» https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/crime/article282247148.html 

▫️Violent sex offender arrested in the Mid-South, sheriff says
COVINGTON, Tenn. - "Jerrod Sanford's Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving meal will be different this year as he 'enjoys' his holiday in the Tipton County Jail," said Tipton County Sheriff Shannon Beasley. That's because 42-year-old Jerrod Sandford, who Sheriff Beasley called a violent sex offender, was re-arrested on November 22, 2023. According to the sheriff, Sanford was already a registered sex offender on federal probation when deputies got a call on November 19 regarding allegations of sexual abuse against a minor at a Covington home. He will be held without bond, pending his transfer to federal custody. Anyone with information on this case to call the Tipton County Sheriff's Office at 901-475-3300, their tip line at 901-475-3307 or to message Sheriff Shannon Beasley on Facebook.
https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/violent-sex-offender-arrested-in-the-mid-south-sheriff-says/article_80e5b9ba-8a1e-11ee-9c47-77477dc9d78b.html 

▫️Missing Lubbock teen was 'manipulated' into sex trafficking by couple
LUBBOCK, Texas — A woman accused of sex trafficking a missing Lubbock teen, Sarah Gonzales, 25 at the time of her arrest, agreed to plead guilty to Interstate Transportation to Engage in Prostitution. EverythingLubbock.com previously reported Cameron Phifer, 24, Bianka Vega, 22, and Deryan Thomas, 32, took the victim to Odessa to teach her how to be a prostitute and later trafficked her in New Mexico. Court documents said Gonzales and Jaelind Fountaine, 24, were the traffickers who picked up the Lubbock teenager from a Carlsbad hotel after she was left there by the first group.
https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/local-news/missing-lubbock-teen-was-manipulated-into-sex-trafficking-by-couple/ 

▫️San Antonio bus driver faces charges for alleged sexual assault of minors dating back to 2007
SAN ANTONIO - Police have uncovered a 2007 Aggravated Sexual Assault case that involved three different children all under the age of 11. According to the arrest affidavit, Albert Araiza, 57, is now facing serious charges after allegedly victimizing three young girls.
https://news4sanantonio.com/features/where-the-locals-go/san-antonio-bus-driver-faces-charges-for-sexual-assault-of-minors-dating-back-to-2007-crime-felony-police-arrested-bexar-county 

▫️Former Alvin martial arts, gymnastics coach faces child pornography charges
HOUSTON - A former martial arts and gymnastics instructor at Kuk Sool Won Dojo and Gulf Coast Gymnastics in Alvin has been charged with multiple child pornography crimes, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Franklin Joseph Perkins, 40, is charged with the transportation, receipt, and possession of child pornography. A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Perkins on Nov. 15.
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/former-alvin-martial-arts-gymnastics-coach-faces-child-pornography-charges 

▫️Illinois man sexually abused 11-year-old girl he is related to: police
Thomas Lenker, 39, is charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of a child. On Nov. 6, the mother of an 11-year-old girl contacted the DeKalb Police Department, stating that her daughter had been sexually assaulted.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-man-sexually-abused-11-year-old-girl-hes-related-to-police 

▫️Omaha man receives prison time for coercion of a minor
OMAHA, Neb. - A man from Omaha was sentenced to prison after his conviction for coercion and enticement of a minor.
Acting U.S. Attorney Susan Lehr said 51-year-old Wesley Vavra, of Omaha, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha on Tuesday. He was convicted for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Vavra will serve 235 months in prison with a 10-year term of supervised release after. There is no parole in the federal system. 
https://rivercountry.newschannelnebraska.com/story/50056322/omaha-man-receives-prison-time-for-coercion-of-a-minor 

▫️Shocking Twist: Rabbi Menachem Moscovitz Vegas Caught in Human Trafficking Sting Operation
The dark and troubling story of Menachem Moscovitz Vegas, a respected figure in Talmudic studies. Charged in a human trafficking sting operation led by Detective Kim Lippincott, Vegas, alongside others, faced accusations of patronizing a prostitute. While the charges against him were later lessened and expunged in 2017, the investigation uncovered disturbing details about victims lured into the web of illicit activities.

▫️Former Potosi police officer pleads guilty to child sex trafficking
ST. LOUIS – On Nov. 16, a former Potosi police officer admitted providing cash, vape cartridges and other items to three male minors for nude pictures or after performing sex acts on the victims. Matthew N. Skaggs, 40, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp to three felony charges: sex trafficking, solicitation of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor.
https://dailyjournalonline.com/2023/11/24/former-potosi-police-officer-pleads-guilty-to-child-sex-trafficking/ 

▫️"We Want to Get To The Root of It" | HPD shifts strategy to address sex trade in Honolulu
HONOLULU - The Honolulu Police Department recently shifted its approach to addressing prostitution in the city. In an Island News exclusive, the new policy prioritizes a more comprehensive and compassionate strategy.
At HPD, they say about 80% of sex workers nationwide and in Hawaii, are actually victims. So the shift in law enforcement is to protect vulnerable individuals and dismantle the criminal networks behind human trafficking.
https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/we-want-to-get-to-the-root-of-it-hpd-shifts-strategy-to-address-sex/article_d93ea78e-89ba-11ee-9694-7710a71a4c94.html 

▫️Sean 'Diddy' Combs accused of sexual abuse by two more women
NEW YORK - Two more women have come forward to accuse Sean "Diddy" Combs of sexual abuse, one week after the music mogul settled a separate lawsuit with the singer Cassie that contained allegations of rape and physical abuse. Both of the new suits were filed Thursday on the eve of the expiration of the Adult Survivors Act, a New York law permitting victims of sexual abuse a one-year window to file civil action regardless of the statute of limitations. The filings detail acts of sexual assault, beatings and forced drugging allegedly committed in the early 1990s by Combs, then a talent director, party promoter and rising figure in New York City's hip-hop community.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-12788251/Sean-Diddy-Combs-accused-sexual-abuse-two-women.html 

▫️Priest Faces New Sex Abuse Suit: Allegedly Drugged, Raped Teen Boy
A former New York Catholic priest and the longtime close friend of ex-mayor Rudy Giuliani is facing a new sex abuse lawsuit from a man who says he was drugged and raped on Fire Island by the once powerful clergyman. The civil suit, filed in Albany on Nov. 16, alleged Monsignor Alan Placa molested the plaintiff when he was a teenager from 1975 until 1977. Placa was first accused of sex abuse in 2002.
https://themessenger.com/news/rudy-giuliani-catholic-priest-friend-sex-abuse-lawsuit-alan-placa  (VIDEO) 

▫️Axl, Foxx, Adams: flurry of last-minute claims gives sex abuse law powerful legacy
New York’s year-long “look-back” window on sexual assault closed last night after a flurry of last-minute claims against high-profile figures including the singer Axl Rose, the actor Jamie Foxx and the mayor of New York City, Eric Adams. The accusation against Foxx also came as the law was expiring. Other accusations were filed against photographer Terry Richardson, music producer Jimmy Iovine, comedian Bill Cosby and others. One of the last claims was an accusation by the singer Cassie Ventura against Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging rape and severe physical abuse during their relationship.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/24/new-york-adult-survivors-act-expired 

▫️Slavin family uses hockey profile to fight human trafficking
RALEIGH, N.C. — Sports have the power to inspire change and do good in the lives of the people who play and take part in them. It’s why Carolina Hurricanes star defenseman Jaccob Slavin is using his platform to help the 50 million people who are held in some form of modern slavery through human trafficking. Operation Fight For Freedom is the Slavin family’s mission to raise $1 million as they look to battle human trafficking in the Philippines. Their goal is to raise money that can help local law enforcement in the South Pacific country put an end to the terrible crime.
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2023/11/21/hurricanes-star-battles-human-trafficking 
 

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Harlan Crow's brother is accused of financing 100-person sex trafficking ring in bombshell lawsuit where women say they were drugged, abused and forced to perform sex acts
Trammell Crow Jr., a Texas philanthropist and the brother of Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow, must face a lawsuit that accuses him of running and participating in a sex trafficking ring, a judge ruled.
Trammell Crow is one of more than 100 people and businesses that took part in the alleged trafficking and racketeering enterprise, according to the suit, brought by two women who say they were its victims. The two claim they were drugged, physically abused, threatened and forced to perform sex acts, and that Crow played a key role in providing financing for the scheme. Trammell Crow has denied the allegations in court filings.
» https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12777789/trammell-crow-brother-harlan-crow-sex-trafficking-network.html
» https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-21/texas-philanthropist-trammell-crow-to-face-sex-trafficking-suit
» https://therealdeal.com/texas/2023/11/21/trammell-crow-jr-to-face-trial-over-sex-trafficking-allegations/ 

▫️Ormsby-Howard charged with human trafficking
Chaffee County Sheriff Deputies arrested Christina Jean Ormsby-Howard, 33, of Salida on charges of human trafficking Nov. 21. Ormsby-Howard was charged with two counts of human trafficking of a minor for involuntary servitude, a class 2 felony; seven counts of unlawful distribution, manufacturing or sale of a controlled substance to a minor, a class 1 drug felony and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a class 4 felony. 
According to the Sheriff’s Department, this is a continuing investigation, so no further details are available.
https://www.themountainmail.com/news/article_352d77ac-8adb-11ee-b00e-ebc225fc43a6.html
» https://arkvalleyvoice.com/chaffee-county-sheriffs-office-announces-arrest-on-human-trafficking-charges/
» https://heartoftherockiesradio.com/salida-woman-arrested-for-recruiting-minors-to-sell-drugs/ 

▫️Ohio AG’s 'don’t buy sex' statement after arrest of sex worker charged with 4 deaths outrages victim’s family
When Ohio’s top prosecutor announced the arrest of a sex worker accused of drugging and killing four customers, he failed to consider the victims and instead shamed them, the family of one victim said. 
"Don’t buy sex in Ohio — it ruins lives and could cost you yours,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said last month in a news release detailing the indictment of serial killing suspect Rebecca Auborn, who was also charged with trying to kill a fifth customer. Christyn Crockett, 41, a church administrator in the Columbus area and daughter of victim Wayne Akin, called Yost’s comments “devastating.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/knew-dads-death-was-suspicious-police-ignored-zeroed-sex-worker-rcna125768 

▫️Track coach pleads guilty in federal court to tricking women into sending him nude photos
BOSTON — A former college track and field coach accused of setting up sham social media and email accounts in an attempt to trick women into sending him nude or semi-nude photos of themselves pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Steve Waithe, 30, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and one count of computer fraud, prosecutors said. Waithe also pleaded guilty to cyberstalking.
https://cumberlink.com/news/state-and-regional/track-coach-pleads-guilty-in-federal-court-to-tricking-women-into-sending-him-nude-photos/article_39c87fce-884a-56a6-bb88-601ca40c16b9.html 

▫️Convicted Sex Trafficker Arrested In Bemidji
BEMIDJI, MN - A convicted Sex Trafficker out of Minneapolis was arrested in Bemidji last weekend. Joshua Carlisle was pulled over for a suspended driver’s license when it was also learned he was a non-compliant predatory offender with a sex trafficking conviction.
» https://trfnews.i234.me/wordpress/convicted-sex-trafficker-arrested-in-bemidji/ 
»

▫️Bemidji police provide update on 'high-priority' sexual assault investigation
So far, 22-year-old Oscar Luna, of Mission, Texas, has been the only arrest made in connection to the incident. The situation may have sadly gone unnoticed by many if it hadn’t been released that 11 undocumented immigrants were also detained during the investigation.
This resulted in the incident garnering both national and statewide attention, with several conservative politicians referencing it as an example of what Minnesota’s 8th Congressional Rep. Pete Stauber referred to as “the Biden Administration's recklessly lax border and failing immigration policies.”
https://www.bemidjipioneer.com/news/local/bemidji-police-provide-update-on-high-priority-sexual-assault-investigation 

▫️Dunklin County, Missouri Man Admits Recording Child Sexual Abuse
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from Dunklin County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted recording his sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl and recording other children in the shower. Matthew A. Prewett, 43, of Kennett, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp to a felony charge of sexual exploitation of a minor. He admitted engaging in sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl beginning in April of 2022.
https://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2023/11/25/mil-osi-security-dunklin-county-missouri-man-admits-recording-child-sexual-abuse/ 

▫️Twin Falls man faces sex abuse charges
Seven felony charges have been filed against a Twin Falls man in a sex abuse case that almost didn’t get off the ground after two underage girls were offered $1,000 apiece to keep quiet about the alleged incidents, court records say. Ruben Ortiz Jr., 27, engaged in sexual relations with girls ages 15 and 16 last year, court document say, but the girls were offered hush money which stymied law enforcement officers for nine months until the girls came forward a second time. Charges against Ortiz include two counts of rape, two counts of sexual battery on a minor ages 16 to 17, and a count of sexual abuse of a minor under 16 years of age.
https://magicvalley.com/news/local/police-girls-offered-money-to-not-talk-about-sex-abuse/article_8eba328e-8b25-11ee-b68b-ab5c75c78421.html 

▫️(UPDATE) ICE makes shocking arrest in Martha's Vineyard: 'This is crazy'
» https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ero-boston-apprehends-brazilian-sex-offender-marthas-vineyard
»

▫️Grand jury indicts man for sexual crimes against two children
SAN ANGELO, Texas  — On Nov. 9, a San Angelo man was indicted in Tom Green County for allegedly sexually assaulting two children by contact while staying at a family member’s house in 2015. Omar Estrada, 50, was indicted in Tom Green County on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact.
https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/crime/grand-jury-indicts-man-for-sexual-crimes-against-two-children/ 

▫️HSI Galveston seeking potential child exploitation victims in Southeast Texas
Franklin Joseph Perkins, a 40-year-old resident of Alvin, was indicted Nov. 15 by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Texas charging him with the transportation, receipt and possession of child pornography. 
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/hsi-galveston-seeking-potential-child-exploitation-victims-southeast-texas 

▫️Georgia man who was arrested in June now charged with sexually assaulting 11-year-old, police say
A man who was already in custody is facing new charges after officials accused him of assaulting a young girl. Glynn County police officials said on Nov. 14, authorities began investigating a string of sexual assaults on an 11-year-old girl. After examining evidence, authorities charged 36-year-old Frank Lavell Gibson in connection to the assaults.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to call Investigator Ethan Varnedoe at 912-554-7561.
https://news.yahoo.com/georgia-man-arrested-june-now-110909560.html 

▫️Bloomington man sentenced to 30 years for sexually exploiting a child
INDIANAPOLIS — A Bloomington man who recorded himself sexually assaulting a child and threw a witnesses phone in a toilet in an attempt to hide the evidence has been sentenced to three decades in federal prison. According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of Indiana, Joshua Ray Vestal, 40, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child.
https://www.mywabashvalley.com/news/local-news/bloomington-man-sentenced-to-30-years-for-sexually-exploiting-a-child/ 

▫️North Port man sentenced to life for sexual offenses against children
NORTH PORT, Fla. - David Kidd, of North Port, will spend the rest of his life behind bars after he was convicted of numerous sexual offenses against children. The crimes were committed over the last ten years. Kidd was convicted of nine counts of sexual battery and lewd or lascivious molestation of a child. Believing to be the defendant’s only victim, the older victim in this case kept the sexual abuse she experienced at the hands of the defendant to herself for years.
https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/11/24/north-port-man-sentenced-life-sexual-offenses-against-children/ 

▫️Berkeley: Pair get wildly different sentences in human trafficking case
OAKLAND — A Berkeley man and woman have negotiated their human trafficking case with wildly different results that saw one defendant go to state prison and another take a two-year probation term, court records show. Chemon Parks, 24, pleaded no contest to pimping, human trafficking, and sexual battery related to two victims, including a teen girl, and was sentenced to nine years and four months in state prison. His co-defendant, Kimora Ashby, also 24, was sentenced to two years probation and a year she’s already served in jail after pleading no contest to pandering, court records show.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/11/24/berkeley-pair-get-wildly-different-sentences-in-human-trafficking-case/ 

▫️In Catholic order clergy sex abuse case, Augustinians, Providence Catholic High School pay $2 million over accusation ex-principal Rev. Richard McGrath raped student
If Robert Krankvich could ask a question of the Rev. Richard McGrath, the Catholic priest who Krankvich says raped him when he was a student at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox in the 1990s, it would be: “Why? Why me?” The Augustinian Catholic religious order that McGrath belongs to and the school it runs that’s owned by the Diocese of Joliet has reached a $2 million settlement on the eve of a trial over a lawsuit Krankvich filed, lawyers confirmed.
Church officials admitted no wrongdoing in agreeing to the payout to end the civil case. But records reviewed by the Chicago Sun-Times and interviews by the newspaper show there were warning signs about McGrath.
» https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/11/24/23970149/augustinian-catholic-order-clergy-sex-abuse-richard-mcgrath-providence-high-school-saint-rita
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/11/catholic-order-new-lenox-school-pay-2-million-over-accusation-ex-principal-raped-a-student/ 

▫️Ending Sex Trafficking at Truck Stops
Truckers Against Trafficking is making a real difference in ending sex trafficking at truck stops.  This is important as truck stops are a major hub for sex trafficking. To find out more regarding what you can do to fight sex trafficking, do visit our website at www.throughGodsgrace.com

▫️New lawsuits accuse 8 priests, 2 religious brothers of sexual contact
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Lawsuits filed under New York State's Adult Survivors Act allege sexual contact by eight Catholic priests and two religious brothers in Western New York.
Those accused are Fr. Lawrence Connors, Fr. Donald J. Joyce, Fr. Paul Keeling, Fr. Joseph S. Rogliano, Fr. Arthur Smith, Fr. James A. Spielman, Fr. Kennth Ward, Fr. William White, Br. Augustine Towey and Br. Richard Prange. The dates of alleged sexual misconduct range from 1964 to 2010.
» https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/new-lawsuits-accuse-7-priests-and-a-religious-brother-of-sexual-contact
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/11/new-lawsuits-accuse-8-priests-2-religious-brothers/ 

▫️Sex trafficking survivors remove branding tattoos as markers of trauma
Jernukian, a permanent makeup artist who lives in Phoenix, decided to find out more. She did some online research and attended meetings of groups that were all too familiar with branding – the practice of tattooing or marking sex trafficking victims, mostly women, with the names or symbols of those who victimize them. Over half of sex trafficking survivors have a branding mark that affects their mental health and impedes their healing and reintegration into society.
Tattoo removal takes time and can be done through different approaches. Soul Survivor has grown exponentially since Jernukian started it in Phoenix in 2016. It now serves women in 56 cities and 22 states. The organization helps fund more than 1,000 procedures a year, Jernukian said. Financial donations and volunteers’ time and expertise covers the costs, with no charge to victims, she said. Artists who volunteer are reimbursed by Soul Survivor Ink for the cost of ink and needles, usually between $125 and $170 a session.
https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2023/11/24/restoration-tattoos-removed-from-sex-trafficking-survivors/ 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Woman kidnapped from Steelyard Commons on Black Friday, Cleveland police say
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland police confirmed a woman was kidnapped from Steelyard Commons on Black Friday, and detectives need help finding her. The Cleveland Division of Police reported on Nov. 27 that Shamia Sanford was taken from the T-Mobile store at 3340 Steelyard Dr. It is unknown why Cleveland police took three days to report this kidnapping to the public. If you see her or have any other information on this kidnapping, call Cleveland police 216-621-1234 or Det. Beveridge at 216 392-2736.
https://www.cleveland19.com/2023/11/27/woman-kidnapped-steelyard-commons-black-friday-cleveland-police-say/ 

▫️Mexico’s arrest of cartel security boss who attacked army families’ complex was likely personal
The U.S. government thanked Mexico for arresting a hyper-violent alleged Sinaloa cartel security chief, but according to details released Friday, the detention may have been highly personal for the Mexican army.
Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said Nestor Isidro Pérez Salas, who was arrested Wednesday, had ordered a 2019 attack on an unguarded apartment complex where soldiers’ families lived.
“He was the one who ordered the attack … against our dependents, our families,” Sandoval said. The Oct. 17, 2019 attack was a result of a humiliating failed effort to capture Sinaloa cartel leader Ovidio Guzman, one of the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. Pérez Salas served as head of security for Guzman and his brothers, who are collectively known as the “Chapitos.”
https://www.borderreport.com/immigration/border-crime/mexicos-arrest-of-cartel-security-boss-who-attacked-army-families-complex-was-likely-personal/ 

▫️HSI Galveston seeking potential child exploitation victims in Southeast Texas | ICE
GALVESTON, Texas – A former martial arts and gymnastics instructor who previously worked at the Kuk Sool Won Dojo and Gulf Coast Gymnastics in Alvin, Texas, has been charged with multiple child pornography-related crimes following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Galveston. During the course of the investigation, two women who are now adults came forward to report allegations of sexual assault and inappropriate contact when they were still minors and Perkins was their gymnastics instructor in Alvin.
Franklin Joseph Perkins, a 40-year-old resident of Alvin, was indicted Nov. 15 by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Texas charging him with the transportation, receipt and possession of child pornography. Law enforcement believes there may be additional victims and is asking for the public’s help to identify them. Victims or anyone else with information about individuals who may have been exploited by Perkins are encouraged to report it to HSI Galveston at (409) 443-0103.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/hsi-galveston-seeking-potential-child-exploitation-victims-southeast-texas 

▫️Trial date set for Trussville doctor charged with human trafficking, possession of child porn
BLOUNT COUNTY, Ala.  — A court date has been set for a Trussville doctor who was arrested and charged with human trafficking last year after allegedly trying to meet up with a teenage girl. On October 11, 2022, former internist Janaki Earla, 59, who previously worked at Wellness Medical Center, was arrested after he allegedly tried to meet up with a teenage girl to be her “Sugar Daddy,” according to Blount County Sheriff Mark Moon.
https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/court-date-set-for-trussville-doctor-charged-with-human-trafficking-possession-of-child-porn/ 

▫️Moms For Liberty Organizer, Pastor EXPOSED As Registered Sex Offender
Republican pastor and Philadelphia Moms For Liberty chapter organizer Phillip Fisher Jr. was found to be a registered sex offender. Dr. Rashad Richey and Sharon Reed discuss on Indisputable. Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Phillip Fisher Jr. is a pastor and Republican ward leader who coordinates faith-based outreach for Philadelphia’s Moms for Liberty chapter. He’s also a registered sex offender, due to a 2012 felony conviction for aggravated sexual abuse of a 14-year-old boy when Fisher was 25.

▫️Thousands of sexual abuse lawsuits flood New York courts
ALBANY – As Thanksgiving Day ended, so did a one-year window allowing adult survivors of alleged sexual abuse to file lawsuits seeking monetary damages, regardless of when the abuse occurred.
The Adult Survivors Act, passed by Albany lawmakers in 2022, has spurred thousands of lawsuits, a majority of which alleged sexual abuse had been committed by male prison or jail guards against female inmates. There were a number of lawsuits, including in Erie County, alleging that abuse had been committed by Catholic priests. And there were lawsuits against high-profile figures, including a recent legal summons alleging that New York City Mayor Eric Adams committed sexual assault against a woman in 1993. 
On Wednesday, a former aide filed a lawsuit against ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, his former counsel, and New York State, in State Supreme Court in Albany.
» https://buffalonews.com/news/local/thousands-of-sexual-abuse-lawsuits-flood-new-york-courts/article_2406fd14-8af8-11ee-b47e-9fa2b8c68efa.html
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/11/thousands-of-sexual-abuse-lawsuits-flood-new-york-courts/
» https://globegazette.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/garner-pennington-sex-abuse-victim-iowa/article_87a9998e-8d42-11ee-8a6c-637b4554e7e0.html 

▫️Mormon leaders accused of 'silencing and THREATENING' families who tried to expose sex offenders in their communities - as victims claim church  'covered up' an 'epidemic' of abuse
Mormon families who tried to expose cases of sexual abuse within their communities have alleged they were 'silenced' and threatened with disciplinary action by church leaders, DailyMail.com can reveal. In one instance, two Idaho members claim they were warned they could be punished after the pair alerted others in their congregation to the fact that their former bishop faced child sex abuse charges dating back 10 years.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12732145/mormon-church-silenced-families-sex-offenders.html 
_

[Pompeii]

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▫️Wyoming Man Helps Catch MMA Fighter Accused Of International Sex Trafficking
An Afton, Wyoming, man and his international anti-sex-trafficking organization have helped bring down a mixed martial arts fighter accused of sexually abusing women and girls in numerous countries, the organization reports. Jaymes Schulte, 38, was arrested in Arizona last week, according to a statement by Libertas International, a global human rights organization that advocates for victims of sex trafficking and abuse.  Libertas International founder and president Tyler Schwab, of Afton, Wyoming, told Cowboy State Daily on Monday that he can’t stomach the idea of powerful men abusing vulnerable girls.  
Schwab said his organization is supporting 13 victims Schulte is accused of abusing in Colombia, and helped connect law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Embassy and the Colombian National Police with information leading to Schulte’s arrest. “Colombia, Panama, Mexico, Vietnam, Thailand – he posted the abuses on all these different porn sites. You notice where he’s traveled just based on what he posts,” said Schwab. The youngest victim Libertas is aware of was 13 years old, he said.
» https://cowboystatedaily.com/2023/11/27/wyoming-man-helps-catch-mma-fighter-accused-of-international-sex-trafficking/
» https://wy.localnews.com/wyoming-man-helps-catch-mma-fighter-accused-of-international-sex-trafficking/ 

▫️More charges filed in alleged Utah human trafficking operation linked to Rubicon  (UPDATE) 
SALT LAKE CITY  — More arrests and charges have been filed in connection to the human trafficking operation involving Rubicon Contractors LLC in West Bountiful. Following the initial arrest of three executives last week, four more members of the company are now facing charges.
“The treatment of these workers is appalling. I know our AG Victim Advocates have been on the scene supporting them,” said Attorney General Sean D. Reyes. “We intend to prove the victims are innocent people who came to America using a legal immigration process to work hard, earn a living and contribute to society. But, instead, we believe they were exploited in subhuman living and working conditions as indentured servants in a labor trafficking scheme.”
» https://www.ksl.com/article/50801140/owner-partners-of-utah-contracting-business-charged-with-labor-trafficking
» https://kutv.com/news/local/more-charges-filed-in-alleged-human-trafficking-operation-linked-to-rubicon-contractors-mexico-recruitment-h2b-visas-victim-advocates-utah-attorney-general-work-hours-housing-equipment-costs 

▫️Former KPD officer pleads not guilty for child sex crimes
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Former Knoxville Police Department officer Dan Roark entered a not-guilty plea in a ten-minute arraignment hearing before Magistrate Judge Debra C. Poplin in federal court Monday. Roark is charged with conspiracy to sexually exploit a child, sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. An affidavit written by a Department of Homeland Security Special Agent said Roark requested "child sex abuse material" from the mother of a young girl who lived in Scott County, Virginia. The affidavit said Roark asked the woman to take pictures of her now 10-year-old daughter, as early as when the daughter was 5 or 6 years old.
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/crime/dan-roark-child-sex-crime/51-b3094b28-a264-435e-a1c1-3ea1dc3b3ddb 

▫️Fargo pair arrested on child porn charges
Fargo, ND – Two Fargo residents were arrested last week on child pornography charges stemming from an investigation involving the social media platform Snapchat. According to court documents, on November 22, Tracy and Cameron Thomas were both arrested and have now been charged for possession of certain materials prohibited and for promoting a sexual performance by a minor.
https://www.wdayradionow.com/news/local-news/70529-fargo-pair-arrested-on-child-porn-charges 

▫️FBI hoping to identify victims connected to online child exploitation case
WASHINGTON  — The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with prosecutors in New York and Louisiana, said they are hoping to identify victims who are potentially linked to a child exploitation case. The U.S. Attorney's Office said Stephen Andrew Cipkin is facing multiple charges in connection to the case.
In a news release, prosecutors said Cipkin might also be known by several online usernames, such as: sac8635; ArabellaC; Human no-more; numb little bug; Swiffer1; @onlygoodguy; Ur_Perfect_Daddy. If you, your family member, or anyone that you know has had contact with this individual or any of the above-listed usernames while being tutored in Suffolk County, New York, or while using the online applications Snapchat, Pinterest, YesIChat, Y99, or Instagram between 2020 and 2023, and would like to report a crime, please contact the FBI via email at: CipkinVictim@fbi.gov.
» https://wcyb.com/news/nation-world/sextortion-fbi-hoping-to-identify-victims-connected-to-online-child-exploitation-case-sextortion-internet-predators-photos-images-children-teens-gaming-consoles-live-streaming-video-platforms-instant-message-apps-social-media-usernames-sex-pornography
» https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdla/pr/us-attorneys-office-and-fbi-seeking-identify-potential-victims-connection-online-child 

▫️Lathrop Police arrest suspect in sexual abuse of two young women
Two young women walked into the Lathrop Police Department on Friday to report that they were the victims of ongoing sexual abuse two years ago when they were living in Lathrop. By Saturday the man that they claimed abused them – 57-year-old Riverbank resident Genaro Bernal – was in custody. And there may be more victims.
Bernal is currently being held on $1 million bail – Lathrop Police initially announced that his bail was initially set at $5 million
https://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/local-news/lathrop-police-arrest-suspect-sexual-abuse-two-young-women/ 

▫️Grand jury indicts 8 in connection to human trafficking
Deputies arrested nine men on charges of soliciting and one on a charge of compelling prostitution after a young woman came forward saying she’d been the victim of sex trafficking, according to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation began this summer when a young woman went to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office and alleged she had been the victim of sexual trafficking, Maj. Ray Nolen said on Monday. Only eight of the 10 men were indicted by a Galveston County grand jury because not all of the men connected to the crime were local, Nolen said. Local men charged were Jerome Franscisco Russo, Johnathan Paul Vega, Raphael Ludwick, David James Holmen, Kevin Wayne Jantz, Kennith Dale Cooper, Daniel Juarez Cuello and Nicholas Charles Cali.
The sheriff’s office will release more information about the case in the coming days, Nolen said.
https://www.galvnews.com/news/grand-jury-indicts-8-in-connection-to-human-trafficking/article_dfa95ac9-f87d-5e3b-90ca-5b4cacb2cd03.html 

▫️Grand jury indicts former Central Texas firefighter on child sex assault charges
KILLEEN, Texas  - A grand jury on Nov. 16 indicted a former Central Texas firefighter on multiple charges, including two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, one count of child pornography, sexual performance and indecency with a child by contact. Kyle Steven Setterlund, 28, was arrested following an investigation that began Sept. 1 by the Bell County Sheriff’s Office following the report of sexual abuse of two children, 8- and 9-years-old, who told their parents that Setterlund abused them while living with their family, court documents state.
https://www.kwtx.com/2023/11/28/grand-jury-indicts-former-central-texas-firefighter-child-sex-assault-charges/ 

▫️A registered sex offender from Los Angeles has been charged with a brace of felonies in Tuscaloosa, where police accuse him of human trafficking, soliciting pornography from a child and more
In court documents filed Monday and obtained by the Tuscaloosa Thread, investigators charged 24-year-old Efon Guissepe Carter with four felonies after an investigation allegedly found he was using social media to solicit explicit material from a young child here.
https://tuscaloosathread.com/los-angeles-man-charged-with-human-trafficking-soliciting-porn-from-child-in-tuscaloosa/ 

▫️(UPDATE) Teacher indicted on new child porn charge, enticement
A University City High School teacher pleaded not guilty on Nov. 21 to a grand jury indictment that alleges he possessed visual depictions of child pornography along with attempted enticement of a minor. Sean Stevenson, 58, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Magistrate Bernie Skomal to answer to the two-count federal grand jury indictment. The indictment replaces the need for a preliminary hearing that had been set for Nov. 21.
Skomal ordered Stevenson to next appear in court on Dec. 18 to set a trial date and to file motions.
https://sdnews.com/teacher-indicted-on-new-child-porn-charge-enticement/ 

▫️Joint operation leads to arrest for child pornography (CSAM) possession in east Texas
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Texas — A 53-year-old man was arrested on charges of child pornography possession following a joint operation by multiple law enforcement agencies.
Jerry Henderson, of Franklin County, Texas, was taken into custody on November 24, 2023, after an investigation initiated by the Mount Pleasant Police Department (MPPD), Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations, and the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
https://www.mytexasdaily.com/north-texas/joint-operation-leads-to-arrest-for-child-pornography-possession-in-east-texas/article_d7cef33d-ff70-50ca-a3bb-7631956b173e.html 

▫️San Antonio man accused of sexually abusing two girls
A San Antonio man is behind bars after being accused of sexually assaulting two girls — one since she was 6 years old.  Miguel Angel Fuentes, 42, is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child and continuous sexual abuse of a child. His bail has been set at $200,000.
https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/miguel-fuentes-sexual-abuse-18517404.php 

▫️Convicted prostitute removed from Godley ISD groups, including council overseeing Sex-Ed
A woman tasked with helping decide sexual education curriculum in Godley ISD has been removed from multiple positions within the district because she's a convicted prostitute. The discovery raises concerns about background checks in the district and across the state.

▫️At least 400 female and child migrants have been brutalized in 'rape tents' along infamous Darien Gap while making treacherous journey to the US, bombshell new report reveals
At least 400 women and children have been treated this year by Doctors Without Borders after they were raped in tents set up specifically to abuse migrants in the notorious Darien Gap, a bombshell new report has revealed. In October alone, 107 rape survivors, including 59 people in a single week, were treated by the organization. The youngest victims were 11, 12, and 16.
» https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12796245/Women-children-migrants-rape-tents-Darien-Gap-doctors-without-borders.html
» https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/darien-gap-we-crossed-jungle-looking-better-future-not-our-lives-end 

▫️When foster care kids are sex trafficked, some states fail to figure it out
Foster care children are especially vulnerable to sex trafficking, and a 2014 federal law requires state authorities to screen missing children when they are found to determine whether they were sexually exploited. But a federal audit suggests that some states are failing in that duty, missing opportunities to connect kids with help and prevent further harm. “Many kids across the country still go under the radar due to screening models across states that lack uniformity, consistency,” said Ortiz, who testified before a U.S. House panel in favor of the federal law. “The push from the top, from government and state officials, needs to ensure that it happens.”
» https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4470166/testimony-trafficking-survivor-withelma-t-ortiz-walker-pettigrew
» https://stateline.org/2023/11/22/foster-care-kids-are-often-sex-trafficked-many-states-fail-to-figure-it-out/ 

 Fireman arrested ...

 

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

LVMPD: Over 70 arrests, 215 victims identified in F1 sex trafficking operation

LAS VEGAS  — The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shared the results of a recent sex trafficking operation that was conducted during F1 weekend on Tuesday morning. During the course of the operation, Deputy Chief Nicholas Farese also said that five juveniles were recovered and identified as potential victims, and resources were provided to more than 20 potential victims.

LVMPD Officer Hector Cintron, Captain of the Gang, Vice, and Special Investigations Bureau, revealed that 36 individuals were arrested for pandering (or trafficking), 31 were arrested for soliciting services, and 7 were arrested for luring a child. Capt. Cintran said that all the suspects taken into custody believed they were "meeting a child for sex."
Deputy Chief Farese also added that only 21 — or 10% — of victims contacted by officers accepted services, though he says it's "not uncommon."
» https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/las-vegas-police-arrest-more-than-70-in-sex-trafficking-operation-during-grand-prix-week/    (VIDEO)
» https://www.fox5vegas.com/video/2023/11/29/lvmpd-over-70-arrests-200-victims-f1-sex-trafficking-operation/  (VIDEO)
» https://www.ktnv.com/news/metro-to-discuss-recent-efforts-to-combat-sex-trafficking-in-las-vegas-valley

» https://youtu.be/6cCfKho0pK
»

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

Henry Kissinger dies at age 100

[Pompeii]

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▫️13 men indicted in sex trafficking investigation, according to Galveston County Sheriff’s
GALVESTON - Thirteen men have been indicted in connection to a sex trafficking investigation in Galveston County. According to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, 12 of those men have been arrested. There's currently a warrant out for the last man who was allegedly involved. 
The Harris County District Attorney's Office says Berry Wright IV, 30, was indicted in June, accused of trafficking a 20-year-old woman.
» https://www.fox26houston.com/news/13-men-indicted-in-sex-trafficking-investigation-according-to-galveston-county-sheriffs  (VIDEO)
 » https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/world/human-trafficking-arrests-in-galveston-county/video/5ba0915112e4ea674a0eb6f6fcb367af  (VIDEO)
»

▫️Portland Police make dozens of arrests in recent human trafficking missions, multiple survivors
PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Police officers made dozens of arrests in six human trafficking missions since late September. PPB’s Human Trafficking Unit carried out the missions with the help of officers in the Central, North, and East precincts, the Traffic Division, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.
» https://katu.com/news/local/portland-police-make-dozens-of-arrests-in-recent-human-trafficking-missions
» https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/news/read.cfm?id=503184  (VIDEO) 

▫️University of Alabama associate professor arrested on child pornography charges
An associate professor at the University of Alabama has been arrested on child pornography charges. James Andrew Crank, 45, was arrested in Tuscaloosa Tuesday morning after a search warrant was executed at his home, according to the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force. Crank was charged with two counts of possession of material containing visual depictions of persons under 17 involved in obscene acts.
Officials say the arrest was the result of an ongoing investigation and that Crank could face further charges following a search of devices found in his home.
» https://www.wvtm13.com/article/human-trafficking-child-arrest-university-alabama-professor/45979539#   (VIDEO)
 » https://www.al.com/news/2023/11/university-of-alabama-associate-professor-jailed-on-child-porn-charges.html
»

▫️Pediatric Physician Indicted for Child Pornography
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Kansas, pediatric physician faces an additional charge after being indicted by a federal grand jury today for producing and possessing child pornography.
Brian Michael Aalbers, 49, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Aalbers on Nov. 15, 2023, and includes an additional charge.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/pediatric-physician-indicted-child-pornography 

▫️Upstate teacher arrested on child sex charges
GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. – An Upstate teacher was arrested on child sex charges on November 22. According to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, 50-year-old Shane Allen McMichael was arrested on charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Officials said investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which led them to McMichael. 
McMichael is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor in the second degree and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the third degree. Greenville County Schools confirmed McMichael is a teacher at Lakeview Middle School.
» https://www.azfamily.com/video/2023/11/29/greenville-county-teacher-arrested-child-sexual-abuse-charges/    (VIDEO)
» https://www.wspa.com/news/local-news/upstate-teacher-arrested-on-child-sex-charges/ 

▫️Fresno Man Pleads Guilty in Sex Predator Case: U.S. Attorney
FRESNO, CA – 29-year-old Christopher Contreras pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of attempted coercion of a minor and one count of enticement of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. He was arrested in 2020 after messaging on Snapchat and Skout to what he thought was a 13-year-old girl but was actually undercover law enforcement.
» https://kmph.com/news/local/child-predator-faces-life-in-prison-after-pleading-guilty    (VIDEO)
» https://www.kmjnow.com/2023/11/28/fresno-man-pleads-guilty-in-sex-predator-case-u-s-attorney/ 

▫️River Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking
MADISON, WIS. – A River Falls, Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
According to court documents, Austin Koeckeritz, 29, of River Falls, used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel one adult victim into engaging in commercial sex acts in the River Falls area between August 2020 and August 2022. The defendant also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts in between October 2021 and January 2022.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwi/pr/river-falls-man-pleads-guilty-sex-trafficking 

▫️Missing West Richland teen found safe in King County, alleged abductor in custody
West Richland Wash. — The search for a missing West Richland teen is now over. She's been located. According to West Richland Police, 14-year-old Emma Liudahl was reported missing after having last been seen on Saturday in Pasco.
Her disappearance resulted in an amber alert being issued. She was found safe today, in King County. Police say she had been abducted by 35-year-old Roger Perez-Osorio.
https://keprtv.com/news/local/missing-west-richland-teen-found-safe-in-king-county-alleged-abductor-in-custody 

▫️Bucks County man charged with over 150 child sex abuse, child porn charges
Bristol, Pa. man filmed himself abusing children, may have more victims
A Bristol man is incarcerated on a $20 million bail accused of sexually abusing at least two children over five years, and sharing the images of those children with other individuals on social media platforms. Brian Nathaniel Harris, 28, of the 1200 block of Pond Street, is also accused of inappropriately filming a third, a toddler boy, who he described as “kinda sexy,” and amassing a child pornography collection of more than 500 images and videos.
Brian Harris, 28, of Bristol, Pennsylvania, is charged with multiple counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of an unconscious person, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, indecent assault of an unconscious person, indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age, knowingly photographing or filming a child sex act, dissemination of child pornography, possession of child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility.
Authorities seized multiple cellphones that were examined and they found multiple images and video of Harris allegedly filming himself inappropriately touching prepubescent children, according to an affidavit of probable cause. They include images of a boy in various states of undress and multiple videos of Harris sexually assaulting the child while he was asleep, the affidavit said.  Harris allegedly distributed at least 23 images and videos of the boy online.
The Bucks County District Attorney's Office is asking anyone who has information about children who may have come into contact with Brian Nathaniel Harris to contact the Bucks County Detectives at 215-348-6354.
» https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/bucks-co-man-accused-of-sexually-abusing-3-boys-distributing-child-porn/3707275/     (VIDEO)
» https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/local/2023/11/28/bucks-county-man-more-than-150-child-sex-abuse-child-porn-charges-brian-harris-bristol/71724060007/
» https://breaking911.com/pa-man-held-on-20-million-bail-on-child-sex-abuse-charges/ 

▫️Former Portsmouth police officer gets 18 years for raping teenager while on duty
NORFOLK — A former Portsmouth police officer was sentenced Tuesday to 18 years in prison for raping a teenage girl while on duty. The sentence was issued to Cleshaun Cox, 31, by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Hanes. Cox pleaded guilty in July to a federal charge of deprivation of rights under the color of law. The former officer had pleaded guilty to state charges of abduction and carnal knowledge of a prisoner by an officer, and was sentenced to five years.
» https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/11/28/former-portsmouth-police-officer-gets-18-years-for-raping-teenager-while-on-duty/
» https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-virginia-police-officer-sentenced-sexually-assaulting-minor 

▫️Paroled Sex Offender Charged With Sexually Assaulting A 10-Year-Old
According to KENS5, 34-year-old Marquise Anton Moore, a convicted sex offender, was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child and was booked into Bexar County Jail, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
https://www.blackenterprise.com/sex-offender-arrested-10-year-old/ 

▫️Bikers Against Predators assist in arrest of Plymouth man for child solicitation
On Monday, November 27th Plymouth Police Officers responded to a call from Bikers Against Predators just after 10 p.m. at Michigan and Adams Streets. The Bikers Against Predators reported that Harwinder Singh also known as Harry Ghodra had been communicating with an underage decoy and attempted to meet up with the child.  Mr. Singh, who lives at 1019 West Jackson Street in Plymouth was taken into custody by Plymouth officers and transported to the Marshall County Jail.  He was booked in on one count of Child Solicitation with a $10,000 cash bond.
https://www.am1050.com/2023/11/29/harwinder-singh-arrested-for-child-solicitation/ 

▫️4 area men charged in Centre Co. sex sting indicted by grand jury
Centre Co., PA  — A federal grand jury has indicted four men who were arrested several weeks ago in Centre County on child predator charges. A  federal grand jury has indicted all four men, with federal documents alleging that Christopher Crispin, from Centre County, Robert Mansberger, of Huntingdon County, Walter Sitosky, of Clearfield County and Gregory Wilson, of Mifflin County, at various times in early November, attempted to arrange meetings, in Centre County, with teenagers for sex.
https://wjactv.com/news/local/4-area-men-charged-in-centre-co-sex-sting-indicted-by-grand-jury    (VIDEO) 

▫️Border Patrol in Texas arrests 21 sex offenders in less than two months
Acting Chief Patrol Agent Juan G. Bernal said Sunday that Del Rio Sector agents have apprehended 21 convicted sex offenders attempting to enter the U.S. illegally since October 1. The subjects have all been convicted of a slew of sex crimes involving young children, according to Bernal. 
https://www.foxnews.com/us/border-patrol-texas-arrests-21-sex-offenders-less-than-two-months 

▫️Calera man sentenced to life for sexually abusing children
MUSKOGEE, Okla.  - A Calera man has been sentenced to life in federal prison after a federal jury found him guilty of sexually abusing children in Indian Country. During trial, federal prosecutors presented evidence that Lance Keith Maytubby, Sr, 55, sexually assaulted two victims who were each under age 12 at the time of the crimes.
https://www.kxii.com/2023/11/28/calera-man-sentenced-life-sexually-abusing-children/ 

▫️Man facing 100 years in prison for human trafficking in Oakland Co.
A man is facing up to a century behind bars in connection with 11 felony charges and the human trafficking of more than 20 women before being arrested in September 2022 during a sting operation, the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office announced.
Richard Coleman was sentenced to 75 to 100 years in prison Tuesday in Oakland County's Sixth Judicial Circuit Court by Judge Judge Cheryl Matthews. He was charged with several counts of human trafficking, first degree criminal sexual conduct, third degree criminal sexual conduct and maintaining a drug house, Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in a statement.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2023/11/28/man-facing-100-years-in-prison-for-human-trafficking-in-oakland-co/71734214007/ 

▫️Man Found With Victims Tied Up in Milwaukee Apartment Claims He's Killed Women in Multiple States: Cops
Milwaukee, WIS. – Killerpimp? On October 10, Lawrence McFarland was officially booked into the Milwaukee County Jail on charges of sexual assault and false imprisonment — then he made a stunning confession.
» https://breaking911.com/man-found-with-victims-tied-up-in-milwaukee-apartment-claims-hes-killed-women-in-multiple-states-cops/
»

▫️Long Island Diocese proposes $200 mln settlement of sex abuse claims
The Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York, proposed a revised $200 million settlement of sex abuse claims, but faced immediate pushback on Tuesday from a U.S. bankruptcy judge who demanded more detailed financial information from the bankrupt Long Island diocese. The diocese said in a Tuesday statement that its revised bankruptcy plan filed Monday was its “best and final” offer. It would pay claimants $200 million in cash, plus the potential for additional recoveries from the diocese’s insurers. 
https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/11/long-island-diocese-proposes-200-mln-settlement-of-sex-abuse-claims/ 

▫️Carrolton school police officer gets 60 years in prison after molesting child at his home
CARROLLTON, Ga. — A Carrollton School Resource Officer was sentenced to 60 years in prison after being investigated for molesting a child. Jerric Gilbert, who was an officer of the Carrollton Police Department and served as an SRO for Carrollton Elementary School, was previously arrested in April 2022 while under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Gilbert was accused, according to investigators, of encouraging an 11-year-old girl to touch him inappropriately while at his home a few days before his arrest on April 22, 2022, according to the Coweta County District Attorney’s Office.
https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/coweta-county/carrolton-school-police-officer-gets-60-years-prison-after-molesting-child-his-home/JXUZUPJ6PVBSXFDRCZFCJM63I4/ 

▫️St. Charles County Police update on human trafficking charges
Three men face criminal charges in St. Charles County after they allegedly held a victim captive for several months, repeatedly beat him, and forced him into labor.

▫️Former Mixed Martial Arts Fighter Arrested in Florida for Multiple Sex Crimes Involving Minors
PHOENIX, Ariz. – James Bond, former Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter “Underdog,” of Scottsdale, was arrested early Thanksgiving morning at Miami International Airport after being denied entry into Argentina. Bond faces charges for Sex Trafficking of Minors, Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct in Foreign Places, Production of Child Pornography for Importation to the United States, and other related offenses.
James Bond, who changed his name from Jaymes Christopher Schulte, had his initial court appearance on his indictment on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami. He will be transported to the District of Arizona to face charges.
The indictment alleges that he had sex with eight minors in Colombia and that he solicited, recruited, and enticed the minors to engage in commercial sex acts. He is also alleged to have produced videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and to have distributed these videos through his website.
» https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/hsi-phoenix-seeks-help-identifying-potential-victims-ex-mma-fighter-arrested-multiple
» https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/pr/former-mixed-martial-arts-fighter-arrested-florida-multiple-sex-crimes-involving-minors 

▫️Two men arrested for human trafficking in Longmont
BOULDER, Colo. - Angel Gomez Rubio was arrested in Texas on 19 charges including five counts of human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude, distribution of a controlled substance, pattern of being a special offender in relation to displaying a firearm, enticement of a child, two counts of internet luring of a child, two counts of sexual assault on a child, one count of sexual assault by force, kidnapping, money laundering, the sexual exploitation of a child.
Fernando Pacheco is a co-defendant in this investigation. He was arrested on Nov. 24 and has been charged with human trafficking for sexual servitude, sexual assault on a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
» https://www.longmontleader.com/crime/two-men-arrested-for-human-trafficking-in-longmont-7899191
» https://kdvr.com/news/local/2-men-arrested-in-child-sex-for-drugs-case-in-boulder-county/ 

▫️Jasper Man Charged in TBI Sexual Exploitation Case
MARION COUNTY – Special agents assigned to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Squad have arrested and charged a Jasper man in connection to an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation.
After receiving information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, agents began investigating John Harley Dobbs (DOB 2-15-1985) on November 21st. During the investigation, agents determined Dobbs to be in possession of child sexual abuse material.
At this time, it remains unclear whether there may be an additional victim/s in relation to this case. For that reason, the TBI is releasing a booking photograph of Dobbs and urges anyone with information to contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
https://tbinewsroom.com/2023/11/29/jasper-man-charged-in-tbi-sexual-exploitation-case/ 

▫️New photo released in sexual assault investigation at a Kitchener mall
Waterloo regional police are hoping the public can help them identify a man wanted in connection to a sexual assault at Fairview Park Mall in Kitchener.
On Nov. 14, a youth was in line at the food court when they were sexually assaulted by a stranger.
Police said the man then left the food court through a store.
On Wednesday, police released the photo of a man they want to identify in this case.
https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/new-photo-released-in-sexual-assault-investigation-at-a-kitchener-mall-1.6666722 

▫️Human trafficking trends target older people
An hourslong hearing Wednesday at Baltimore City Hall revealed the latest trends in human trafficking that include targeting older people. Members of a City Council panel were told this is a complex and nuanced issue in which victims are not always sex workers and are not always female. Survivor experiences shared with City Council members also included a case of a 10-year-old girl.

▫️Halifax police investigating discovery of human remains in Armdale area
Police say the remains have not been identified. They are not providing any additional information at this time.
Investigators are asking anyone with information to call them at 902-490-5020 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/more/halifax-police-investigating-discovery-of-human-remains-in-armdale-area-1.6666019 

▫️Ex-Upper Arlington teacher charged with raping student gets plea deal
A judge has accepted a plea agreement between the Madison County Prosecutor's Office and a former Upper Arlington teacher and coach accused by a former student of raping her starting when she was 12, a deal that his accuser says is too lenient.
Joel Cutler, 48, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Madison County Common Pleas Court to one count of felony child endangerment. In exchange, prosecutors dropped charges of rape, sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/courts/2023/11/21/ex-upper-arlington-teacher-charged-with-raping-student-gets-plea-deal-child-endagerment/71654461007/ 

▫️DeLand Man Arrested for Sexual Battery of Teen Girl
DELAND, Fla. – A 28-year-old man from DeLand was arrested last week on accusations that he’d kidnapped and sexually battered a 14-year-old girl he met on Snapchat. Derran L. Bibbs, who allegedly pretended to be 17, has been in custody for nine days as of Wednesday.
The girl was hospitalized to be evaluated for the earlier incident, while Bibbs was arrested and charged with sexual battery on a 12-18 year old victim, kidnapping, and deprivation of custody of a minor.
https://931coast.com/deland-man-arrested-for-sexual-battery-of-teen-girl/ 

▫️Officers shoot at, kill man during child sex predator sting in Kannapolis
A man who arrived at a Kannapolis home set up in a child predator operation was shot and killed by officers after he shot at them, according to police. According to a press release from the city of Kannapolis, officers with the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office and Kannapolis Police Department attempted to arrest the man around 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday. The two departments were conducting a joint operation targeting child sex predators and internet crimes against children.  Police attempted to arrest the man at a location on Bellwood Place, where he allegedly believed he was meeting a 15-year-old female for sex. Upon the suspect entering the home, officers reportedly attempted to place him in custody. Reports indicated that he resisted arrest, leading to him allegedly drawing a weapon and firing at the officers.
» https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/man-shot-killed-police-kannapolis/275-33fff547-0d14-4806-a822-6e57ff018b92    (VIDEO)
» https://www.salisburypost.com/2023/11/29/officer-involved-shooting-leaves-one-dead/
» https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/man-shot-killed-by-police-during-child-predator-investigation-sheriffs-office-says/ar-AA1kKqVx
» https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/heavy-law-enforcement-presence-downtown-kannapolis/JJVIBCK2SZE3ZJRUJHLVTYCGO4/ 

▫️Several local agencies collaborate to combat Baltimore's human trafficking problem
City agencies met on Wednesday to provide updates on the work that is being done to support victims of human trafficking.

▫️Concord sex offender arrested for Trafficking in Persons and other charges
Concord Police have arrested a registered sex offender following a four-month investigation into a report of sexual assault involving a juvenile female. The offender, identified as Sanville, was apprehended by the Candia Police Department on November 27, 2023, and processed at the Concord Police Department. The initial report, taken on July 22, 2023, led to a comprehensive investigation involving interviews, search warrants, and evidence collection. The victim was interviewed at the Merrimack County Child Advocacy Center, where she disclosed being assaulted and propositioned for sex by Sanville in exchange for gifts, money, drugs, and food.
Detectives’ findings confirmed the victim’s account and revealed that Sanville was not adhering to his sex offender registration requirements. Consequently, probable cause was established, and Sanville was charged with Trafficking in Persons, Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration, and Simple Assault.
https://www.newportdispatch.com/2023/11/29/concord-sex-offender-arrested-for-trafficking-in-persons-and-other-charges/ 

▫️Man charged with trafficking a child, and updates on two other Sheboygan County criminal cases
SHEBOYGAN — A multitude of felony cases have been filed in Sheboygan County since August, including for drug charges, public endangerment and domestic abuse.
Among these cases are three filings involving alleged homicide, alleged memorial theft after being accused of a child’s death and alleged sex trafficking.
https://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/news/local/2023/11/30/sheboygan-court-updates-on-fatal-crash-trafficking-and-stolen-cross/71493986007/ 

▫️States fail to protect foster kids from sex trafficking: Report
There’s a growing effort to better protect and support children placed in the foster care system who may be victims of human trafficking after a 2022 Office of the Inspector General report found no evidence that screenings were being conducted after children returned after going missing. 

▫️Former deputy sheriff sentenced for child sexual abuse
HELENA, Mont. — A Wibaux man who previously pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two children under the age of 16 was sentenced Tuesday to 100 years in Montana State Prison with 80 years suspended without parole for 20 years. Joshua Harris admitted in July to sexually assaulting three young girls over an eight year period.
He started sexually abusing an 8-year-old girl and mentioned wanting to leave his now former wife for one of the victims. Harris previously served as the Wibaux County Deputy Sheriff.
https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/former-deputy-sheriff-sentenced-for-child-sexual-abuse 

▫️Social media CEOs to testify before Senate on online child exploitation
Chief executives from several social media companies, including Meta, X, TikTok, Snap and Discord, are slated to testify at a  Jan. 31 Senate hearing on online child sexual exploitation, according to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/social-media-ceos-testify-senate-online-child-exploitation-january 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Desperate hunt for wanted man after SWAT rescue children from local apartment
San Antonio police are looking for a domestic disturbance suspect who fled from his girlfriend's Northeast Side apartment before SWAT officers made entry Thursday to rescue the woman's children. Officers learned that the man, Faustino Diaz, 25, is wanted on a felony warrant for sexual assault of a child and several misdemeanor warrants. After consulting with supervisors, police on the scene decided to call for better-equipped officers.
"They called in SWAT, and those officers made entry and took the children out," spokesman Sgt. Washington Moscoso said. Police are currently searching for Diaz and are urging anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact them immediately at 210-207-7273.
» http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/dec/01/three-telugu-men-charged-with-beating-indian-student-in-usforcing-himinto-slavery-for-many-months-2637821.html
» https://www.indiaglitz.com/three-indians-charged-of-human-trafficking-in-us-telugu-news-346452
» https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/desperate-hunt-for-wanted-man-after-swat-rescue-children-from-local-apartment-crime-warrants-police-san-antonio-bexar-county
» https://www.officer.com/tactical/swat/video/53079581/san-antonio-police-swat-unit-rescues-3-children-in-domestic-disturbance
»

▫️Man accused of attempted homicide, human trafficking after Stockton freeway shooting
STOCKTON, Calif. — Two people were arrested this week after a freeway shooting on I-5 in Stockton, Friday. While at the scene, officers were called by Stockton police and told they found the vehicle’s owner at a nearby park. He told them he was driving with a woman when he was chased down by a black Audi SUV and shot at. CHP says investigators found the woman riding in the Honda was a victim of human trafficking and she identified the driver of the Audi, 33-year-old Adonnis Taylor, as her trafficker. 
Anyone with information in the shooting can call the CHP Valley Division’s Investigative Services Unit at 916-731-6300.
» https://www.kcra.com/article/stockton-california-highway-patrol-human-trafficking-shooting/46003327     (VIDEO)
» https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/i-5-shooting-investigation-leads-to-human-trafficking-arrest/ 
» https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton-freeway-shooting/103-318d9256-9b15-44bf-90d1-a8d2a23197bc
»

▫️ (UPDATE) Indian Student Freed from Horrific Captivity in Missouri,  enslaved for months, 3 arrested
A chilling narrative of human trafficking and brutality has come to light in Missouri, USA, where a 20-year-old Indian student has been rescued after months of captivity and abuse. The victim was confined in a basement, denied basic amenities like a bathroom, and subjected to relentless torment by his cousin and two other men.
The rescue operation was catalyzed by a 911 call from a concerned citizen, underscoring the significance of reporting suspicious activity. Venkutesh Sattaru, 35, Nikhil Penmatsa, 27, and Sravan Penumetcha, 23, are charged with trafficking for purposes of slavery-involuntary servitude or forced labor, contributing to human trafficking-misuse of documentation, accessory domestic assault, armed criminal action and kidnapping, and abuse through forced labor.
All three are being held with no bond due to high political influence and wealth in India, according to investigators.
» https://www.kswo.com/2023/12/01/police-suspects-lured-cousin-us-trapped-him-basement-year/   (VIDEO)
»

▫️ERO New York City arrests citizen of Dominican Republic convicted of sexual abuse of a minor | ICE
NEW YORK - On Dec. 1, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) New York City announced the arrest of a Dominican national convicted of sexual abuse in the first degree of a victim less than 13 where the defendant is 21 or older.
ERO New York City’s Fugitive Operations apprehended the 57-year-old child predator without incident pursuant to a warrant of arrest outside of a residence in the Bronx. He was served with a notice to appear and will remain in custody without bond pending removal proceedings.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ero-new-york-city-arrests-citizen-dominican-republic-convicted-sexual-abuse-minor 

▫️HSI Baltimore investigation nets Maryland man 10 years in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity | ICE
GREENBELT, Md. — The subject paid facilitators in the Philippines and Madagascar to produce and livestream sexually explicit videos of children
An investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore and FBI Baltimore resulted in a Maryland man being sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by seven years of supervised release, for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity related to his online sexual exploitation of multiple child victims overseas. Carey Lee Sackmann, 62, of Severn, received the sentence Nov. 27 at the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in Greenbelt.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/hsi-baltimore-investigation-nets-maryland-man-10-years-federal-prison-coercion-and 

▫️(UPDATE)  Alleged predator killed in shootout with police posing as underage girl in Kannapolis
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — An alleged child predator was killed by police in Kannapolis Wednesday, Nov. 29, during a shootout with authorities who were posing as an underage girl.
Kannapolis Police have identified the man as Lamar Deshawn Young, 33, of Harrisburg. Young was recently released from federal prison, was on active parole and was required to wear a GPS ankle monitor as part of his release when this encounter occurred.
» https://www.wbtw.com/news/state-regional-news/alleged-predator-killed-in-shootout-with-police-posing-as-underage-girl-in-kannapolis/
»

▫️Man accused of human trafficking in Gary after call from woman
GARY, Ind. - Police in Gary, Indiana arrested a man on charges of human trafficking this week, after a woman told police she was being held against her will. The woman also said she was beaten, and forced to have sex with different men.
The victim was taken to an area hospital. Meanwhile, a detective got an arrest warrant for the man and a search warrant for the home. Gary SWAT was notified and executed the warrant – arresting a 34-year-old Gary man. He faces charges of sexual human trafficking, criminal recklessness, criminal confinement, and battery, police said. Police have not released his name.
» https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/man-accused-human-trafficking-gary/
» https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-courts/news-local-lake-county-gary-gary-police-department-public-safety-human-trafficking-criminal-recklessness-criminal-confinement-battery/article_9274f0e6-8fd3-11ee-92ce-1f5a4a572908.html 

▫️McMinnville Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
WARREN COUNTY – An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) squad, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, and the McMinnville Police Department has resulted in the arrest of a man charged with the sexual exploitation of a minor.
ICAC agents received a cybertip via the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concerning a user of a messaging app who was engaging in sexual conversations with minors. During the course of the investigation, investigators identified the user as Eddie Pease. The investigation further revealed that Pease engaged in this behavior on various social media platforms.
https://tbinewsroom.com/2023/11/30/mcminnville-man-charged-with-sexual-exploitation-of-a-minor/ 

▫️Kingston man allegedly sexually assaulted child multiple times over 5 years
DeKALB – A Kingston man faces 15 felony charges after police alleged he sexually assaulted and abused a young girl multiple times over the course of five years, according to DeKalb County court records. Luis C. Lopez, 68, is charged with 10 counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony, and five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony, court records show.
https://www.shawlocal.com/daily-chronicle/2023/12/01/kingston-man-allegedly-sexually-assaulted-child-multiple-times-over-5-years-records/ 

▫️Long Island Man Charged With Rape, More After Naked Teen Flees His Home
WOODBURY, N.Y. -  We’ve learned more about the Woodbury, Long Island man who police said barricaded himself in his house after allegedly committing sex crimes against a 14-year-old girl. Tuesday morning, when town inspectors came with a violation notice, a 14-year-old girl ran out of the house naked and crying. 
» https://breaking911.com/long-island-man-charged-with-rape-more-after-naked-teen-flees-his-home/
»

▫️Former Mooresville officer indicted for more sex crimes involving children
A former officer with the Mooresville Police Department has been indicted by a grand jury for more sex crimes involving children. Matthew Edward Beebe, 37, of Sherrills Ford, was fired after his arrest on Aug. 2 for four counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Detectives found child sexual abuse material on Beebe’s phone, according to the Mooresville police chief.
» https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/former-mooresville-officer-indicted-more-sex-crimes-involving-children/MXOZJFIMGBA2DELGAPFT5H6TCU/
» https://www.yahoo.com/news/former-mooresville-officer-indicted-more-224248448.html 

▫️Melissa Martinez-Ordonez arrested for sex trafficking teen daughter
Four people had their first court date Wednesday in Escambia County on charges of sex trafficking a child, including three Pensacola men and the teen victim's own mother. The Office of the State Attorney charged 26-year-old Kilman Flores-Ardon, 25-year-old Edwin Martinez-Cruz and 49-year-old Manuel Ardon-Martinez with human trafficking charges along with a host of other felonies related to trafficking a 14-year-old girl, according to court records. Also arrested was 38-year-old Melissa Martinez-Ordonez, the mother of the child.
Records indicate that the Alabama girl was allegedly held against her will in Pensacola while Flores-Ardon, Martinez-Cruz and Ardon-Martinez took turns raping her over a three-day period in January 2023. Charging documents for the three men allege they "knowingly engage(d) in human trafficking, or attempt(ed) to engage in human trafficking.
https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/escambia-county/2023/11/30/melissa-martinez-ordonez-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-teen-daughter/71726511007/ 

▫️Jefferson County man says he offered others access to sexually abuse 2-year-old girl
ST. LOUIS — A Jefferson County man on Thursday pleaded guilty in a St. Louis courtroom to a felony count of producing child sexual abuse material. Kyle J. Gipson, 22, admitted to recording the sexual abuse of a 2-year-old girl,  a written release from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of Missouri said. 
After a court-approved search of Gipson’s home on March 13, investigators found child sexual abuse material involving that toddler and others. They also found communications in which Gipson discussed his sexual abuse of the victim with six others on social media. Gipson was also monitor and gatekeeper for a social media group focused on child sexual abuse material, bestiality and rape.
» https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/jefferson-county-man-admits-recording-sexual-abuse-of-2-year-old/63-0d74682c-bd14-45ff-9179-905d77a68b00
» https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr/missouri-man-admits-recording-sexual-abuse-toddler 

▫️Former EPISD teacher sentenced for online sex crimes with undercover agent posing as teen
EL PASO, Texas  — A Horizon City man who formerly taught math at El Paso Independent School District's Chapin High School was sentenced in an El Paso federal court to 46 months in prison for sharing obscene material with someone he thought was a teenage girl.
According to court documents, on Jan. 23, Orlando Solis, 47, began communicating with a user who identified herself as a 13-year-old female on a social messaging platform called “Whisper.” However, the profile belonged to an undercover employee with the Army Criminal Investigative Division.
https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/former-episd-teacher-sentenced-for-online-sex-crimes-with-undercover-agent-posing-as-teen-orlando-solis-chapin-high-school-el-paso-independent-school-district-texas-whisper-fort-bliss-olga-morales-jaime-esparza-john-morales 

▫️Substitute teacher sentenced for extorting sexual images via SnapChat
McALLEN, Texas – A 31-year-old Mission resident has been sent to federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Edgar Aaron Hernandez pleaded guilty March 31.
U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now sentenced Hernandez to 120 months in prison. The court also heard additional information today including that Hernandez admitted to requesting nude images from numerous minor victims via Snapchat and would engage in this conduct while at work. Hernandez also possessed over 1,000 additional images and videos of child pornography across various platforms.
» https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/substitute-teacher-sentenced-extorting-sexual-images-snapchat
» https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/substitute-teacher-sentenced-extorting-sexual-images-social-media 

▫️Former Lamar CISD kindergarten teacher sentenced to 20 years for sexually abusing 6-year-old boy
KATY, Texas - A former kindergarten teacher with Lamar Consolidated ISD is going to prison for 20 years for sexually abusing one of his students, authorities announced Wednesday.
Officials say 47-year-old Troi Phillip Moore was a teacher at Katy's Tamarron Elementary in 2021 and was convicted two weeks ago for the 6-year-old's sexual abuse.
https://abc13.com/kindergarten-teacher-sentenced-child-sexual-abuse-troi-moore-lamar-consolidated-isd/14118636/ 

▫️Ex-Pa. baseball coach gets decades in prison in child sexual abuse case
A former high school baseball coach in Clearfield County accused of sexually assaulting two boys was sentenced to several decades in prison on Wednesday.
Thomas Patrick Harzinski, 49, was sentenced to 13 to 31 years in state prison, followed by 15 years of probation after he pleaded guilty to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, two counts of indecent assault and two counts of corruption of minors, according to the Altoona Mirror.
» https://www.pennlive.com/crime/2023/12/ex-pa-baseball-coach-gets-decades-in-prison-in-child-sexual-abuse-case-reports.html
» https://www.altoonamirror.com/news/local-news/2023/11/former-curwensville-coach-sentenced-for-child-sexual-assaults/ 

▫️Destiny Rescue shares recent story of saving 5-year-old from human trafficking
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Destiny Rescue, a Christian non-profit, is based here in Fort Wayne.
Staff talked with Fox 55 about their mission to end the sexual exploitation and human trafficking of children, as well as the recent rescue of a five-year-old.
Chelsea, the name Destiny Rescue has given her to protect her privacy, was saved from being human trafficked in the Philippines. According to staff members, the agent working Chelsea's case worked it for two years.
» https://www.wfft.com/news/top-stories/destiny-rescue-shares-recent-story-of-saving-5-year-old-from-human-trafficking/article_32621e7c-8fc9-11ee-9774-7b7b4aff85ef.html     (VIDEO)
»

▫️Kalamazoo men arrested for exploiting homeless women in bank account scam
BYRON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The suspects randomly selected the two women, aged 34 and 43, who are both experiencing homelessness in Kalamazoo, deputies said. Both of them were arrested on charges of unlawful imprisonment, human trafficking, and resisting and obstructing police.
https://wwmt.com/news/local/kalamazoo-bank-scheme-homeless-women-america-accounts-money-human-trafficking-police-byron-township-kent-county 

▫️Why Cartels Are Trafficking People Over Drugs
Detective Shawn Wilson and Deputy Sheriff Mark Terry of the Pinal County Anti-Smuggling Unit in Arizona say the cartels are making more money smuggling people than drugs.

▫️‘Their cases will never be heard’: Sex traffickers evade justice as child victims openly walk Pacific Northwest streets
Survivors, police frustrated with low convictions as reported sex trafficking soars in Washington and Oregon
https://www.invw.org/2023/11/30/their-cases-will-never-be-heard-sex-traffickers-evade-justice-as-child-victims-openly-walk-pacific-northwest-streets/ 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️IFD firefighter, 20 others arrested in Johnson County child solicitation sting
JOHNSON COUNTY — 21 people have been arrested following a three-day child solicitation sting operation in Johnson County, including a firefighter with the Indianapolis Fire Department. The sting happened on the 300 block of East Countyline Road in Greenwood between Nov. 28 and Nov. 30.
The suspects thought they were meeting a 14-year-old or 15-year-old child for sex, but were arrested as soon as they opened the door. The Indianapolis Fire Department confirmed an active firefighter with 17 years of service was arrested in the sting. The firefighter has not been formally charged.
From 2019 – 2023, officers arrested precisely 100 people in six different child solicitation stings. 
» https://fox59.com/indiana-news/21-men-arrested-in-child-sex-sting-in-greenwood/   (VIDEO)
» https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/crime/ifd-firefighter-20-others-arrested-in-johnson-county-child-solicitation-sting 

▫️17th man arrested in child predators string
FOSTORIA — Since the beginning of the year, 17 men have been arrested by the Fostoria Police Department in a string of child pornography cases. A Fostoria man was arrested Wednesday. Robert E. Ware, 51, was arrested on five counts of pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor, all fourth-degree felonies. But, prior convictions have enhanced his charges to third-degree felonies.
https://thecourier.com/news/493283/17th-man-arrested-in-child-predators-string/ 

▫️Local man arrested after allegedly preying on underaged kids who worked at his food pantry
TOLEDO, Ohio - A local man who ran a food pantry out of a mosque is accused of using his connection to the community to prey on kids.
Federal agents charged James Lawson, 54, with Exploitation of Minors, Coercion and Enticement and Possession of a Firearm.
According to court documents, Lawson owned a food pantry out of the mosque located at 722 East Bancroft, where youth worked. Documents accuse Lawson of videotaping and paying underage girls to have sex with him.
https://www.13abc.com/2023/11/29/local-man-arrested-after-allegedly-preying-underaged-kids-who-worked-his-food-pantry/   (VIDEO) 

▫️Dad Arrested For Sex Trafficking After Allegedly Helping Teen Daughter Sell Her Nude Photos Online
A California father has been arrested for allegedly assisting his daughter, 16, with selling nude photos of herself online. According to a release from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, both their sex crimes division and high tech crimes unit began their investigation into a teenager suspected of selling naked pictures online back in August.
Scott Davis, 46, was taken into custody on November 15 after El Dorado County Sheriff's detectives carried out a search warrant at his residence, the agency wrote in a Tuesday press release.  Per the Sheriff's Office, "the female in question also had a very well known online presence on a variety of social media platforms" and detectives eventually "discovered that the female in question was in fact selling illegal content online, and grossed approximately forty thousand dollars."
» https://toofab.com/2023/12/01/dad-arrested-daughter-nude-photos/ 
» https://www.facebook.com/eldoradosheriff/posts/pfbid033uzT5P2m42bDCDuZwfyCnezhTkyLvVr5KwH7WTVeYSyHBRvWVaQQQrq4Do16rX7yl
» https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-dad-cashed-teen-daughters-nude-pics-online-cops

▫️Man charged with trying to kidnap 3 teens at bus stop, police say
NASHVILLE, Tenn.  - A man was arrested after he allegedly tried to kidnap three young teens, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department.
According to police, 31-year-old Levi Combs, of Old Hickory Boulevard in Hermitage, was arrested on Friday night and charged with three counts of attempted kidnapping and three counts of assault by intimidation.
» https://www.wsmv.com/2023/12/02/man-charged-with-trying-kidnap-3-teens-bus-stop-police-say/   (VIDEO) 
» https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/hermitage-man-charged-with-attempted-kidnapping-of-3-teen-girls/   (VIDEO)

▫️Houston mom, son charged for operating sex trafficking ring, mother of missing victim outraged
HOUSTON - A Houston mother and son charged with operating a sex trafficking ring have now both been sentenced, but one of the victims is still missing.
Investigators say Tasheika Bush participated with her own son Aryion Jackson to traffick women and girls for sex. Bush was the last of four people to be sentenced and Kristen Galvan's mom, whose daughter is still missing, says Bush's 12-month sentence isn't nearly long enough.
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/mom-who-assisted-son-in-sex-trafficking-ring-gets-light-sentence-leaving-mom-of-victim-still-missing-outraged   (VIDEO) 

▫️Man charged with sex trafficking women at Lombard hotel
Pretrial release was denied on Friday for a Chicago man charged with trafficking young women into prostitution at a Lombard hotel. Heggie Carr, 47, of the 7000 block of South Cregier Avenue, is charged with two counts of involuntary servitude and two counts of trafficking in persons for labor, according to a news release from the DuPage County state's attorney's office.
On Wednesday, undercover police arranged an appointment for sexual services with two women. Carr was present at the appointments and was arrested. Police allege he forced the women into prostitution every day, threatened the lives of the women and their relatives if they did not do as they were told, and beat at least one of the women daily.
The petition alleges that Carr forced the women to take drugs, including heroin, and that one of the women died of an overdose in June. The petition alleges Carr placed thousands of advertisements. "The charges against Mr. Carr are, in a word, appalling," DuPage State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. "The alleged exploitation of these young victims, who were forced into the sex trade and trapped there by the use of deadly threats, should send a chill down the spine of each and every one of us."
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20231201/man-charged-with-sex-trafficking-women-at-lombard-hotel 

▫️Road cameras bust alleged child sex trafficker
Maricopa Police Department arrested a teenager wanted on charges of money laundering and child sex trafficking out of Maricopa County Monday morning. Police arrested Aidan A. Mendez, 18, on six felony warrants after a license-plate reading camera sent officers his location.
Mendez had warrants out of Maricopa County Superior Court for three counts of possessing narcotic drugs for sale, conspiracy, using a minor for prostitution, money laundering, possession of marijuana for sale over the state threshold and marijuana for sale under 2 pounds. 
https://www.inmaricopa.com/road-cameras-bust-alleged-child-sex-trafficker/ 

▫️‘Classic case’: Human trafficking charges in bank scheme

▫️SC Human Trafficking Task Force shared updates in final meeting of the year

▫️Woodbury day care owner’s husband sentenced for child sex abuse
The husband of a childcare provider in Woodbury convicted of having sexual contact with two young girls in his spouse’s care was sentenced Friday to 18 years in prison.
Norberto Perez, 44, of Woodbury, was sentenced in Washington County District Court by Judge Siv Mjanger. Norberto Perez (Courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office)
Perez was charged in May 2022 with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of second-degree sexual conduct. The victims, who were 7 and 10 at the time, were cared for by Perez’s wife at their home on Sandlewood Road in Woodbury, police said.
https://www.twincities.com/2023/12/01/woodbury-day-care-owners-husband-child-sex-abuse/ 

▫️Former Pediatrician Sentenced to 7½ Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Scores of Images of Child Sexual Abuse Material
LOS ANGELES – A former pediatrician was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on dozens of DVDs as well as possessing hundreds of such images on his personal computing devices.
Gary David Goulin, 62, of the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, who also ordered him to pay a $50,000 fine and an additional $22,100 in special assessments. 
https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/former-pediatrician-sentenced-7-12-years-federal-prison-possessing-scores-images-child 

▫️Grand Island man gets more than 50 years in prison for child sex abuse
Scott Lee Meyer, 34, already was a convicted sex offender last year when law enforcement took a search warrant to the home he shared with Scott Simmons, who he'd met in a Nebraska prison while they both were serving sentences for child-sex offenses. Both also were ordered to pay $11,250 in restitution and a $9,000 special assessment, which will contribute to funds established for victims of these types of crimes.
https://journalstar.com/news/state-regional/crime-courts/grand-island-man-gets-more-than-50-years-in-prison-for-child-sex-abuse/article_b5a95082-9089-11ee-aaab-0fda0f6958a3.html 

▫️SOLD IN THE SOUTH: Sex trafficking in Louisiana
Never before seen footage from the WAFB original documentary "Sold in the South."

▫️Catholic school, Auguistinians settle sex abuse lawsuit for $2M
Anti-abuse activists lodged a Vatican complaint Thursday in response to a $2 million lawsuit settled by a New Lenox Catholic school and the Augustinian religious order, alleging that the “actions and inaction” by Chicagoland Catholic leaders in handling the accused priest is endangering kids.
The lawsuit settlement comes six months after Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul released a report on an investigation that determined Catholic leaders in Illinois vastly underreported clergy sex abuse against children, finding that “decades of Catholic leadership decisions and policies have allowed known child sex abusers to hide, often in plain sight.”
Former Providence Catholic High School student Robert Krankvich filed a lawsuit in April 2018 alleging the school’s longtime principal and president, the Rev. Richard McGrath, repeatedly raped and abused him. Krankvich was between 13 and 15 when he was abused in the school’s gym and wrestling room in the mid-1990s, the lawsuit alleged.
The 700-page report named 451 Catholic clerics and religious brothers who abused at least 1,997 people across Illinois since 1950.
» https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-catholic-father-mcgrath-settlement-20231130-btf4ktx6cbatvhw7bxq6vm55ii-story.html
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/catholic-school-augustinians-settle-sex-abuse-lawsuit/ 

▫️New York diocese offers $200 million to abuse victims in largest-ever settlement offer
In what it called its “best and final” offer to survivors of abuse, the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York on Monday proposed a plan that offers $200 million to approximately 600 survivors of abuse, the largest-ever settlement offer made in diocesan bankruptcy history.
The new plan includes an immediate cash payout of a minimum of $100,000 to claimants with a lawsuit and a $50,000 minimum to claimants without a qualifying lawsuit.
» https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256151/new-york-diocese-offers-200-dollars-million-to-abuse-victims-in-largest-ever-settlement-offer
» https://www.drvc.org/wp-content/uploads/POR_Filing_11_27_23.pdf   (pdf)
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/new-york-diocese-offers-200-million/ 
_

 

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Child Smuggler Crashes Into Air Force Base
Suspected human traffickers smuggling their cargo over the border in Texas run from state troopers. The wild chase hit 110 miles per hour as the tiny car crammed with people narrowly avoided disaster. The driver clearly didn't know where he was going, and crashed into the checkpoint at Lackland Air Force Base. A young child was rescued from these smugglers who apparently did not care about his life.

▫️911 tape released in criminal investigation of Florida GOP chairman
SARASOTA, Fla. – The sexual battery investigation of Florida GOP chairman Christian Ziegler began with a 911 call from a friend of the alleged victim who was worried about her well-being, according to a recording of the call obtained by the Florida Trident. The 911 call, made on October 4 at 2.46 p.m., reveals the caller was concerned about the mental health of the woman, who isn’t being identified due to the nature of the investigation.
She told police that Christian Ziegler entered uninvited as she opened the door to walk her dog. Inside, she said, he raped her.
https://www.losangelesblade.com/2023/12/02/911-tape-released-in-criminal-investigation-of-florida-gop-chairman/ 

▫️Hotel Worker Sold Possible Traffickers A Group Of Women's Room Key While On Girls Trip
Ladies, be careful when traveling in groups. There are men & women working with human traffickers. The front desk worker with an unnamed hotel sold the room key to strange men for $100.

▫️Florida woman accused of posing as student, assaulting boy she met online
TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa woman was arrested last week after she allegedly posed as a child and sexually battered a boy she met online, police say. A tip on Oct. 19 accused Alyssa Zinger, 22, of an “inappropriate relationship” with a child, according to Tampa police.
The victim was identified by police as a middle school boy between the ages of 12 and 15, according to the arrest report. Zinger was accused of posing as a 14-year-old home-school student when she met the boy on social media.
When they interviewed the boy, investigators say he told police Zinger engaged in sexual activity with him approximately 30 times, according to the arrest report. He also stated that Zinger told him she sexually assaulted other boys between the ages of 13 and 15, according to police, and now Tampa detectives are searching for any additional victims.
Anyone who believes they are a victim is encouraged to contact the Tampa Police Department at (813) 231-6130.
https://fox8.com/news/florida-woman-accused-of-posing-as-student-assaulting-boy-she-met-online/   (VIDEO)   

▫️Natchez man accused of online sex crimes involving a minor
VIDALIA, La. - The Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crime Unit began investigating Adam T. Perritt, 26, after he allegedly contacted a minor online for sexual purposes. CPSO said Perritt engaged in sexual conversation with the minor and discussed plans to meet.
Perritt was arrested on one count of computer-aided solicitation of a minor and one count of indecent behavior with juveniles and booked into the CPSO jail.
https://www.knoe.com/2023/12/02/natchez-man-accused-online-sex-crimes-involving-minor/ 

▫️Saving Women from Sex Trafficking
Experience an inspiring journey with Brian "Doc" Shaw on "The Invincible Project." Overcoming immense personal challenges, including addiction, obesity, paralysis, and severe spinal injuries, Brian's story is a powerful testament to human resilience.  Brian's impact goes beyond personal triumphs. He's at the forefront of fighting human trafficking, dedicating his life to rescuing victims from this global crisis.

▫️Boonville man arrested on child sex abuse warrant in Henderson
HENDERSON, Ky. - Henderson County Sheriff’s Deputies say they arrested a man for child sex abuse warrants while he was out at Ellis Park. 36-year-old Michael Wheeler, of Boonville, was arrested Friday night and booked into the Henderson County Jail.
Deputies say he an indictment warrant for charges that include sexual abuse of a victim under 12 and distribution of obscene material to minors.
» https://www.wfsb.com/video/2023/12/03/boonville-man-arrested-child-sex-abuse-warrant-henderson/   (VIDEO) 
» https://www.14news.com/2023/12/02/boonville-man-arrested-child-sex-abuse-warrant-henderson/ 

▫️Former New Hampshire camp counselor pleads guilty to sexual abuse of minor
An ex-counselor at a residential boys camp in New Hampshire was sentenced Friday to up to five years in prison for sexually abusing an underage camper two decades ago in a case that brought attention to the camp’s culture during that era. The victim, Will Addis, of Camden, Maine, accused leaders at Camp Tecumseh in Moultonborough, N.H., of failing to act in 2003 on reports that the 19-year-old counselor was sharing a bed with him when he was 12 years old. The counselor, Matthew J. Scavitto, now 39, also kissed him in front of others and held his hand while they walked on camp property, Addis said.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/former-new-hampshire-camp-counselor-pleads-guilty-to-sexual-abuse-of-minor/ar-AA1kTKwc 

▫️Former Youth Tennis Instructor Sentenced to 56.5 Years in Prison for Sexual Crimes Against a Student
FREEHOLD, NJ  – The former youth tennis instructor recently convicted at trial of numerous sexual crimes committed against a student has been sentenced to 56 ½ years in state prison, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Saturday.  
Terry Y. Kuo, 32, of Colts Neck must serve a minimum of 85 percent of that term.
https://midjersey.news/2023/12/02/former-youth-tennis-instructor-sentenced-to-56-5-years-in-prison-for-sexual-crimes-against-a-student/ 

▫️Human Trafficking in the church
Authorities report evidence of humantrafficking in churches. The Winceyco actors show you how they do it in the #traffickjam play on 9 Dec 2023

▫️Pastor Victor Hernandez-Pineda accused of molesting congregant when she was a teen
The pastor of a California church was arrested for allegedly molesting one of his congregants when she was only a young teen, according to authorities and a report.
Victor Manuel Hernandez-Pineda, the director of Iglesia Pentecostes Movimiento De Gloria, was arrested Friday after an investigation was launched on Nov. 9, Richmond police said, according to reports.
The 53-year-old spiritual leader was taken into custody on suspicion of three counts of kidnapping and four counts of molesting a girl younger than 14, cops said, the Mercury News reported.
» https://nypost.com/2023/12/02/news/pastor-victor-hernandez-pineda-accused-of-molesting-teen-congregant/
» https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/12/01/east-bay-pastor-arrested-in-child-sex-abuse-case/
»

▫️‘The devil was in that building’: New Orleans church orphanages’ dark secrets
Survivors of institutions run by Catholic diocese recall litany of sexual abuse as bankruptcy process keeps documents hidden
This is the final installment of a three-part series exploring how the archdiocese of New Orleans’s bankruptcy stands apart from other cases of its kind. The first installment ran on Wednesday 29 November 2023, and the second installment ran on Friday 1 December.
» https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/03/new-orleans-orphanages-church-sexual-abuse
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/the-devil-was-in-that-building/ 

▫️Ending Human Trafficking podcast
The Global Center for Women and Justice launched the Ending Human Trafficking podcast in 2011. Our hosts are Dr. Sandie Morgan and Dr. Dave Stachowiak. Our mantra is Study the Issues. Be a voice. Make a difference.
https://player.fm/series/ending-human-trafficking-podcast 
 

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Santa Ana police search for suspect in child sex crime
Santa Ana police are searching for a man suspected of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old child. Nicolas Gonzalez, 39, has an active warrant for his arrest on multiple child sexual assault charges.
Anyone with information on Gonzalez’s location is asked to contact police at (714) 245-8379 or AAvila@santa-ana.org.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-12-03/santa-ana-police-search-for-suspect-in-child-sex-crime 

▫️HSI San Diego, multiagency case results in Los Angeles man convicted in large-scale marriage fraud scheme
SAN DIEGO – A Los Angeles man was convicted by a federal jury in Boston on Thursday for his role in operating a large-scale marriage fraud “agency” that arranged hundreds of sham marriages entered into for the primary purpose of circumventing immigration laws.
Engilbert Ulan, 42, a Philippine national residing in Los Angeles, was convicted of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration document fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for March 6, 2024. Ulan was arrested and charged along with 11 others in April 2022 in connection with the marriage fraud agency operated by Marcialito “Mars” Benitez.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/hsi-san-diego-multiagency-case-results-los-angeles-man-convicted-large-scale-marriage 

▫️Former Arkansas football coach, wife arrested after trying to have sex with prepubescent child
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - According to an affidavit, Benton County sheriff's detectives arrested 26-year-old Benjamin Coney and 25-year-old Emily Brinley after the couple traveled from their home in Conway to northwest Arkansas to meet with the child on Monday.
The couple arranged a meeting with who they thought was the child through an encrypted app, but it was an undercover sheriff's detective, court documents detailed.
» https://nbcmontana.com/news/nation-world/former-arkansas-football-coach-wife-arrested-after-trying-to-have-sex-with-prepubescent-child-catch-a-predator-taboos-encryption-messaging-punishers-next-level-football-alliance-jail-benjamin-coney-emily-brinley
» https://abc6onyourside.com/news/nation-world/former-arkansas-football-coach-wife-arrested-after-trying-to-have-sex-with-prepubescent-child-catch-a-predator-taboos-encryption-messaging-punishers-next-level-football-alliance-jail-benjamin-coney-emily-brinley 

▫️Texarkana Man Faces Child Sex Abuse Charge
Michael Flournoy, 57,  has been charged with indecency with a child by contact in Bowie County for alleged misconduct with a female student last month. Flournoy was arrested by the Texarkana Texas Police Department on Monday and released Wednesday on a $100,000 bond. If convicted of indecency with a child by sexual contact, he faces two to 20 years in a Texas prison.
https://txktoday.com/courts/texarkana-man-faces-child-sex-abuse-charge/ 

▫️FOX23 Investigates: Sex Trafficking: A Hidden Crime (Full Special)
FOX23 brings you stories involving Tulsans who traveled to the Philippines to help young girls escape from sex trafficking.

▫️This City In North Carolina Has The Highest Human Trafficking Rate In The State!
In the fight against human trafficking, it is crucial to shed light on the alarming reality that exists within our own communities. Unfortunately, one city in North Carolina has gained notoriety for having the highest human trafficking rate in the entire state. This shocking revelation serves as a wake-up call, urging us to take immediate action and protect the vulnerable individuals who are being victimized within our midst.
https://ucreview.com/this-city-in-north-carolina-has-the-highest-human-trafficking-rate-in-the-state/  

▫️Migrants may risk organ trafficking on way to U.S.
Jarrod Sadulski, a criminology expert and associate professor at the American Military University, brought the issue to Congress last month with searing testimony about organ trafficking — juvenile organs in particular — along major migrant smuggling corridors.
He described one case, told to him by a rehabilitated gang member in Central America, of a 12-year-old boy who was kidnapped in Mexico to harvest his eye. Someone paid $15,000 for it.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/dec/3/migrants-may-risk-organ-trafficking-on-way-to-us/ 

▫️Jerseyville man sentenced to 40 years for child sexual abuse material  (CSAM)
JERSEYVILLE — A Jerseyville man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for possession of child pornography, while a charge of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl was dismissed.
Joshua G. Eastham, 38, of Jerseyville pleaded guilty to four counts of disseminating child pornography involving someone under age 13.
https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/jerseyville-man-sentenced-40-years-child-18530628.php 

▫️ERO Detroit removes noncitizen wanted for rape in Guatemala
DETROIT - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit deportation officers removed an unlawfully present citizen of Guatemala wanted in his home country on rape charges on Nov. 24. Cesar Antiono Rafael Lopez, 22, was flown to Guatemala and turned over to local authorities.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ero-detroit-removes-noncitizen-wanted-rape-guatemala 

▫️11 Year Old Last Seen Leaving School Bus (Madalina Cojocari)
Madalina Cojocari, a 6th grader, 11 Year old last seen after leaving school bus in 2022. A year later, Madalina is still missing. Madalina was living with her step father, Christopher Parmiter, and mother, Diana Cojocari, at the time but no one reported her missing until 3 weeks later. Now there are suspicions that the step father and mother know more details than they say about Madalina disappearance. Family members, such as Madalina's grandmother believes that she was  human trafficked for money.

▫️I-TEAM EXCLUSIVE: Bay Area church pastor charged with child sexual abuse
RICHMOND, Calif. - The pastor of an East Bay church for Immigrants from Central America has been arrested, charged with several counts of kidnapping and "aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14".
Just a few months ago, this church — Iglesia Pentecostes Movimiento de Gloria in Richmond — attracted 150 people or more for services. Then, allegations of sexual abuse started surfacing against the pastor, 53-year-old Victor Manuel Hernandez, and now the church is lucky to draw a dozen people on a Sunday.
» https://abc7news.com/iglesia-pentecostal-movimiento-de-gloria-church-richmond-pastor-child-sexual-abuse-victor-manuel-hernandez/14131456/  (VIDEO)
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/i-team-exclusive-bay-area-church-pastor-charged-with-child-sexual-abuse/ 

▫️Recordings show how the Mormon church protects itself from child sex abuse claims
Earlier this year, Chelsea decided to share it with the AP. She had tried going to the church for help. She’d tried the criminal justice system. But John was free with access to children through his family and dental practice. “Right now, my main concern continues to be other children,” she said.
Goodrich's father, a popular Idaho dentist and former bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church, was excommunicated after sharing details about his relationship with her when she was a child during a religious confession. Recordings obtained by The Associated Press show that instead of helping prosecutors, the church used a legal playbook that has helped protect itself from sex abuse claims.
» https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/recordings-show-how-the-mormon-church-protects-18531539.php
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/recordings-show-how-the-mormon-church-protects-itself-from-child-sex-abuse-claims/
» https://apnews.com/article/mormon-church-investigation-child-sex-abuse-9c301f750725c0f06344f948690caf16  
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Another arrest made in connection to Vidalia false imprisonment investigation; 2 suspects still wanted
VIDALIA, La. - Six people were arrested, and two others have warrants out for their arrest after a woman in Vidalia said she escaped a residence where she was being held against her will. The Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office said they responded to a woman who had obvious injuries and was asking for help at a Vidalia pharmacy on Dec. 1.
According to the victim, she was inside a residence when the suspects broke in, beat her, strangled her, covered her in Vic’s Vapor Rub, and sprayed her with pepper spray. The victim said she was then brought to a different residence where she was kept overnight against her will.
The following suspects have warrants out for their arrest:
• Henry Hinkston, 43, of Vidalia
• Dustin Wright, 23, of Vidalia
Anyone with information regarding the investigation can contact Detective Stephen Lipscomb at (318)-336-5231, ext. 409. Tips can also be submitted using the CPSO mobile app or by calling 911.
» https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2023/12/04/sheriffs-office-seeking-two-men-wanted-for-battery-false-imprisonment/
» https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/local-news/concordia-parish-authorities-searching-for-2-men-who-are-wanted-for-battery-and-false-imprisonment-charges/
» https://www.knoe.com/2023/12/04/6-people-arrested-2-people-wanted-connection-vidalia-false-imprisonment-investigation/ 

▫️Operation Home for the Holidays: A dozen victims, including two children, encountered in human-trafficking stings in San Diego, National City
A recently concluded multi-agency crackdown on sex-trafficking crimes in the San Diego area resulted in a pair of arrests and support-service interventions on behalf of a dozen victims, including two children, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Monday.
As a result of the multi-day operation 12 individuals were offered support services and two arrests were made.
As part of Operation Home for the Holidays, a two-day campaign that concluded Thursday, law enforcement personnel worked undercover, posing as illicit sex-service buyers in San Diego and National City in order to identify perpetrators and their victims, according to Bonta’s office.
» https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2023-12-04/two-arrests-12-victims-encountered-in-human-trafficking-stings-in-san-diego-national-city
» https://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/california/52007-california-attorney-general-and-san-diego-human-trafficking-task-force-announce-results-of-operation-home-for-the-holidays 

▫️Operation White Elephant: FBI, DHS, NCIS join human trafficking operation in California; 19 arrested in Kings County human trafficking sting, 2 survivors
During the operation, investigators spoke to numerous individuals through internet sites and mobile applications known to foster such activity.
Through the conversations, several people arranged to meet in order to pay for sex, receive money for sex, meet with minors for sex, and arrange for underage girls to enter human trafficking, according to authorities. A total of 19 people were arrested on various charges related to human trafficking and child exploitation and two females were rescued from human trafficking, according to authorities.
If you are a victim or know someone who is/has been the victim of human trafficking, please contact Breaking the Chains at (559) 456-1566.
» https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/crime/19-arrests-2-rescued-after-human-trafficking-child-exploitation-operation-in-kings-county/
» https://hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/19-arrested-in-kings-county-human-trafficking-sting/article_3129ca65-58e2-51c3-b2ad-4e3e116c329b.html
» https://conandaily.com/2023/12/04/fbi-dhs-ncis-join-human-trafficking-operation-in-california-17-men-arrested-2-females-rescued/ 

▫️Chicago Man Arrested on Human Trafficking Charges Following Survivor-Led ISP Investigation, 4 women freed during human trafficking investigation in Lombard: ISP
LOMBARD, Ill. - On Monday, Illinois State Police announced a human trafficking investigation has led to the arrest of a suspect and the freedom of at least four women. It started when a survivor of human trafficking tipped off police.
That led investigators to set up undercover surveillance at a hotel in Lombard. They spotted the suspect, along with multiple women, including the person who tipped them off.
Agents eventually took a Chicago man, 46-year-old Heggie D. Carr, into custody. He has been charged with multiple felonies.
» https://abc7chicago.com/human-trafficking-lombard-il-heggie-d-carr-illinois-state-police/14141580/     (VIDEO)
» https://www.countryherald.com/illinois/chicago-man-arrested-on-human-trafficking-charges-following-survivor-led-isp-investigation/
» https://www.mystateline.com/news/illinois/chicago-man-accused-of-human-trafficking-in-cook-dupage-counties-arrested/ 

▫️Attorney General Dana Nessel Charges 4 Adoptive Parents with 36 Child Abuse Crimes, Conspiracy
Today, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced 36 criminal charges against Joel and Tammy Brown and Jerry and Tamal Flore, all of Dewitt. The Browns and Flores are accused of adopting children for financial gain and subjecting the children to abuse under the guise of discipline.
The charges, filed in the 65A District Court in Clinton County, arise from evidence of abuse against eight of the dozens of children adopted through their homes since 2007. Nearly 30 children have been either adopted or fostered through the Brown and Flore homes.
Joel Brown is a former Michigan Department of Health and Human Services employee, where he worked within the Children’s Services Agency Office of Advocate for Children, Youth and Families. It is alleged that Brown used his expertise in the field of child abuse investigations and the Child Protection laws to circumvent detection of the ongoing child abuse in his own home and that of the Flores.
» https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2023/12/04/attorney-general-dana-nessel-charges-4-adoptive-parents-with-36-child-abuse-crimes-conspiracy
» https://michiganadvance.com/2023/12/04/nessel-hopes-clinton-county-child-abuse-case-with-over-30-charges-will-spark-changes-in-law/
»

▫️Summerville man charged with child sexual abuse crime
COLUMBIA, S.C.  – A Summerville man was arrested for a child sex abuse crime, according to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Devin McCray, 18, is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor in the second degree.
Investigator received a CyberTipline report from the Nation Center for Missing and Exploited Children that led them to discover McCray distributed files of child sexual abuse material, the release states.
https://www.counton2.com/news/local-news/summerville-man-charged-with-child-sexual-abuse-crime/ 

▫️New Palestine man arrested in child solicitation sting
HANCOCK COUNTY — A New Palestine man identified as an Indianapolis firefighter was one of 21 men arrested late last week in a child solicitation sting in Johnson County. The work was part of a multiple-jurisdiction operation to help officials identify child predators.
Carl Deveier Wemple, 45, 4900 block of W. Quail Run Drive, New Palestine, has been identified as one of the men arrested according to information provided by the arresting agencies. Wemple, an Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) employee was taken into custody by officials in Johnson County Nov. 29.
https://www.greenfieldreporter.com/2023/12/04/new-palestine-man-arrested-in-child-solicitation-sting/ 

▫️Carnegie attorney accused of child sex solicitation
Thirty-three-year-old Paul Luvara, of Bridgeville, was arrested over the weekend in Punxsutawney after a sting operation by the group 814 Pred Hunters.
The conversation was explicit in nature, and Luvara set up a time to meet the "operative" for sex, according to the complaint. He planned to meet the girl in a McDonald's parking lot, but police and members of 814 Pred Hunters were there waiting.
Luvara's arrest was captured on camera. Police said he did not comply with their commands to get out of the vehicle and that he kept reaching under his seat. As they were pulling him out of the car, police say a fully loaded handgun fell onto the ground.
He faces felony charges of statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors, aggravated indecent assault and criminal use of a communication facility.
» https://www.wtae.com/article/paul-luvara-attorney-charges/46031117#    (VIDEO)
» https://patch.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/prominent-pittsburgh-attorney-accused-teen-sex-solicitation 

▫️Tip from group of child predator hunters leads to arrest of 79-year-old Acton man
ACTON, Mass. — A retired serviceman was charged with child enticement over the weekend after using an app called DaddyHunt to send inappropriate messages to a young boy, according to authorities.
79-year-old Douglas Cooper appeared in Concord District Court Monday, where a judge ordered him held on $1,500 cash bail. Cooper is accused of establishing an online relationship through the app with a 14-year-old boy named Caleb.
Only Caleb didn’t exist. Instead, the person engaging in sexual banter with the 79-year-old for a week was “Blaze” — leader of the group WolfPackPredHunta.
» https://www.wcvb.com/article/acton-man-child-enticement-charges-massachusetts/46019852    (VIDEO)
» https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/worcester-county/tip-group-child-predator-hunters-leads-arrest-79-year-old-acton-man/YREWOSR6JBD37D622W6AA3Q4HY/ 

▫️Palm Beach County staff member accused of having sex with a minor
PAHOKEE, Fla. — Tonight, a Palm Beach County Middle School cafeteria worker is facing charges accused of having sex with a minor.
According to documents from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office detectives, 25-year-old cafeteria worker Faith Angram met one of the young girls at Pahokee Middle School. Angram is facing charges of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and lewd and lascivious battery.
https://cbs12.com/news/crisis-in-the-classroom/palm-beach-county-staff-member-accused-of-having-sex-with-a-minor    (VIDEO)    

▫️Former Milford teacher pleads guilty to child porn charge
A former second grade teacher in Milford, Massachusetts, has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. Vincent Kiejzo, 36, remains in custody after he pleaded guilty Monday in a federal court in Boston to one count of possession of child pornography, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts said.
Kiejzo was arrested in September 2020 after investigators searching his Milford home found a USB drive plugged into a television in his bedroom that contained links to websites dedicated to the sexual exploitation of minors.
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/former-2nd-grade-teacher-in-milford-pleads-guilty-to-possessing-child-pornography/3209665/ 

▫️Man wanted on suspicion of child abduction flees Fox Valley police
LITTLE CHUTE, Wis.  - The Fox Valley Metro Police Department is asking for the public’s help to find Thomas Haanen, who’s wanted for a number of possible crimes, including child abduction and recklessly endangering safety. Police say they have probable cause to seek charges against Haanen including abduction of another child-detaining away from home, vehicle operator fleeing/eluding an officer, 2nd-degree recklessly endangering safety, resisting arrest, and operating with a suspended license.
Anyone who might have seen Haanen is asked to call authorities. You can provide information anonymously through Quad Communities Crimestoppers, (920) 788-9090.
https://www.wbay.com/2023/12/04/man-wanted-suspicion-child-abduction-flees-fox-valley-police/ 

▫️‘Clearly he's searching for children’: Mother helps nab man accused of attempting to kidnap teens in Hermitage (UPDATE)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Hermitage mother said she is thanking God she was there to intervene while her daughter and two other teens were approached by a man at their school bus stop.
Combs left before police arrived, but two hours later deputies in Williamson County were called for a suspicious person outside of a daycare in Thompson’s Station. They spoke to the man, later identified as Combs, and told him to leave.  
“Clearly he’s searching for children. It’s unthinkable to think of what could have happened because his intentions were not good,” Dean said.
Officials said Combs came to police headquarters and was taken into custody Friday night after detectives contacted him. He is charged with three counts of attempted kidnapping and three counts of assault by intimidation.
https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/clearly-hes-searching-for-children-mother-helps-nab-man-accused-of-attempting-to-kidnap-teens-in-hermitage/    (VIDEO) 

▫️Alleged sex assault of a minor: Robert L. Wisiak, 44, formerly from Keansburg, arrested
KEANSBURG, NJ — Robert L. Wisiak, 44, formerly from Keansburg, is now facing charges for the alleged sex assault of a minor that took place more than 20 years ago, announced the Monmouth County Prosecutor on Friday. Wisiak now lives in South River, and was arrested by Keansburg Police on Oct. 20 He is charged with first-degree aggravated sex assault of a minor, plus child endangerment.
Police say the victim was under the age of 13 at the time. They also say the alleged sex assaults took place on multiple occasions between the years of 1999-2001.
The prosecutor has made the charges public because detectives are now seeking additional information about Wisiak’s activities. Anyone with information is being asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Charles Trucillo at 800-533-7443 or Keansburg Police Department Detective Thomas Sheehan at 732-787-0600.
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/middletown/articles/alleged-sex-assault-of-a-minor-robert-l-wisiak-44-formerly-from-keansburg-arrested 

▫️ERO Boston arrests previously removed Guatemalan citizen recently arraigned on statutory rape of a child charges
BOSTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston arrested a previously returned, unlawfully present Guatemalan national in Worcester on Nov. 29, following his recent apprehension and local arraignment on statutory rape of a child charges. The 35-year-old Guatemalan had previously been voluntarily returned to Guatemala after having unlawfully entered the United States in 2007.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ero-boston-arrests-previously-removed-guatemalan-citizen-recently-arraigned-statutory 

▫️New York doctor found guilty in online predator case involving a minor: Washington County DA's office commends victim's mother
HILLSBORO, Ore.  — A man from New York was found guilty in an online predator case on Nov. 30, according to the Washington County District Attorney's Office.
Daniel H. Rock, 36, was found guilty of using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct and two counts of luring a minor.
Officials say Mr. Rock was living in New York and was working as a doctor when he began messaging the teenage victim via an online chat group.
https://katu.com/news/local/new-york-doctor-found-guilty-in-online-predator-case-involving-a-minor-washington-county-das-office-commends-victims-mother 

▫️Youth Tennis Instructor Sentenced For Sexual Assaulting Child
COLTS NECK – A former student told investigators that a local tennis youth coach had engaged in various instances of sexual misconduct, starting when the victim was 12.
Terry Y. Kuo, 32, of Colts Neck was sentenced to 56.5 years of prison, police said.
https://wbnj.org/youth-tennis-instructor-sentenced-for-sexual-assaulting-child/ 

▫️Houston man sentenced to 50 years for kidnapping, drugging and raping teen girl during 3-day trip across country
HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Houston man has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for kidnapping and raping a 15-year-old girl, the United States Department of Justice announced Monday.
Wilmer Rivera-Hernandez pleaded guilty to interstate travel with intent to engage in a sex act with a minor on Aug. 24.
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2023/12/05/houston-man-sentenced-to-50-years-for-kidnapping-drugging-and-raping-15-year-old-girl-during-3-day-trip-across-country/ 

▫️Nashua pastor under investigation for child abuse found dead
NASHUA — A former Nashua pastor was under investigation for allegations of child sexual abuse when he took his own life, local authorities and the Nashua Baptist Church confirmed. Jarrett Booker, 37, who served as the pastor of students and worship at the church for nearly a decade, died on Nov. 27.
Two days prior, the church had dismissed Booker due to “credible allegations of sexual abuse against minors,” according to a statement from church elders and deacons.
» https://www.newportdispatch.com/2023/12/04/nashua-pastor-under-investigation-for-child-abuse-found-dead/
» https://patch.com/new-hampshire/nashua/police-confirm-nashua-pastor-faced-child-sexual-abuse-allegations 

▫️SC pastor guilty of child sex crimes sentenced to 40 years
A former Midlands pastor has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for criminal sexual conduct involving children, according to court records and the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. William “Bill” Oswald, 61, of Prosperity, was sentenced to two consecutive 20-year prison terms by state Judge Eugene “Bubba” Griffith after a weeklong trial in Richland County state court last week, said Solicitor Byron Gipson. “He was a monster,” Gipson told The State newspaper in an interview Monday.
https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article282667878.html 

▫️Church worker accused of abusing teen
GRAND HAVEN, Mich.  — Ottawa County sheriff’s detectives say a faith leader accused of sexually assaulting a teenager through a Catholic church in Ottawa County is suspected of molesting others. Deputies say they found computer evidence showing more possible victims.
James “Jimmy” Beauchamp, 55, of Kentwood, is accused of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, child sexually abusive activity, using a computer to commit a crime and furnishing alcohol to a minor. The allegations, deputies say, involved a 17-year-old boy.
“During our review of the digital evidence, our investigation has led us to believe there could be other victims out there that have not yet reported these crimes to law enforcement, and that’s what leads me to ask for any of those victims to come forward,” Sparks said.
Anyone with information can contact the sheriff’s office at 616.738.4025 or Silent Observer at 1.877.88.SILENT (745368) or mosotips.com.
» https://www.woodtv.com/news/ottawa-county/deputies-man-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-teen/    (VIDEO) 
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/church-worker-accused-of-abusing-teen/ 

▫️$300K awarded to fight human trafficking in Central Oregon
Federal funds for a Central Oregon-based anti-human trafficking program aren't just a financial boost, said the program's director, they're a lifeline for survivors trying to heal.
"It fuels our passion, determination and commitment to creating a community free of exploitation,” said Breanne Barrett, the director of at:project, which provides free, voluntary and confidential help to victims and survivors of human trafficking in Central Oregon through local social service organization J Bar J Youth Services.
Oregon Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, both Democrats, announced a $300,000 grant for the at:project Monday. 
https://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/organization-gets-300k-to-fight-human-trafficking-in-central-oregon/article_d94d60a0-92e1-11ee-87df-4b03b73cc391.html 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Human trafficking sting nets 12 arrests in Lake County
LAKE COUNTY, Ill. - A dozen men have been charged with soliciting sex after a human trafficking bust in Lake County. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Group (SIG) arrested 12 men in a recent operation to suppress human trafficking.
» https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/human-trafficking-lake-county
» https://www.wlip.com/a-dozen-arrests-in-human-trafficking-suppression-operation-in-lake-county-mugshots-included/ 

▫️Kyle Whitmore: DVC coach accused of human trafficking enters not guilty 
A Diablo Valley College professor and track coach accused of human trafficking entered a plea of not guilty Tuesday at an arraignment. He’s also accused of sexually assaulting women on a makeshift dungeon in his mother’s basement. Whitmore also had a bus that was used for sexual activities in another area, but it was separate from the dungeon.
A criminal complaint alleges one of his victims is a student at Diablo Valley College.
» https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/dvc-coach-accused-of-assaulting-women-on-bus-converted-into-dungeon-in-court-today/   (VIDEO)
»

▫️Celebrity Cruises Youth Counselor Admits to Molesting At Least Four Children Aboard the Celebrity Silhouette
The Miami New Times reports today that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested a 35 year-old cruise ship youth counselor employed by Celebrity Cruises for sexually abusing a 6-year-old girl in the youth center of the Celebrity Silhouette during a cruise to the Caribbean a week ago. The youth counselor, known as “CJ,” who was identified as Cris John Pentinio Castor, an employee hired in the Philippines according to his Facebook page, inappropriately touched the child under her clothing.
After a FBI special agent boarded the ship when it returned to its home port on November 30th, the Celebrity crew member reportedly waived his Miranda rights and voluntarily told FBI investigators that he molested not only the girl but at least three other minor children.
» https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/celebrity-cruise-counselor-molested-children-in-ships-youth-center-fbi-says-18376337
» https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2023/12/articles/sexual-assault-of-minors/celebrity-cruises-youth-counselor-admits-to-molesting-at-least-four-children-aboard-the-celebrity-silhouette/ 

▫️San Antonio man arrested for online solicitation of minor in police sting operation
SAN ANTONIO - A man was arrested after talking with a 14-year-old on social media who turned out to be the police.
Authorities say on Nov. 29, Vincente Gonzales, 40, was arrested after he attempted to meet with a 14-year-old child from social media.
https://foxsanantonio.com/newsletter-daily/san-antonio-man-arrested-for-online-solicitation-of-minor-in-police-sting-operation-public-internet-safety-crime-catch-predator 

▫️California sex offender paid Alabama child to make nude videos of herself, authorities say
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A convicted sex offender from California is behind bars in Alabama following a two-month-long investigation. Investigators were informed that 24-year-old Efon Carter, of Los Angeles, was texting and using social media to communicate with a child in Tuscaloosa, according to the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force.
Carter, a convicted sex offender, was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and charged with first-degree human trafficking and production of obscene material depicting a person under the age of 17, among other charges.
» https://www.al.com/news/2023/12/california-sex-offender-paid-alabama-child-to-make-nude-videos-of-herself-authorities-say.html
» https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/convicted-sex-offender-charged-with-human-trafficking-electronic-solicitation-after-communicating-with-tuscaloosa-child/ 

  @ENDHUMANTRAFFICKING

▫️Redmond Police Search for More Child Victims in Sex Predator Case
On Tuesday, Sept. 12, Redmond detectives arrested Christopher A. Remsing, 30, of Kent, as part of an online undercover operation targeting the sexual abuse of minors. He has been charged with two counts of Attempted Rape of a Child in the First Degree.
Remsing has a history of offering to babysit to gain unsupervised access to young children. Preliminary investigations have led to the identification of additional victims in the Puget Sound area. Detectives believe there may be more.
Anyone with information about Remsing or who believes their child may be a victim is asked to contact the Redmond Police Department at 425-556-2500.
» https://www.aol.com/news/redmond-pd-seek-more-victims-010825664.html
» https://www.redmond.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1759 

▫️Naples man charged with 18 child pornography crimes
The Collier County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday said an investigation by the Southwest Florida INTERCEPT Task Force ended Monday with the arrest of Tyler Matthew Cifaldi, 31.
Cifaldi is charged with 18 counts of possession of child pornography.
https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/crime/2023/12/05/naples-man-charged-with-18-child-pornography-crimes/71814524007/ 

▫️Accused Lycoming County predator apprehended in Florida
JERSEY SHORE — A 37-year-old Jersey Shore man wanted on sexual assault and related charges was apprehended Tuesday morning in Florida, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Brian Smith has been charged with sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault and corruption of minors as the result of an alleged Dec. 25, 2021, sexual assault of a child in Jersey Shore.
The Lycoming Regional Police Department issued a warrant for Smith’s arrest Jan. 9, 2022, according to the press release.
Smith was apprehended at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the 1100 block of County Road 315 in Melrose, Fla. He is being held in the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office jail awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania.
https://www.standard-journal.com/news/local/article_9297cdf4-987d-5ed5-8d01-803f1b69121d.html 

▫️Bergen County Man Had 1,700 Child Sex Abuse Materials: Prosecutor
BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A Bergen County man was arrested on charges related to production of child pornography on Tuesday, and had also allegedly "used a hidden camera to record a child in their living area for the purpose of [his] sexual gratification," prosecutors said Tuesday.
Jorge E. Mendez, 56, of Garfield, was charged with first-degree production of child pornography and second-degree possession of child pornography, said the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.
https://patch.com/new-jersey/mahwah/bergen-county-man-had-1-700-child-sex-abuse-materials-prosecutor 

  @ENDHUMANTRAFFICKING

▫️Wisconsin pastor accused of exploiting children in Venezuela and Cuba gets 15 years
A Wisconsin pastor accused of sexually exploiting children from Venezuela and Cuba was sentenced Monday to 15 years in a federal prison. Cory Herthel, 40, pled guilty in August to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child.
The church where Herthel served, Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Green Bay, contacted the FBI in May to report that it had received information that Herthel was trading sexually explicit videos with a 15-year-old in Venezuela, according to court documents.
» https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1870720/us-pastor-accused-of-exploiting-children-in-venezuela-cuba-gets-15-years
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/wisconsin-pastor-accused-of-exploiting-children-in-venezuela-and-cuba-gets-15-years/ 

▫️Sex abuse lawsuit against Diocese of Lafayette goes to Louisiana Supreme Court
NEW ORLEANS, La.  — The case of alleged sexual abuse against the Diocese of Lafayette and Saint Martin de Tours Catholic Church will be heard by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
The lawsuit originally filed in 2018 alleges the Rev. Kenneth Morvant abused Doug Bienvenu and other altar boys by giving them alcohol and using the “Power of God” to prey upon them. Bienvenu, the only plaintiff named in the suit, said he was nine years old when the alleged abuse started.
» https://www.klfy.com/local/lafayette-parish/sex-abuse-lawsuit-against-diocese-of-lafayette-goes-to-louisiana-supreme-court/   (VIDEO)
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/sex-abuse-lawsuit-against-diocese-of-lafayette-goes-to-louisiana-supreme-court/ 

▫️Game of Thrones star appears in court over child sex offence
Actor Joseph Gatt arrived at a Los Angeles court for the second time in two months after being charged with having sexually explicit chats online with a minor. 
He was ordered back in court for a preliminary hearing that was scheduled for December 18 by LA Superior Court Judge Kim Nguyen. On this date, it is expected that prosecutors will present internet evidence that was allegedly discovered at Gatt’s home in LA, according to Daily Mail.
» https://metro.co.uk/2023/12/05/game-thrones-star-appears-court-child-sex-offence-19925757/?ico=trending-module_category_tv_item-4
» https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12825139/Game-Thrones-Joseph-Gatt-court-girlfriend-Mercy-Malick-sex-offense.html 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️(UPDATE) Law enforcement arrests 12 men in Lake County as part of human trafficking suppression operation
» https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/human-trafficking-lake-county    (VIDEO)
» https://www.lakemchenryscanner.com/2023/12/06/law-enforcement-arrests-12-men-in-lake-county-as-part-of-human-trafficking-suppression-operation/
» https://www.arlingtoncardinal.com/2023/12/lake-sheriffs-special-investigations-group-arrest-12-men-in-human-trafficking-suppression-operation/
»

▫️Teen who police say was abducted from Eastern Shore has been found
UPDATE: Amber Alert canceled. Around 2.30 a.m., Virginia State Police said that according to the Bloxom Police Department, the abducted child was located. She was believed to have been abducted by a woman named Yantza Agular.
» https://www.wtkr.com/haveyouseenme/17-year-old-in-extreme-danger-abducted-from-the-eastern-shore-virginia-state-police
» https://www.cleveland19.com/2023/12/07/amber-alert-issued-kidnapped-virginia-teen/ 

▫️Human trafficking: Calls, tips continue to rise in Tennessee
Calls and tips to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's human trafficking hotline have jumped more than 400% in recent years as public awareness grows.
TBI's human trafficking team received 1,291 hotline tips last year, up from 245 in 2016. The vast majority were for child sex trafficking, with more than 600 reports in 2022.
Those were some of the findings in a new TBI report released this month in response to directive from state lawmakers.
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/crime/2023/12/07/human-trafficking-calls-tips-continue-to-rise-in-tennessee/71800304007/ 

▫️Suspected internet predator arrested following multi-agency sting; police seeking more victims
The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Ryan VanDeCar, had allegedly been using “multiple different online chatting platforms” to contact both juveniles and adults and attempt to receive “a large number of illicit photos and videos of child sexual abuse material,” Fontana police said.
Due to the severity and prolific nature of the investigation, the Fontana Police Department conducted a joint operation with the FBI, the Orange County Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory and the District Attorney’s office, law enforcement officials said.
His Telegram account handle was @partytime143, police said.
Anyone who suspects they may have had contact with VanDeCar under those social media platform names regarding this ongoing investigation is asked to contact the Fontana Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit by emailing fontanapdicac@fontanaca.gov.
» https://www.nbclosangeles.com/on-air/police-seek-more-victims-following-the-arrest-of-suspected-online-predator-in-temecula/3285479/    (VIDEO) 
» https://ktla.com/news/local-news/internet-predator-arrested-following-multi-agency-sting-in-fontana-authorities-seeking-more-victims/
» https://www.fontanaheraldnews.com/news/fontana-p-d-helps-with-arrest-of-man-who-allegedly-sexually-exploited-juveniles-online/article_5a8c2990-946c-11ee-bf43-cf92a3373765.html 

▫️Navy officer admits sharing explicit videos of children, having classified documents in kitchen
A Navy sailor who once was the executive officer of a littoral combat ship pleaded guilty this week to sharing child sexual abuse videos and mishandling classified documents, according to the Justice Department.
Cmdr. Gregory E. McLean, 39, of Jacksonville, Fla., pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of distributing videos depicting child sexual assault and one count of unlawful retention of classified national defense information, the DOJ said in a statement the same day.
McLean faces up to to 20 years in prison for the child exploitation offense and up to 10 years for the classified information conviction, the statement said. A sentencing date has not been set.
» https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/former-mayport-naval-commander-pleads-guilty-child-sex-abuse-material-charge/ZEXKKR2DPVAMXJOBYEYT7LBRLM/
» https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2023-12-07/navy-mclean-florida-child-sexual-abuse-12284353.html
» https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/naval-commander-pleads-guilty-distributing-child-sexual-abuse-material-and-retaining 

▫️New charge in alleged child porn case involving former Burns police chief
WICHITA, Kan.  — A new charge has been filed in relation to an ongoing child sexual exploitation investigation into the former police chief of Burns, Joel Womochil.
Court documents show Taylor Mullen was charged on Dec. 2 with one count of production of child pornography. The affidavit alleges Mullen produced videos of Jessica Quave in sexually explicit conduct with a minor in April 2021.
The superseding indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Womochil, Quave, and Denise Sandmann Yoder in the case. 
https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/new-charge-in-alleged-child-porn-case-involving-former-burns-police-chief/ 

▫️Elgin cop charged with possession of child pornography
KANE COUNTY - An Elgin police officer has been booked into jail on child pornography charges. Jordan Collins, 33, of Kirkland, Illinois, was charged with five counts of possession of child pornography. Each count is punishable by up to seven years in prison.
» https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/elgin-cop-charged-possession-child-pornography
» https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/police-officer-elgin-illinois-child-pornography-charges/
» https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/police-officer-from-dekalb-county-accused-of-child-pornography-possession/ 

▫️Former sheriff's deputy pleads guilty to child sex abuse and possession of explicit material
A former San Diego County sheriff’s deputy pleaded guilty Wednesday to child sexual abuse and possession of material depicting child sexual abuse.
Jose Apolonio Soto Jr., 52, who worked as a sheriff’s deputy for nearly 25 years, was arrested earlier this year after a search warrant was served at his Chula Vista home.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2023-12-06/former-sheriffs-deputy-pleads-guilty-soto 

▫️2 kidnapped children found unharmed inside abandoned stolen car
RICHLAND, Miss. — Two young, kidnapped children were found unharmed Tuesday inside a stolen vehicle that had been abandoned, according to Richland police. Richland Police Chief Nick McLendon said the three teenagers circled a Mendenhall gas station before stealing a pregnant woman's car.
While searching for the stolen vehicle, Richland police officers encountered a second stolen vehicle, which they pursued through the city and into Jackson. The chase ended when the driver of the stolen vehicle crashed on Highway 80, near Gallatin Street. Police said three people ran from the vehicle, two of whom were armed with handguns.
» https://www.supertalk.fm/3-suspects-arrested-2-children-rescued-after-vehicles-stolen-in-central-mississippi/
» https://www.wapt.com/article/2-kidnapped-children-found-unharmed-inside-abandoned-stolen-car-richland-police/46051886# 

▫️Former Boulder therapist accused of sexually assaulting juvenile clients set for trial
A former Boulder therapist accused of sexually assaulting two juvenile sisters who were clients about 20 years ago is set for trial.
Mark Hochwender, 72, pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Boulder District Court to two counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust – pattern of abuse. Both counts are Class 3 felonies and would fall under Colorado’s indeterminate sentencing law for sex offenses, meaning Hochwender could face up to life in prison if convicted.
https://www.dailycamera.com/2023/12/06/former-boulder-therapist-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-juvenile-clients-set-for-trial/ 

▫️Arizona high school coach arrested, accused of juvenile sexual abuse
CAMP VERDE, Ariz. - A Yavapai County man has been arrested amid allegations involving sexual abuse of a juvenile.
In a statement released on Nov. 30, officials with the Camp Verde Marshal's Office say 43-year-old David Castillo is accused of sexual abuse. An investigation into the case began after officials received a report of possible sexual abuse of a juvenile on Nov. 13.
"Due to the nature of the allegations, the Camp Verde Marshal's Office will continue researching potential victims from Mr. Castillo's past, stretching back over 10 years," read a portion of the statement. 
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-high-school-coach-arrested-accused-of-child-sexual-abuse 

▫️Woman accused of permitting sexual abuse of child
PARAGOULD, Ark.  - A judge found probable cause to charge an 81-year-old Paragould woman with permitting the abuse of a minor. Carrie Howard is being held in the Greene County Detention Center on a $25,000 cash-only bond following her arrest on Dec. 1.
https://www.kait8.com/2023/12/06/woman-accused-permitting-sexual-abuse-child/ 

▫️Police searching for Dale City abduction, sexual assault suspect
Police have released a composite sketch and surveillance images in the search for a man who sexually assaulted a Dale City woman Dec. 3 and refused to let her out of his car. 
https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/police-searching-for-dale-city-abduction-sexual-assault-suspect/article_068de99c-945c-11ee-9c2a-dbb90ad7b7e2.html 

▫️Kekaha man sentenced to 10 years in prison for sex assault on a minor
Ezra John Silva, age 44 of Kekaha, was sentenced Nov. 30 to serve ten years in prison for sexually assaulting a minor. He pled guilty to Sexual Assault in the Second Degree.
https://kauainownews.com/2023/12/06/kekaha-man-sentenced-to-10-years-in-prison-for-sex-assault-on-a-minor/  

▫️Man arrested for wanting to meet child for sex
FRESNO, Calif. — A man was arrested after he agreed to meet with a minor for sex. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office says Frank Samaniego, 32, was arrested after chatting with an undercover agent who posed as a child online.
Deputies say Samaniego shared his sexual desires with the agent and agreed to meet. Once he got to the location, he was placed in handcuffs and was arrested.
» https://kmph.com/news/local/man-arrested-for-wanting-to-meet-child-for-sex-potential-predator-fresno-county-california-crime-stoppers-crime-fresno-california-frank-samaniego-fresno-county-jail
» https://www.fresnosheriff.org/media-relations/detectives-arrest-potential-sexual-predator.html 

▫️Lawsuit against Griffith Centers claims female staff member sexually abused minors
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Two men filed a federal lawsuit earlier this year claiming they were sexually abused as minors while at the Griffith Centers for Children and the non-profit organization failed to intervene.
The lawsuit, filed in April 2023, claimed a former female employee, from 2019 through 2020, gave boys at the Griffith Centers for Children in Colorado Springs drugs and alcohol to build trust then sexually assaulted them.
https://krdo.com/news/2023/12/06/lawsuit-against-griffith-centers-claims-female-staff-member-sexually-abused-minors/ 

▫️Tip from National Center for Missing and Exploited Children leads to Janesville man's arrest
The Janesville Police Department SWAT team searched a home in the 1300 block of MacArthur Drive Thursday morning after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about a 44-year-old man. The man was taken into custody without issue.
During the search, officers allegedly found a gun under the man's pillow as well as evidence of child pornography (CSAM). 
The man was taken to the Rock County Jail and faces five felony counts of possession of child pornography.
https://www.channel3000.com/news/tip-from-national-center-for-missing-and-exploited-children-leads-to-janesville-mans-arrest/article_ed286900-908c-11ee-8187-ab5703afc79d.html 

▫️Unlawfully present Honduran national gets 50 years for kidnapping and raping 15-year-old child | ICE
HOUSTON — Wilmer Rivera-Hernandez, a 33-year-old unlawfully present Honduran national, who illegally resided in Houston was sentenced Dec. 4 to 50 years in federal prison for traveling across interstate lines to engage in sex with a 15-year-old child using drugs, violence and threats of violence against her family to manipulate and control her.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/unlawfully-present-honduran-national-gets-50-years-kidnapping-and-raping-15-year-old 

▫️Gulfport man sentenced to 40 years for child exploitation
GULFPORT, Miss.  - The Office of the District Attorney announced Wednesday afternoon a Gulfport man pled guilty to one count of exploitation of a child. Circuit Court Judge Christopher Schmidt sentenced 41-year-old Gabriel Marcus Lizana of Gulfport to 40 years with 20 years suspended, leaving 20 years to serve in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, to be followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.
Officials say the investigation began in Oct. 2022, when investigators with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department received information that Google had reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual using a Gmail account and residing in Harrison County had uploaded hundreds of known images of child pornography.
https://www.wlox.com/2023/12/06/gulfport-man-sentenced-40-years-child-exploitation/ 

▫️Sexual harassment lawsuit filed by two former employees against a Jacksonville Zaxby’s
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two former employees have filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against a Zaxby’s in North Jacksonville. Andre Clements Jr. was a manager at the restaurant on Airport Road .
Morgan & Morgan filed the lawsuit on behalf of two teenage former employees who were allegedly sexually harassed and physically assaulted by their manager, Clements Jr. It states Clements Jr. was arrested in August after he was “caught following female employees into the female restroom and recording them.”
https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/sexual-harassment-lawsuit-filed-by-two-former-employees-against-jacksonville-zaxbys/BOH3GYTFX5FQJJXFJ3N7264DUE/ 

▫️The U.S. Coast Guard Academy Scandal: A Longstanding Coverup of Sexual Abuse Unveiled
The internal report, released on a recent Wednesday, shone a spotlight on the eroding trust in the Coast Guard leadership and the absence of a safe work environment for many service members. It put forth a series of recommendations for comprehensive reforms on how the Coast Guard handles not only sexual assault cases but also harassment, inappropriate behavior, and other forms of misconduct. Admiral Linda Fagan, the first woman to command a U.S. military service, initiated this review in the wake of a CNN report that exposed the suppression of sexual assault allegations and the concealment of a related report from both Congress and the public.
https://bnn.network/world/us/the-u-s-coast-guard-academy-scandal-a-longstanding-coverup-of-sexual-abuse-unveiled/ 

▫️French Citizen Deported After Being Jailed in Westover for Child Sex Abuse
WESTOVER, MD - Authorities within the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement have announced the arrest and deportation of a French national convicted of sexually abusing a Maryland minor.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Baltimore made the arrest in November at the Eastern Correctional Institution in Westover and served the man with a Warrant of Removal from the country.
https://www.wboc.com/news/french-citizen-deported-after-being-jailed-in-westover-for-child-sex-abuse/article_49c6a73a-951a-11ee-99d8-4b2b1a27da8e.html  

▫️EXCLUSIVE: Border Patrol Had 22,000 Illegal Immigrants In Custody After Releasing Thousands Into The Country
Border Patrol had more than 22,000 illegal immigrants in custody while releasing thousands of others as of late Tuesday, according to internal nationwide agency data obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
https://dailycaller.com/2023/12/06/border-patrol-illegal-immigrants-custody-releasing-thousands/ 

▫️(UPDATE) Former Abercrombie CEO Jeffries sues company to pay for his defense in sex abuse case
Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries has sued the retailer because it is refusing to cover his costs from a lawsuit that accuses him of sexually abusing young men.
Jeffries filed the lawsuit in Delaware this week, one of several legal actions involving Jeffries since an explosive BBC report in October that charged Jeffries with running a global network of human sex trafficking of young men.
https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2023/12/06/michael-jeffries-asks-abercrombie-to-pay-sex-abuse-lawsuits-defense/71826433007/ 

▫️Triad sheriffs join forces to create program to tackle human trafficking, child exploitation
Several Triad-area sheriffs, along with the SBI and Homeland Security have partnered to create a center to house a program to investigate human trafficking, child exploitation, and solicitation.
The program called Invictus will field cyber tips, use undercover operations, and use forensic evidence to uncover predators.
Another part of the project, officials say, will be educating and training officers about human trafficking and what to look for.
» https://www.wxii12.com/article/triad-sheriffs-join-forces-to-create-program-to-tackle-human-trafficking-child-exploitation/46056883
» https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/piedmont-triad/randolph-county-law-enforcement-cracking-down-on-human-trafficking/
» https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/new-project-in-randolph-county-helps-rescue-children-who-have-been-exploited-partnership/83-a60bd9a8-0172-4182-b47a-19df2de3140b
VIDEOS
» https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhE5yaczghk
»  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QgfSaGMZdk
»  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOQKauRI2iI
» https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDdj_VP24Bo

 

▫️Priests on the Move: Tracking the Alarming Transfers of Louisiana Predator Priests
There’s a pattern of clerics from abroad getting shipped in, committing heinous deeds, and then conveniently disappearing. It’s a magic trick that wouldn’t look out of place at a Vegas show, minus the glitter and glamour. 
The Travelling Circus of Predator Priests:
Even with the limited information, we can still scrape together a picture. Let’s do a quick roll call of some of the predator priests from all over who ended up in Louisiana at some point:
• Fr. Maria Susai Arul– A native of India, worked in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Alabama.
• Fr. Jody P. Blanchard breezed through California, Texas, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.
• Fr. John Anthony Mary Engbers fled to Holland after he was sued for molesting a 3 or 4-year-old girl. At first, he reportedly admitted the abuse with the pastor present. But he was moved to another church. He also worked in the Lake Charles area.
• Fr. N. Wilfred DesRosiers spent time in Canada and also in Texas and Baltimore (and reportedly victimized four kids in Louisiana).
For no apparent reason, nine years after being ordained a priest in the Netherlands, Fr. John A. de Leeuw shows up in the Lafayette Diocese, where he reportedly abuses a girl and most of her six siblings.
• Fr. Gerard C. Smit was ordained in the Netherlands and later sent to New Mexico, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
• Fr. Jean-Baptiste Toussaint also spent time in Canada and Haiti. 
• Fr. Adrian Walter Van Hal is another Dutch predator priest who worked in Lafayette.
This variety pack of predator priests doesn’t stop there. Regardless, any victims of these clerics in Louisiana now have a real shot at exposing these criminals, protecting others, and obtaining some semblance of justice. But please, don’t wait too long. The clock’s ticking!
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by religious authority figures and other clergy.
» https://www.adamhorowitzlaw.com/blog/2023/12/priests-on-the-move-tracking-the-alarming-transfers-of-louisiana-predator-priests/
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/priests-on-the-move-tracking-the-alarming-transfers-of-louisiana-predator-priests/ 

 

▫️Former Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star Felipe Rivero is deported to Venezuela after serving two-year sentence for sexually assaulting a minor
Former Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star pitcher Felipe Rivero was deported to his native Venezuela last Friday after serving a prison sentence for sexually assaulting a minor in Pennsylvania, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Tuesday.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/mlb/article-12837671/Pittsburgh-Pirates-pitcher-Felipe-Rivero-Vazquez-deported.html 

▫️Child Labor Investigation at Tyson Foods, Inc.: Is Supply Chain Due Diligence the Next Step?
In September 2023, the US Department of Labor (DOL) launched investigations into possible child labor violations by meat and chicken processors Perdue Farms and Tyson Foods. The investigation, which is to determine whether migrant children are working inside slaughterhouses owned by the poultry-processing giants, follows a New York Times magazine report of minors working at the facilities of both companies.
According to the report, just eight percent of the 350 companies demonstrate having a full human rights due diligence mechanism in place.
https://www.jurist.org/commentary/2023/12/child-labor-investigation-at-tyson-foods-inc-is-supply-chain-due-diligence-the-next-step/ 

▫️Shine a Light on Human Trafficking, Civic Center of Anderson, Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Anderson, SC, USA, January 9 2024
This in-person event aims to shed light on this pressing issue and inspire action within our community. Together, we can make a difference and create a safer world for everyone. Don't miss this opportunity to stand up against human trafficking!
https://allevents.in/anderson/shine-a-light-on-human-trafficking/10000769917212107 

▫️Siouxland Coalition Against Human Trafficking kicks off “Light Up in Blue” campaign
“The Siouxland Coalition Against Human Trafficking’s website states that their goal is “to work toward abolishing all forms of human trafficking through education, advocacy and collaboration.”
https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/siouxland-coalition-against-human-trafficking-kicks-off-light-up-in-blue-campaign/ 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News

▫️Kirkland Police rescue missing teenage girl, arrest 2 suspects in suspected human trafficking case
KIRKLAND, Wash. - A routine theft investigation took a turn when Kirkland Police Department (KPD) officers rescued a 16-year-old girl believed to be a victim of human trafficking from a motel in Totem Lake. The two men arrested were booked into King County Jail for investigation of multiple crimes including Promoting Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
» https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/human-trafficking-teenage-girl-rescued-kirkland-washington-california-fbi
»  https://abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/gas-station-theft-call-leads-to-rescue-of-california-teen-sex-trafficking-victim-washington-state-totem-lake-kirland-police-hotel-motel-16-year-old-girl-two-men-arrested
»

▫️Operation Blue Christmas: Six men charged in Mississippi human trafficking operation - 7 Survivors
TUPELO, Miss. – Agents with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) Special Victims Unit arrested six suspects after an undercover human trafficking operation.
Officials said assistance was offered to seven potential victims. The following suspects were arrested:
• Tyler Russell Dyer, 40, was charged with Child Exploitation and Felony Possession of Meth
• Travis Glen McCraw, 47, was charged with Procuring Prostitution
• Dwight John Bails, 64, was charged with Procuring Prostitution
• Christian Samuel Lampkin, 23, was charged with Procuring Prostitution
• Richard Ray Rorie, 55, was charged with Procuring Prostitution
• Jason Lakale Foulks, 50, was charged with Procuring Prostitution
» https://www.wtva.com/news/local/six-arrested-in-tupelo-area-during-undercover-operation-to-combat-human-trafficking/article_784c9a72-9616-11ee-b58f-930ccf245d3b.html
» https://www.wlbt.com/2023/12/08/6-men-arrested-following-undercover-human-trafficking-operation-mississippi/
» https://www.wjtv.com/news/state/six-men-charged-in-mississippi-human-trafficking-operation/ 

▫️Woman Arrested For Harboring A Sex Offender In Tupelo
On November 5, officers with the Tupelo Police Department responded to the Lynden Blvd. area about a report of Statutory Rape. The suspect in that case was arrested on November 6 and charged.
After further investigation, on December 5, 25-year-old Quanta Osborne (from Tupelo) was taken into custody by the Tupelo Police Department and charged with Harboring a Sex Offender.
https://darkhorsepressnow.com/woman-arrested-for-harboring-a-sex-offender-in-tupelo/ 

▫️SWAT raid Beloit home early Friday in human trafficking investigation
BELOIT, Wis.  — Early Friday morning, SWAT officers with the Rock County Sheriff’s Office raided a home in the 1500 block of Porter Avenue as part of an investigation into human trafficking. Police said there is no current threat to the community at large and the investigation is still on going.
Sergeant Kevin Skatrud says nine people were in the home at the time of the search and one of them was arrested on an active warrant not related to human trafficking.
» https://www.beloitdailynews.com/news/crime/search-warrant-relating-to-human-trafficking-executed-in-beloit/article_18c96732-95f9-11ee-9bae-7f6ec3d008b7.html
» https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/swat-raid-beloit-home-early-friday-in-human-trafficking-investigation/
» https://www.1059thehog.com/2023/12/08/rock-county-sheriffs-office-investigates-human-trafficking/ 

▫️Texas' most wanted: Kenneth Wayne Dove, reward increased
Kenneth Wayne Dove, 45, with ties to El Paso, is December's most wanted man. Dove has been on the run since November 2020, when he failed to register as a sexual offender. In 2016, he was convicted of two counts of indecency with a child with sexual contact with a five-year-old boy and was sentenced to five years, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The reward leading to his capture was increased to $6,000, and anyone with information wanting to claim the reward must reach out to Crime Stoppers at 1(800) 252 8477 or submit a tip online to be eligible. 
https://www.chron.com/news/article/texas-most-wanted-18542025.php 

▫️Man charged with sexual exploitation of child
Matthew Gamel, 36, of Pevely has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually abusing a child and receiving child pornography, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office announced.
Gamel entered his play Tuesday, Dec. 5, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. He was indicted on Nov. 8 on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and receipt of child pornography, court records show.
https://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/police_fire/matthew-gamel-charged-with-sexual-exploitation-of-child/article_d4b37370-954f-11ee-92f8-67c46497744b.html 

▫️Officer injured, missing North Carolina juvenile found after police chase ends in Jackson
One officer has been injured and one person reported missing from out of state has been located after a chase involving law enforcement began in Pearl ended in Jackson. According to Pearl public information officer Frank Hutton, police on Thursday were informed about a vehicle traveling on Interstate 20 that was listed through the National Crime Information Center as carrying a missing juvenile from North Carolina.
Officers then arrested the unidentified suspect and charged the individual with felony fleeing.
https://www.supertalk.fm/officer-injured-missing-north-carolina-juvenile-found-after-police-chase/ 

▫️NJ dispatcher charged with endangering welfare of child
Jason D. Lewis, a 39-year-old Harrison emergency dispatcher, was training to become a Special Class I Officer for the Harrison Police Department. Lewis’ home was searched and police found over 1000 images of child sexual abuse, prosecutors said.
https://www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/nj-dispatcher-charged-with-endangering-welfare-of-child 

▫️Former Elementary School Principal Sentenced to 30 Years for the Attempted Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material
OXFORD, MS -  - A former school principal will spend 30 years in prison after he secretly videotaped and photographed students in the bathroom and locker room of the school where he was the principal.
Norman Keith Aycock, 56, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for the attempted production of child sexual abuse material.
» https://www.magnoliastatelive.com/2023/12/08/former-mississippi-elementary-principal-gets-30-years-for-videotaping-students-in-locker-room/
» https://www.publicnow.com/view/92EBBD5B00E888EBB80D2974EB1A7200D7C5B5E8?1702046862
» https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndms/pr/former-elementary-school-principal-sentenced-30-years-attempted-production-child 

▫️Former Smith County, TN Middle School coach pleads guilty to child sex crimes
SMITH COUNTY, Tenn. — A former middle school coach in Smith County has pleaded guilty to multiple sex crimes involving minors, according to the District Attorney General for the 15th Judicial District. Authorities said Jamal Carter was arrested in March 2022 following allegations of inappropriate communications with juveniles. News 2 reported at the time that Carter was facing 15 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
More than a year later, on Friday, Dec. 8, District Attorney General Jason Lawson announced Carter pleaded guilty to the following charges in connection with the case:
• Two counts of sexual battery by an authority figure
• One count of sexual exploitation of a minor
• One count of solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor
• One count of solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means
https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/former-smith-county-middle-school-coach-pleads-guilty-to-child-sex-crimes/ 

▫️Former Sulphur Teacher of the Year arrested for child pornography in Texas
LAKE CHARLES, La. - A former Cypress Cove Elementary Teacher of the Year has resigned after authorities in Texas said deputies found child pornography on his computer, leading to his arrest and subsequent incarceration on a $200,000 bond.
Kenneth Espree, who most recently worked as a music teacher in Klein, Texas, was employed as an elementary school music teacher for the Calcasieu Parish School Board from 2016 to 2020.
https://www.kplctv.com/2023/12/08/former-sulphur-teacher-year-arrested-child-pornography-texas/ 

▫️Former school employee arrested for child sexual abuse images
A former Loveland para-professional has been arrested for possession of child sexual abuse materials. Joseph Major (DOB 8/7/96) of Loveland was arrested on December 7 for the following charges:
• Sexual Exploitation of a Child - Possession of More Than One Video (F4)
• Sexual Exploitation of a Child - Possession of More Than 20 Images (F4)
Major was booked into the Larimer County Jail.
https://www.publicnow.com/view/3A86E3B1D7456069F11C2DB50B050CC6925C11F0?1702057614 

▫️Eustis Middle School teacher arrested on child pornography charges
EUSTIS — Authorities have arrested a Eustis Middle School teacher on 10 counts of possession of child pornography. Michael Kozierowski, 58, was arrested by Marion County sheriff’s deputies as part of an ongoing investigation.
https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/crime/2023/12/08/eustis-middle-school-teacher-arrested-on-child-pornography-charges/71852689007/ 

▫️Man accused of forcing girlfriend into prostitution
GRANDVILLE, Mich. - Jonathan Patrick Didyk was busted outside one such metro Grand Rapids hotel, accused of forcing his girlfriend into prostitution. Grandville police body camera video obtained by Target 8 shows Didyk acting confused when police picked him up at the Rodeway Inn off Chicago Drive near I-196 on Nov. 10.
The 45-year-old from Hudsonville is charged with prostitution/pandering, accepting earnings of prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
» https://www.woodtv.com/news/target-8/man-accused-of-forcing-girlfriend-into-prostitution/  
»

▫️Accused 'Psychopathic Pervert' Used Puppies to Lure Children: Police
Police arrested an elderly South Florida man Wednesday who they allege was using a litter of puppies to lure kids into his home. 
Alberto Nunez-Arias, 75, was arrested and charged with one count of lewd or lascivious exhibition after an 11-year-old girl recently told her church group that the man exposed himself and asked her to touch him last year.
https://people.com/man-allegedly-used-puppies-lure-children-expose-himself-say-police-8413602 

▫️Rolla Man Sexually Trafficked A Child, Raped Multiple Victims
ROLLA, Mo. — The Missouri State Highway Patrol has added more criminal charges to a Rolla man accused of rape and trafficking a child. 
MSHP Troop F and I, the Phelps County Sheriff's Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations partnered in the investigation of 42-year-old Justin B. Durham. A Phelps County Grand jury indicted Durham on Sept. 14 with:
• first degree rape
• first degree sodomy
• possession of child pornography
• sexual trafficking of a child
https://www.woodtv.com/news/target-8/man-accused-of-forcing-girlfriend-into-prostitution/ 

▫️Cantina owner and son receive significant sentence for forcing young girl to engage in commercial sex
McALLEN, Texas – A Mexican woman, who legally resided in Mission, and a local Texan have been ordered to federal prison for sex trafficking a young girl, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Rita Martinez, 65, pleaded guilty June 30. Her son - Genaro Fuentes, 41, entered his plea Jan. 26 and admitted his role working at the bar and helping to facilitate the commercial sex.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 360-month term of imprisonment for Martinez, while Fuentes was ordered to serve 72 months. Martinez and Fuentes were also ordered to pay $840,000 and $20,000 in restitution to the victims, respectively. In addition, the court forfeited the bar and the home of Martinez. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony from eight victims, including a woman who was only 12 years old when Martinez brought her from Mexico and started trafficking her as a sex worker in her cantina. Prior to handing down the prison terms, Chief Judge Crane noted some people just have evil in their hearts.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/cantina-owner-and-son-receive-significant-sentence-forcing-young-girls-engage 

▫️Investigators seek victims of Tallahassee man
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tallahassee and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office are seeking possible victims of a Tallahassee man charged with 10 counts of production and possession of obscene material of minors and child pornography.
Alan Joseph Clark, Jr., 44, was arrested on Dec. 5, 2023, as part of an ongoing joint HSI and Leon County Sheriff’s Office investigation. Any person who was, or knows of someone who may have been, a possible victim of Clark is urged to contact HSI at 1-866-347-2423.
https://www.wtxl.com/downtown-tallahassee/investigators-seek-victims-of-tallahassee-man-charged-with-producing-distributing-child-sexual-abuse-material 

▫️Police looking for Virginia man convicted of child sex crimes, last known address in Richmond
RICHMOND, Va.  — The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) is looking for a fugitive who was previously found guilty of two charges related to sexual abuse of a child. According to VADOC, 37-year-old John Allove Shifflett is wanted for probation violation. Shifflett’s probation stems from previous convictions of indecent liberties with a child, as well as carnal knowledge of a child aged 13 or 14.
Anyone who believes they may have seen Shifflett or has information related to his whereabouts is asked to call local police or the VADOC Fugitive Unit at 1-877-896-5764.
https://www.wavy.com/news/crime/police-looking-for-virginia-man-convicted-of-child-sex-crimes-last-known-address-in-richmond/

▫️Pastor sexually abused baby and kids in New York, feds say
A pastor used his Long Island church to find children to sexually abuse, federal officials said. Jose Saez Jr., 28, faces an array of charges related to sex crimes against children and child pornography, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York said in a Dec. 6 news release.
https://www.centredaily.com/news/nation-world/national/article282850903.html 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️15 people arrested in Montgomery-area sex trafficking operation
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrests of 15 people in a sex trafficking investigation. Montgomery County Assistant Chief Deputy Wesley Richerson says Montgomery County Sheriff Derrick Cunningham will hold a news conference in the coming days to release more details.
» https://www.wsfa.com/video/2023/12/09/15-charged-human-trafficking-investigation/    (VIDEO)
» https://www.wsfa.com/2023/12/09/sex-trafficking-investigation-montgomery-leads-15-arrests/    (VIDEO)
» https://www.waka.com/2023/12/09/15-people-arrested-in-montgomery-area-sex-trafficking-operation/
» https://conandaily.com/2023/12/09/15-men-arrested-in-montgomery-alabama-us-marshals-join-operation/ 

▫️Five Colorado men arrested for targeting teen girls in sex-for-drugs schemes
Five men in their 20's have been jailed on allegations they dealt drugs to juvenile girls as young as 12 years old, often exchanging sex acts for the contraband.  
Both sets of the young men used Snapchat accounts to advertise illicit drugs to middle school- and high school-aged girls. They often established contact with the girls at the beginning of the school year, according to case documents.
https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/five-colorado-men-arrested-teen-girls-drugs-for-sex-exchange-boulder-county-longmont/ 

▫️Reading Man Convicted for Witness Intimidation in Human Trafficking Case
HARRISBURG, PA – Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the conviction of Dushawn Ellis, a 34-year-old man from Berks County, on charges of witness intimidation and obstruction of justice in a human trafficking case. Ellis was found guilty of threatening a victim who was set to testify against him. He declared a $20,000 hit on the witness.
The underlying investigation into the human trafficking case involving Ellis remains ongoing.
https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/2023/12/08/reading-man-convicted-for-witness-intimidation-in-human-trafficking-case/ 

▫️Man, 38, arrested by FBI and accused of Possession of Child Pornography, federal court docs said
LUBBOCK, Texas — Robert Deshaun Taylor, 38, was arrested by the FBI and accused of Possession of Child Pornography, according to federal court documents obtained by EverythingLubbock.com on Friday.
According to court records, Taylor was interviewed by Special Agents with the Texas Department of Public Safety on November 30 about sex trafficking a minor and adult female. Authorities searched Taylor’s phone and found a video of a minor performing a sexual act on him, court documents stated.
https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/local-news/man-38-arrested-by-fbi-and-accused-of-possession-of-child-pornography-federal-court-docs-said/ 

▫️Bodycam Shows Alleged Child Rapist’s Arrest for Sex Crimes, Throwing Parties with Minors
Bodycam footage shows the moment an alleged child rapist was arrested at his job on 44 sex crimes charges on November 18. The Union Township Police Department said 60-year-old Monte Cecil operated a “party house,” inviting minors over to swim and letting them sleepover — all while hidden cameras captured everything.
Clermont County prosecutors say the 60-year-old's home was known as a party house, and many families would go over to use the pool. Once asleep, Cecil is accused of taking extremely graphic photos and videos of himself with at least two children, ages 10 and 9.
Monte Cecil was indicted on Tuesday on 44 counts, including rape of a child, pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, gross sexual imposition and voyeurism.
» https://theglobalherald.com/law/bodycam-shows-alleged-child-rapists-arrest-for-sex-crimes-throwing-parties-with-minors/    (VIDEO)
» https://www.wlwt.com/article/clermont-county-monte-cecil-charges-sex-crimes-against-children/45990446#    (VIDEO)
» https://www.fox19.com/2023/11/29/clermont-county-man-indicted-45-sex-related-charges-including-raping-10-year-old/    (VIDEO)
»

▫️New Mexico man sentenced for prostituting teen girl at El Paso motel
A New Mexico man was sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison for driving a 16-year-old girl to El Paso, acting as her "pimp" and prostituting her to other men at a motel, court documents state.
Alexandre Theodore Banta, 37, was sentenced Thursday, Nov. 30, to 12 years and six months in federal prison on one count of coercion or enticement of a minor, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas officials said.
https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/crime/2023/12/07/new-mexico-man-sentenced-to-prison-for-prostituting-girl-at-el-paso-motel-alexandre-theodore-banta/71814866007/ 

▫️Former Overland councilman pleads guilty to sexual contact with a child
ST. LOUIS COUNTY — A former Overland city councilman has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a child in Creve Coeur in 2020. Jared Shadley, a former Overland city councilman, has been charged with statutory sodomy. Booking photo provided by Creve Coeur police.
Jared Shadley, 36, pleaded guilty Friday to statutory sodomy involving a minor, a felony, and admitted to sexual contact with a girl, 7, on Jan. 25, 2020, in Creve Coeur, St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell said.
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-courts/former-overland-councilman-pleads-guilty-to-sexual-contact-with-a-child/article_209c9878-96dd-11ee-bba6-ef37b6916804.html 

▫️Former owner of Wonder Lake grocery store wanted for child sexual abuse in McHenry County arrested in Florida
Sheriff’s deputies in Florida have arrested the former owner of a Wonder Lake grocery store who was wanted for allegedly sexually abusing a child in McHenry County. The felony warrant was for aggravated criminal sexual abuse out of McHenry County, the report said.
Details regarding the allegations against Mrowka were not available as the case in McHenry County appears to be under seal. State records show Alan J. Mrowka, 69, is the president and owner of Wonder Foods, Inc.
https://www.lakemchenryscanner.com/2023/12/09/former-owner-of-wonder-lake-grocery-store-wanted-for-child-sexual-abuse-in-mchenry-county-arrested-in-florida/ 

▫️Indianapolis Couple Sentenced to Combined 90 Years for Sexual Abuse of 18 Month Old Child
Tristan Mullins, 27, and Desley McLemore, 27, of Indianapolis have been sentenced to decades in federal prison for their roles in sexually exploiting and assaulting their approximately 18-month-old child.
On January 18, 2022, IMPD officers received a tip from Google alerting them to McLemore and Mullins’ uploads of files depicting their sexual abuse and exploitation of their child. Both parents were immediately located and arrested by law enforcement officers.
https://wjts.tv/2023/12/indianapolis-couple-sentenced-to-combined-90-years-for-sexual-abuse-of-18-month-old-child/ 

▫️Trial set for Lawrence Hecker, priest accused of raping teen
An Orleans Parish judge on Thursday set a March 25 trial date for Lawrence Hecker, the 92-year-old retired New Orleans priest accused of raping and kidnapping a teenager nearly 50 years ago.
Hecker, who served in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, allegedly confessed in 1999 to church leaders that he had molested several teenagers over a span of 15 years, according to an investigation The Guardian published in June. The archdiocese allowed him to stay in the church.
» https://www.nola.com/news/courts/trial-set-for-lawrence-hecker-new-orleans-priest-accused-of-raping-teenager/article_af3a45da-95de-11ee-9ff3-c70bacd235d0.html
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/trial-date-set-for-lawrence-hecker-ex-new-orleans-priest-accused-of-raping-teenager/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=trial-date-set-for-lawrence-hecker-ex-new-orleans-priest-accused-of-raping-teenager 

▫️EDUCATION Over INCARCERATION (Human Trafficking Awareness) Dr. Umar Johnson, 4014 Walnut St, Philadelphia, January 12 2024
Friday January 12, 2024 from 5pm-9pm at The Rotunda 4014 Walnut Street Philadelphia P.a. 19104 Bigga Dre Presents...Education Over Incarceration Featuring: Dr. Umar Johnson MLK WEEKEND Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
https://allevents.in/philadelphia/education-over-incarceration-human-trafficking-awareness-dr-umar-johnson/10000774197203677 
 

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️5 men arrested in Milwaukie sex sting operation
PORTLAND, Ore. — Five men were arrested on Wednesday during a sex sting operation in Milwaukie, police said.
Dana Weston, 40, Joseph Zeller, 45, Christopher Quimby, Ian Ryan, 46 and Mounir Hamami, 34 were all charged with luring a minor and first-degree sexual corruption of a child.
Milwaukie police say undercover investigators used multiple social media apps posing as 15-year-old boys and girls in the sting.
» https://katu.com/news/local/five-arrested-in-milwaukie-for-online-child-sex-sting-officials-urge-parental-vigilance
» https://www.koin.com/news/5-predators-arrested-in-milwaukie-sex-sting-operation/ 

▫️NJ Man Posed as Nurse Practitioner, Kidnapped and Brutalized Multiple Women: DOJ
NEW YORK – A grand jury in Manhattan federal court returned an eight-count Indictment charging New Jersey resident Herman Brightman, a/k/a “Nazir Griffiths,” a/k/a “Nazir Luckett,” with kidnapping, interstate travel to commit domestic violence, interstate communication of a threat, cyberstalking, and interstate stalking. Brightman’s case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Cronan.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, for over a year, Herman Brightman preyed upon woman after woman using the internet to lure these women into meeting and dating him and posing as a nurse or nurse practitioner to gain their trust. He then quickly became physically abusive towards them, going so far as to kidnap the women at knifepoint and threaten to kill them.
Brightman, 30, of West New York, New Jersey, is charged with three counts of kidnapping, which each carry a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of threatening physical harm by interstate communication, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of cyberstalking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; two counts of travel in interstate commerce to commit a crime of violence, which each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of travel in interstate commerce to stalk; which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.
https://breaking911.com/nj-man-posed-as-nurse-practitioner-kidnapped-and-brutalized-multiple-women-doj/ 

▫️Clifton Park man pleads guilty to attempted child enticement
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. — A 30-year-old Clifton Park man pled guilty to attempted online enticement of a minor on Monday, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Michael Kirkland admitted to exchanging explicit text messages on a smart phone with an adult, who he believed was offering the sexual services of a 12-year-old girl, to try and convince the child to engaging in sexual acts with him, the DOJ said.
https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/clifton-park-man-pleads-guilty-to-attempted-child-enticement-michael-kirkland-smart-phones-text-messages-albany-hotels-arrest-sentencing-scheduled-faces-life-in-prison-fbi-exploitation-human-trafficking-investigation-saratoga-county-sheriffs-office 

▫️ADOC officer arrested in Montgomery sex trafficking bust
A now-former Alabama Department of Corrections officer was arrested in a sex trafficking investigation in Montgomery over the weekend.
Flanzy Harris was one of 15 other individuals arrested in the investigation. In a statement to APR after inquiring about Harris, ADOC said, “Flanzy Harris was an officer at Kilby Correctional Facility. He has resigned his position.”
https://www.alreporter.com/2023/12/12/adoc-officer-arrested-in-montgomery-sex-trafficking-bust/ 

▫️Shawna Ross Arrested on Child Sex Trafficking Charges to be Sentenced
» https://www.ktts.com/2023/12/11/woman-arrested-on-child-sex-trafficking-charges-to-be-sentenced/ 
»

▫️Senatobia Man Arrested For Child Molestation/Fondling
A Senatobia man was arrested Friday morning for Touching, Handling, etc. a Child (Molestation/Fondling) in an incident that happened December 4. On Tuesday, December 5, an investigation was opened into a complaint received of a possible sexual assault of a child victim.
On Thursday, December 7, investigators felt that enough probable cause had been gathered to sign affidavits against 20-year-old Jaylin Wooten of Senatobia for the charge of Touching, Handling, etc. of a child. This is an ongoing investigation and further charges are a possibility.
Investigators said that information was gathered that leads them to believe there could be previous incidents with Wooten. If you have any information, please contact Lieutenant Brannon Rushing at the Senatobia Police Department at 662-542-5643.
https://darkhorsepressnow.com/senatobia-man-arrested-for-child-molestation-fondling/ 

▫️Border Patrol agents arrest convicted sex offender at Highway 86 checkpoint | U.S. Customs and Border Protection
INDIO, Calif.- El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a previously deported Guatemalan citizen with a rape conviction at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint last Monday night.
The man was arrested and placed into removal proceedings and will be removed to Guatemala. 
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/border-patrol-agents-arrest-convicted-sex-offender-highway-86 

▫️U.S. Border Patrol Agents Arrested a Male Tunisian Who Was Arrested for Harassing a Female and Her Children
PERRY, N.Y.  –  U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Buffalo Sector arrested Monji Jelassi, a 64-year-old citizen of Tunisia. On December 2, Perry Police Department arrested and detained Monji Jelassi in response to a report of a male harassing a female and her children.
The female-complainant told officers that Jelassi asked to “purchase” her 5-year-old child and then attempted to entice the child into his vehicle. At the time of his arrest, the only identification Jelassi possessed was a foreign-issued International Driver’s License. 
On December 6, Buffalo Sector Border Patrol agents confirmed Jelassi’s identity and discovered he was present in the United States on an expired visa. Jelassi was remanded to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is currently being held at the Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, New York awaiting a deportation hearing
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/us-border-patrol-agents-arrested-male-tunisian-who-was-arrested 

▫️GA woman charged by SLED with 7 counts of prostitution after undercover operation at SC massage parlors
AIKEN COUNTY, S.C.  – A Georgia woman has been arrested and charged with 7 counts of prostitution after an undercover operation at several massage parlors in North Augusta, South Carolina.
According to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Ping Hong Tang, 52 was charged on Friday, December 8th and has been booked at the Aiken County Detention Center.
» https://www.wrdw.com/2023/12/11/evans-woman-charged-trafficking-allegations-aiken-parlors/
»  https://www.wjbf.com/top-stories/ga-woman-charged-by-sled-with-7-counts-of-prostitution-after-undercover-operation-at-sc-massage-parlors/
»

▫️Evidence suggests teacher abused student at DC high school
WASHINGTON — New details have emerged in the case of a former D.C. high school teacher arrested for the sexual abuse of his student in 2014. Evidence suggests the former teacher at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Mark Williams, had a drinking problem and a pattern of targeting young female students.
Several email chains, allegedly between Williams and the former student, have been made public as part of the ongoing investigation. The affidavit asks for a DC Superior Court arrest warrant to be issued against Mark Williams. 
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/crime/former-dc-teacher-sexually-abused-student-on-campus/65-1b3388b6-67d4-4c82-bc43-ad4ea63445fb 

▫️State auditor vows follow-up after 25 Investigates finds secrecy in school sexual abuse cases
BOSTON — The Massachusetts state auditor says she’s alarmed by 25 Investigates’ investigation into child sexual abuse cases in public schools – and she says she wants her office to follow up and get answers.
In November, 25 investigates launched a series tracking cases of child sex abuse in public schools. Through our own research, we uncovered at least – 150 students potentially abused by Massachusetts public school personnel in criminal and civil cases launched over the past two decades.
https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/state-auditor-vows-follow-up-after-25-investigates-finds-secrecy-school-sexual-abuse-cases/SUGMJ6AIBVGJVDSHXUDSVHZGXA/ 

▫️DC Police officer sentenced to 32 years for sexual abuse of child between 2019 and 2021
WASHINGTON  — A D.C. Police officer was sentenced to 32 years in prison Monday for sexual abuse of a child, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Charles Johnson, 30, was found guilty of multiple counts of child sexual abuse and assault in July 2023. According to court documents, on multiple occasions between November 2019 and September 2021, Johnson sexually abused a child who was 9 years old. The child was 10 years old at the time of the assaults, documents show.
» https://wjla.com/news/local/washington-dc-police-officer-sentenced-to-32-years-for-sexual-abuse-of-child-between-2019-and-2021-assault-mpd-metropolitan-police-department-law-enforcement-district-of-columbia-sex-offender-charles-johnson
» https://www.fox5dc.com/news/former-mpd-officer-sentenced-to-32-years-in-prison-for-child-sex-abuse 

▫️40% of girls from the border sold into human trafficking: Rep. Waltz
Rafael Govea Romero was arrested in the killing of a 16-year-old high school cheerleader found dead in a Texas bathtub. Police did not release Romero’s age but identified him as an “undocumented male.” 
Rep. Michael Waltz from Florida who joins “On Balance” says that the border is open for criminals to walk in. This year marked a record high in the number of individuals on the terror watchlist crossing into the United States from both the northern and southern borders.  

▫️Strasburg Rapist, Sexual Predator Sentenced up to 112 Years in Prison
A Strasburg man convicted by jury in August of rape of a child and 21 additional charges regarding sex offenses occurring around 2018 and subsequent domestic violence and witness intimidation charges in 2022 was sentenced last Friday to 55 to 112 years in prison by Lancaster County President Judge David Ashworth. Derrick S. Myers, 34 of the 200 block of W. Main Street, was found by a licensed psychologist to be a sexually violent predator during the hearing and must register as a lifetime sex offender and follow all requirements laid forth by Megan’s Law.
The witness also reported Myers stating, “I should have killed her when I had the chance.”
https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/da/11617/post/strasburg-rapist-sexual-predator-sentenced-112-years-prison 

▫️Dallas man sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually abusing young child for 4 years
PORTLAND, Ore. — A 60-year-old Dallas man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually abusing a child over four years, the Polk County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
Richard Rose Jr. was found guilty of seven counts of first-degree sex abuse, one count of luring a minor and one count of private indecency. The abuse began when the child victim was six years old.
https://www.koin.com/news/60-year-old-man-sentenced-to-25-years-in-prison-for-sexually-abusing-young-child-for-4-years/ 

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Green Bay Police Department: One woman rescued, three men arrested in human trafficking sting operation
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Officials with the Green Bay Police Department say they were able to rescue one woman and arrest three men in a recently conducted human trafficking sting operation.
According to a release, Green Bay police officers carried out a half-day sting operation to combat human trafficking with a primary focus on recovering victims.
Officials say that on December 7, detectives were able to rescue one woman who was believed to be a victim.
» https://fox11online.com/news/local/three-arrests-made-one-victim-rescued-in-green-bay-human-trafficking-sting-operation-police
» https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/local-news/green-bay-police-department-one-woman-rescued-three-men-arrested-in-human-trafficking-sting-operation/ 
» https://www.facebook.com/GreenBayPolice/posts/pfbid02U3rXjPzobae1KmSZEfTXyH7iW7vPQrhVoe1LAnoXtDTqVXYA6EePhLwDKaaMKYMvl

▫️9 arrested in Los Angeles County prostitution bust
Nine people were arrested during a prostitution bust in Pomona on Tuesday. The sting operation targeted sex purchasers and human trafficking in the area near East Holt Avenue and Indian Hill Boulevard, according to the Pomona Police Department.
During the operation, undercover officers posed as sex workers and were “contacted by sex purchasers” in the area, police said.
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/9-arrested-in-l-a-county-prostitution-bust/ 

▫️‘Operation Naughty List’: Clements High School principal arrested in undercover prostitution sting
A high school principal in Sugar Land was arrested on a prostitution solicitation charge. Fort Bend County deputies arrested 43-year-old Brian Shillingburg during a sting operation late Monday.
During the operation, dubbed “Operation Naughty List,” Shillingburg allegedly met an undercover officer at a Missouri City hotel to perform sexual acts in exchange for compensation.
» https://www.lmtonline.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/fort-bend-isd-principal-arrested-18549647.php
»  https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2023/12/12/clements-high-school-principal-charged-with-soliciting-prostitute/
»

▫️Two Arkansas state troopers named State Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
Two Arkansas State Police troopers were jointly awarded the 2023 State Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award in a ceremony Tuesday, according to a news release from state police.
Attorney General Tim Griffin presented the award to Senior Cpl. David Smothers and Special Agent Matt Foster for their actions surrounding a July traffic stop on Interstate 40 that resulted in the rescue of a woman who told authorities she had been trafficked for months.
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/dec/12/two-arkansas-state-troopers-named-state-law/ 

▫️Have you Seen Him? Warren County Authorities Seek Alleged Snapchat Predator
WARREN COUNTY, NJ - The Warren County Prosecutor’s Office and the Washington Township Police Department are currently seeking information related to the whereabouts of Easton, Pennsylvania resident, Michael Davenport. An investigation into Davenport’s background revealed a sexual relationship with an underage victim whom he located and engaged with via the social media application Snapchat, the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office released in a statement today. Davenport, now 22, was 20 while the victim was 14-years-old.
The Warren County Prosecutor’s Office and the Washington Township Police Department are asking anyone with information regarding Davenport’s whereabouts to contact them. Warren County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit: 908-475-6275.
» https://wrnjradio.com/pa-man-wanted-charged-for-allegedly-sexually-assaulting-14-year-old-in-warren-county-police-say/
» https://www.tapinto.net/towns/phillipsburg/sections/police-and-fire/articles/have-you-seen-him-warren-county-authorities-seek-alleged-snapchat-predator 

▫️'Prime example of good police work': Mich. police coordinate inter-agency response to rescue kidnapped teen
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — It was all hands on deck in the Traverse City Police Department detective bureau Friday evening after they learned a 16-year-old girl possibly had been kidnapped.
She was found early Saturday, and safely reunited with her mother that night. But that outcome required quick coordination between at least six law enforcement agencies in a 27-hour time span.
https://www.police1.com/police-heroes/prime-example-of-good-police-work-mich-police-coordinate-inter-agency-response-to-rescue-kidnapped-teen 

▫️Sex trafficking operation upended in toney Dallas suburb, more arrests expected after sex trafficking operation upended in Plano neighborhood
New details were released Tuesday about a raid on Monday morning in a quiet, upscale Plano neighborhood. Federal officials told NBC 5 they busted a sex trafficking operation at a rental home along Sowerby Drive.
One person arrested at the home, identified as 40-year-old William Garland, appeared in U.S. District Court in Plano on Tuesday still wearing the red plaid pajama bottoms and flip flops he had on when agents entered his home.
Garland faces two federal charges, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by coercion and coercion and enticement by aiding and abetting. Garland will remain in custody and is expected to return to district court to enter a plea next week.
The FBI and Plano Police also arrested a female accomplice who is also accused of coercion in the case. She pleaded not guilty and was released with conditions. Police told NBC 5 this is just the beginning and that more arrests are expected.
Specific details around the allegations of sex trafficking remain sealed, but we expect more information to be released by investigators soon.
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/more-arrests-expected-after-sex-trafficking-operation-upended-in-plano-neighborhood/3410311/       (VIDEO) 

▫️Buna man arrested on multiple charges of human trafficking in a border county
Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers arrested a Buna man on Saturday after it was discovered that he had multiple warrants for human trafficking. The warrants were issued in Kinney County, which is on the Texas-Mexico border. The county seat is Brackettville, which is 110 miles west of San Antonio.
According to DPS Sergeant Shana Clark, Joshua Kelly, 30, had six warrants for felony charges of Smuggling of Persons, and one warrant for a felony charge of Evading Arrest with a Vehicl
https://www.kjas.com/news/local_news/article_1f97764a-9940-11ee-819b-efcc557baf51.html 

▫️Atlanta man accused of trafficking disabled woman
11Alive sat down with the Chief of the Attorney General's Human Trafficking Unit, who is prosecuting the case.

▫️Tradeshift Sex Slave Lawsuit: San Francisco CEO Fires Back
A tech CEO who was fired from San Francisco-based Tradeshift for sexual assault allegations and is now being sued by a former employee who claims she was held in a sex “slave contract” says the allegations amount to defamation for personal financial gain. 
The assistant leveled stunning claims in a lawsuit filed Thursday about her tenure under former CEO Christian Lanng, claiming that company human resources staff, co-founders and members of its board directors knew of what she describes as "rape, sexual abuse, torture and assault ... occurring within the course and scope of her employment" before firing her. She further alleges she was held in “a dark abyss of unwanted sexual horror” at the cloud-based supply-chain software firm.
https://sfstandard.com/2023/12/12/san-francisco-tech-boss-sex-slave-lawsuit/ 

▫️Mississippi man who planned to rape a 10-month-old baby boy to celebrate his 49th birthday is arrested after messaging undercover FBI agent images of infant clothes and an elephant rattle
A pedophile who 'couldn't wait' to rape a baby has been arrested after driving hundreds of miles to allegedly fulfil his sick fantasy.
Dennis Allen Gaal, 49, thought he was meeting a fellow pervert in a hotel room in Chattanooga, TN, to abuse a 10-month-old boy on Monday, police said.
He was instead ambushed by officers and charged with attempted child rape and two counts of attempted solicitation of a minor.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12856243/Man-planned-rape-baby-arrested.html 

▫️Fr. James Jackson apologizes, claims ‘addiction’ to child porn
In a plea for a sentence of five years on child pornography charges, Fr. James Jackson told a federal judge that he accepted responsibility for his crimes and was sorry, and that he had been sexually abused himself as a minor.
Jackson’s apology came attached to a sentencing memorandum filed in federal court Dec. 11, six months after he pled guilty to a felony count of receiving child sex abuse material.
» https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/fr-james-jackson-apologizes-claims
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/fr-james-jackson-apologizes-claims-addiction-to-child-porn/ 

▫️'Child predator posing as child advocate': El Dorado district attorney files 8 felonies against Principal
Pioneer Union Elementary School Principal Boyd Holler wasn't in a classroom Tuesday. Instead, he was in a courtroom. Holler, 37, appeared before an El Dorado County Superior Court judge. He pleaded not guilty to eight felonies, four counts of showing pornography to a minor, and four more counts of contact with a minor for sexual offense.  The District Attorney wrote in court documents that despite Holler's "outward appearance as a pillar in the educational community — he has a sexual interest in children that he has kept hidden for some time."

▫️Man, 56, sentenced to 10 years in prison for child sexual abuse
A 56-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for “disgraceful” sexual offences against children which spanned almost 40 years.
Gary Nicholson was sentenced on Tuesday for a string of sexual crimes against four children committed between 1981 and 2020. The abuse took place in Kirkcaldy, Livingston and Falkirk.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-12856107/Man-56-sentenced-10-years-prison-child-sexual-abuse.html 

▫️Former Police Officer Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Sex Abuse Materials
FLORENCE, S.C. — Douglas Perdick, 47, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of child sex abuse materials. Perdick was court-ordered to pay $9,000.00 in restitution to the victims. 
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/former-police-officer-sentenced-5-years-federal-prison-distribution-child-sex-abuse 

▫️Unlawfully present Mexican citizen sentenced to a 42 months following ERO Chicago arrest | ICE
CHICAGO — An unlawfully present Mexican man and previously convicted sexual predator pleaded guilty to illegal reentry in November 2023 and will serve a 42-month sentence in an Indiana Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
He was removed three times in 2014.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/unlawfully-present-mexican-citizen-sentenced-42-months-following-ero-chicago-arrest 

▫️Details on how you can help Blue Campaign tackle human trafficking

▫️Zeteo Community founders host groundbreaking for sex trafficked survivors safe haven
A safe haven for survivors of sex trafficking will begin construction soon in Dane County.
https://www.fox5vegas.com/video/2023/12/13/zeteo-community-founders-host-groundbreaking-sex-trafficked-survivors-safe-haven/    (VIDEO) 

▫️Empowering Small Business: Understanding & Combating Human Trafficking - Jan 23, 2024 - BOULDER CHAMBER
This is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about human trafficking in Boulder County and to learn about:
• Different types of human trafficking situations and potential victims
• Safety assessment awareness
• Youth and social media
• How to respond when you suspect human trafficking
• Community resources
Who should attend? Small business owners, local leaders, employees of businesses, and community members.
» https://business.boulderchamber.com/events/details/empowering-small-business-understanding-combating-human-trafficking-30525
» https://www.boco.org/humantrafficking 
_

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Plano raid busted county-wide sex trafficking operation, 3 indicted
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday afternoon that Monday’s raid on a Plano house broke up a major sex trafficking ring operating throughout Collin County. So far, three people have been indicted in the criminal case, including two men charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force or coercion.
The suspects are accused of recruiting women to become escorts and then forcing them into prostitution. Jalen Alexander Bobo, 24, appeared in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Texas on Wednesday morning.
A grand jury indicted Bobo on two counts, including conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force or coercion and coercion and enticement in aiding and abetting.
» https://www.wfaa.com/video/news/crime/fbi-raid-linked-to-human-trafficking-ring-in-north-texas/287-f31765d9-be8d-4d3c-9b8c-51f79f831b0d     (VIDEO)
» https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/plano-raid-busted-county-wide-sex-trafficking-operation-3-indicted/3411423/
»  https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx/pr/individuals-indicted-and-arrested-collin-county-sex-trafficking-conspiracy
»

▫️16 arrested in Fort Bend County including high school principal for prostitution-related charges
On Dec. 11 and 12, an operation was conducted by the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office and the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance to identify those looking to participate in prostitution. 
According to the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office, 15 people were arrested for solicitation of prostitution, including, Jameel Aburamadan, 20; Devin Roy, 38; Lance Parnell, 54; Matthew Wray, 33; Donovan Bankett, 29; Troy Flanagan, 35; Shahzaib Ali, 25; Alexis Garcia-Almaraz, 27; Samuel Omolade, 31; Omer Karar, 33; Edward Pickett, 50; Parker Moss, 27; Errol Lindo, 60; Steven Haley, 30; and James Shillingburg, 43. Additionally, Prince Williams, 31, was arrested for the Promotion of Prostitution.
» https://www.fox26houston.com/news/16-arrested-in-fort-bend-county-including-high-school-principal-for-prostitution-related-charges
» https://www.aol.com/news/16-arrested-fort-bend-county-025612103.html 

▫️Arrested for Luring Teenage Girl
Evidence of that comes with the December 5th arrest of 35-year-old Santa Barbara resident Samuel William Lafond at the hands of the Oxnard Police Department’s Family Protection Unit. Lafond, who had been the subject of an undercover operation conducted by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, had been arrested and charged with multiple child pornography crimes in September, 2021.
When Lafond allegedly “traveled to Ventura County for the purposes of engaging in sex acts with a teenage girl,” the Oxnard cops made contact with him and took him into custody.
Lafond was transported to Ventura County Jail, where he was booked on a felony charge of luring a minor for sex, with his bail set at $500,000.
https://www.crimevoice.com/2023/12/13/pedophile-arrested-4/ 

▫️Warren County man indicted for alleged sexual abuse of children
A Franklin man was indicted on multiple counts of gross sexual imposition for allegedly having sexual contact with multiple victims under the age of 13 over a six-year period in Warren and Butler counties.
This week, a Warren County grand jury handed down a 12-count indictment against Cordero Allen Hicks, 36. The charges are third-degree felonies. The three victims, two boys and a girl, ranged in age between 6 and 11 years of age when the alleged abuse started.
https://www.daytondailynews.com/community/warren-county-man-accused-of-children-sexual-abuse/2X7NN2HV7JEXNHBBXHW4MH3YQU/ 

▫️Arrest reports: Murder-suicide suspect was accused of child sex abuse
LAS VEGAS — The man accused of shooting four people and himself in a northwest Las Vegas apartment was on house arrest after being accused of sexually assaulting several children, Channel 13 has learned.
According to several arrest reports, four different children told police that Marvin Patterson had sexually abused them.
» https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/man-whod-accused-sex-abuse-195531742.html
» https://www.ktnv.com/news/crime/arrest-reports-suspect-in-murder-suicide-was-on-house-arrest-for-child-sex-crimes
» https://youtu.be/aROmds09bxs   

▫️Police Detective and Former School Resource Officer Indicted on Child Sex Abuse Material Charges
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned an 18-count indictment against Daniel Paul Shealy, 35, of Rock Hill, charging distribution of child sexual abuse materials (12 counts) and receipt of child sexual abuse materials (6 counts).
The indictment alleges that Shealy was a certified law enforcement officer in the state of South Carolina, and that during that time he held the rank of Detective in a police department’s Criminal Investigative Division and that he served as a School Resource Officer assigned to a local public school.
» https://www.wbtv.com/2023/12/13/former-rock-hill-police-officer-indicted-child-sex-abuse-material-charges/
» https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/police-detective-and-former-school-resource-officer-indicted-child-sex-abuse-material 

▫️Pembroke Pines after-school counselor accused of possessing child sex abuse material
PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – Pembroke Pines police arrested a “part-time, after-school care counselor” at a city-run charter elementary school Wednesday after they said he possessed child sexual abuse images and videos depicting victims as young as 3.
According to police, Douglas J. Chin held that role at Pembroke Pines Charter Elementary FSU Campus, located at 601 SW 172nd Ave.
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/12/13/after-school-counselor-at-pembroke-pines-school-accused-of-possessing-child-sex-abuse-material/ 

▫️Jasper County man arrested during traffic stop on warrant for human smuggling charges
He was wanted on a Kinney County felony warrant for six counts of smuggling of persons and a count of evading arrest with a vehicle.

▫️WV Man Wanted for Numerous Sex Offenses Arrested by U.S. Marshals Task Force in MD | U.S. Marshals Service
Martinsburg, WV – A man wanted in West Virginia for numerous sex offenses involving a minor was arrested Dec. 12 by U.S. Marshals in Clarksburg, Maryland.  
On July 19, a warrant was issued out of Berkeley County for Hwang Kim, who was charged with numerous sex offenses involving minors including first-degree sexual abuse and sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian to a child.  
On Nov. 2, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the the U.S. Marshals Mountain State Fugitive Task Force in apprehedending Kim.  Upon receipt of the case, investigators were able to develop information that indicated Kim was residing in Clarksburg, Maryland, and requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force in apprehending him.  Kim was taken into custody without incident.  
https://www.usmarshals.gov/news/press-release/wv-man-wanted-numerous-sex-offenses-arrested-us-marshals-task-force-md 

▫️Texas man sentenced to 40 years for producing, possessing child sexual abuse material | ICE
GALVESTON, Texas — A Texas man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for producing and possessing child sexual abuse material following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston’s Galveston Office and the Pearland Police Department.
Sean Michael Kriss, a 40-year-old resident of Brazoria, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to 30 years for the sexual exploitation of a child and 10 years in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/texas-man-sentenced-40-years-producing-possessing-child-sexual-abuse-material 

▫️Judge orders special setting for Anthony Patterson's child-sex crimes trial
Seventy-eighth District Judge Meredith Kennedy issued an order Dec. 7 for Patterson's trial to take place at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in downtown Fort Worth. This makes the date official for a second attempt at trying Patterson.
The 47-year-old former car dealer is accused of trafficking two elementary-school age girls from Vernon to his home in Wichita Falls so he could sexually abuse them, according to allegations. The girls, 8 and 10, received candy and a few dollars after a sex worker brought them to visit Patterson.
https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/2023/12/13/anthony-pattersons-child-sex-crimes-trial-date-set/71907772007/ 

▫️Vestavia Hills man gets 24 years in federal prison for child pornography conviction
U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Eugene Douglas Reid, III, 48, to 288 months – 24 years - in prison followed by 20 years supervised release for distribution and transportation of child pornography, according to an announcement Wednesday by Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
https://www.al.com/news/2023/12/vestavia-hills-man-gets-24-years-in-federal-prison-for-child-pornography-conviction.html 

▫️Houston man molested, created child pornography of girls during ‘tutoring’ sessions
HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Houston man has been sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for producing child pornography of several girls, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Nam Vu Bui pleaded guilty Aug. 21. He was sentenced to 330 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal.
Bui was also ordered to pay $19,680 in restitution to the victims.
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2023/12/14/houston-man-molested-created-child-pornography-of-girls-during-tutoring-sessions/ 

▫️Federal Jury in Chicago Convicts Indiana Man on Kidnapping and Interstate Domestic Violence Charges
ROBERT SPEED, 40, of Gary, Ind., held the victims against their will and repeatedly assaulted them with various dangerous weapons in May and July of 2019.  During the assaults, which occurred at residences and hotels in Gary, Ind., Chicago, and the Chicago suburbs, Speed repeatedly punched, hit, and choked the victims.  The victims, who had previous romantic relationships with Speed, testified at trial about their ordeals with Speed and the serious injuries he caused them.
The jury on Tuesday convicted Speed on all nine counts against him, including two counts of kidnapping and seven counts of interstate domestic violence.  Each kidnapping count is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, while each domestic violence count carries a maximum sentence of ten years.  U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso set sentencing for March 26, 2024.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/federal-jury-chicago-convicts-indiana-man-kidnapping-and-interstate-domestic-violence 

▫️Federal Jury Convicts Charlotte Man Of All Charges For Sex Trafficking A Minor
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury in Charlotte convicted Tawaan Batten today of sex trafficking a minor, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Batten, 33, of Charlotte, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, one count of sex trafficking of a minor, and one count of transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in commercial sexual activity. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. presided over the three-day trial.
"Batten took advantage of a vulnerable 15-year-old girl who turned to him out of desperation and exploited her in the worst way – for profit," said U.S. Attorney King.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/federal-jury-convicts-charlotte-man-all-charges-sex-trafficking-minor 

▫️Woman guilty of continuous sexual abuse of child, sentenced to decades in prison
A woman accused of taking a child in her care to multiple photoshoots in which the victim was put in “sexually explicit poses” has been sentenced to 32 years behind bars, the Collin County Criminal District Attorney’s office announced Tuesday. Stacey Jurik, 40, of Wylie, was arrested by Dallas police officers in December 2022 on multiple charges, including continuous sexual abuse of a child, online court records showed. 
In 2021, Jurik was contacted by Grant Durtschi, 50, of Lewisville, and “arranged for” him to take photographs of a child in her care, the district attorney’s office said in Tuesday’s news release. “Durtschi traveled between numerous states photographing children, and many of the photos were of a sexually-explicit nature,” the attorney’s office said, adding that “Jurik was aware that Durtschi produced child pornography.”
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/woman-found-guilty-of-continuous-sexual-abuse-of-child-sentenced-to-32-years-in-prison-authorities-say/3411215/ 

▫️Former pastor accused of child sexual abuse
A former pastor on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation was convicted Monday of sexually abusing three children while staying at his home in Lame Deer.
Dean Alan Smith, 67, was found guilty by a jury following a six-day trial of aggravated sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact by force, and two counts of abusive sexual contact by force and of a child.
https://rapidcityjournal.com/former-pastor-accused-of-child-sexual-abuse/article_1ee29b95-d6eb-5a77-92d7-5eb06782865c.html 

▫️Providence priest sentenced to 6 years for possession of child sexual abuse material
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — United States Attorney Zachary Cunha said that a former Catholic priest assigned to St. Mary’s Church in Providence was sentenced for downloading and storing thousands of images of child sexual abuse material. 68-year-old Father James Ward Jackson was charged with receipt of child pornography.
The  Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force found that Jackson had a computer at the rectory which contained over 12,000 images and 1,300 videos of child sexual abuse material in September 2021.
» https://www.abc6.com/providence-priest-sentenced-to-6-years-for-possession-of-child-sexual-abuse-material/
» https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2023/12/providence-priest-sentenced-to-6-years-for-possession-of-child-sexual-abuse-material/ 

▫️Lawsuit alleges Pleasanton church, archdiocese covered up assaults by top priest
A priest from the St. Mary and St. John Coptic Orthodox Church in Pleasanton is scheduled to be deposed next week in a lawsuit filed by a former parishioner who alleges he sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions.
While there have been police investigations but no criminal charges involving Father Antonious Baky, a Dublin resident and ordained priest with the Coptic Orthodox Church, the plaintiff and her lawyer hope a civil jury trial set for next year will begin to shed light on what they see as a dangerous and normalized pattern of abuse within the Coptic churches.
https://www.pleasantonweekly.com/news/2023/12/13/lawsuit-alleges-pleasanton-church-archdiocese-covered-up-assaults-by-top-priest 

▫️Suspect Sought After Attempted Abduction of at Least 3 University of Arizona Students: Police - Breaking911
Authorities are currently engaged in an ongoing search for an individual suspected of attempting to abduct three women in separate incidents near the University of Arizona campus in Tucson within the past week. Law enforcement has described the suspect as a man with a dark complexion, potentially Hispanic, standing between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall, with a medium to heavyset build and “close buzz cut hair,” according to the Tucson police. The suspect was reportedly driving a “dark purplish four-door hatchback or crossover vehicle with a dented front bumper, tinted windows, and no front license plate.”
Tucson Police are leading the investigation with the assistance of university police, the FBI, and U.S. Marshals in their search for the suspect.
» https://youtu.be/9b2d5xJW86U

▫️Anti-human trafficking nonprofit opens new office space in Pennsylvania
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx15mHKjMZU

▫️Fighting the Scourge of Human Trafficking
Sandy Middleton(Executive Director – The Center for Violence Prevention), Dr. Erin Green(Grants Ferry Family Dentistry), Dr. Lindsay Jerome(Obstetrician/Gynecologist), & Grace(Human Trafficking Survivor) stop by the SuperTalk Studio to discuss the ongoing fight against the scourge of Human Trafficking.

 

[Pompeii]

Who's in the News?

▫️Tyreek Lee guilty plea in human trafficking, racketeering case involving former Falcons player Eric Johnson
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Another man connected to a case involving a former Falcons football player pleaded guilty to trafficking women and children, according to the Georgia Attorney General's Office on Thursday. The case included a 96-count Gwinnett County grand jury indictment -- obtained by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr as part of his special Gang and Human Trafficking Prosecution Units in February.
One of the eight defendants is a former Atlanta Falcons football player, Eric Johnson, who played in the NFL for six seasons. The indictment accuses the six men and two women of conspiracy, trafficking women for sexual servitude, terrorism, kidnapping, aggravated assault, gang activity and racketeering.
An investigation by the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office led to the indictment of eight alleged members of the LOTTO gang on February 8, according to authorities. The indictment charges them with Conspiracy to Violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, alleging the trafficking of five female victims, including a minor, to bolster LOTTO's reputation. 
https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/guilty-plea-gang-lotto-nfl-falcons-eric-johnson-trafficking/85-e70042ee-4a8e-4c34-9151-1a1ab09bae4b    (VIDEO) 

▫️Malas Manas Transnational Criminal Organization Leadership Indicted on Charges of Human Smuggling and Drug Trafficking
TUCSON, Ariz. – On November 29, 2023, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an 11-count indictment against Jorge Damian Roman-Figueroa, Luis Eduardo Roman-Flores, Manuel Jose Bernal, Joel Salazar-Ballesteros, and Jesus Armando Gonzalez-Villela, citizens of Mexico, for Conspiracy to Transport Aliens; Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments; Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana, Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Cocaine; Distribution of  Marijuana, Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Cocaine; and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
The indictment alleges that defendants Jorge Damian Roman-Figueroa, also known as Soldado, Luis Eduardo Roman-Flores, Manuel Jose Bernal, also known as Peque, and Joel Salazar-Ballesteros, also known as Catorce, are members of the Malas Manas Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO), operating in the Santa Cruz and Mascarenas areas of Mexico, with the permission of the Sinaloa Cartel. 
The indictment alleges that these defendants operated a human smuggling organization as part of the Malas Manas TCO, trafficked drugs, and laundered the proceeds of both criminal activities.  More specifically, the indictment alleges that beginning at an unknown time but including December 2020 and continuing through November 12, 2021, defendants Roman-Figueroa, Roman-Flores, Bernal, and Salazar-Ballesteros conspired to transport aliens within the United States as part of the Malas Manas Transnational Criminal Organization. 
» https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/pr/malas-manas-transnational-criminal-organization-leadership-indicted-charges-human
» https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/hsi-nogales-multiagency-case-results-indictments-malas-manas-leaders-human-smuggling 

▫️Rock Hill school resource officer indicted on child porn charges
ROCK HILL, S.C. — A federal grand jury has returned an 18-count indictment charging a former Rock Hill Police Department officer with charges related to child pornography. 
Daniel Paul Shealy, 35, of Rock Hill, has been charged with 12 counts of distributing child sexual abuse materials and six counts of receiving child sexual abuse materials. 
» https://finance.yahoo.com/video/former-police-officer-accused-having-033208210.html    (VIDEO)
» https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/rock-hill-police-officer-indicted-child-porn-charges/275-9295bd2a-5c3a-4774-888a-1a31a0c4da47 

▫️New York City Police Officer Charged with Sex Offenses Relating to Minors
A four-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Christopher Terranova, a New York City police officer, with attempting to exploit children and coercion and enticement of a minor.  In at least one instance, Terranova is alleged to have used his position as a police officer to gain access to a victim who had previously been the victim of a crime.  Terranova was arrested this morning and will be arraigned later today before United States Magistrate Judge Marcia M. Henry.
“The defendant allegedly preyed upon vulnerable youth in the same community he was sworn to protect,” stated United States Attorney Peace.
» https://nypost.com/2023/12/14/metro/ex-nypd-cop-busted-for-explicit-messages-with-boys-sexually-assaulting-one-in-the-woods-feds/
» https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/new-york-city-police-officer-charged-sex-offenses-relating-minors 

▫️Former Rome youth pastor sentenced on child Molestation and pornography charges 
A former youth minister of a Floyd County church was sentenced Thursday to serve 15 years in prison on child molestation and possession of child pornography charges, alongside another 25 years on probation. When Austin Wray Perkins was arrested on March 9, 2022, as part of a sting targeting child pornography, police discovered he was also the guardian of a minor living at his home who he sexually victimized.
https://www.wrganews.com/2023/12/15/former-rome-youth-pastor-sentenced-on-child-molestation-and-pornography-charges/ 

▫️CBP officers apprehended a fugitive wanted for sexual assault of a child at Hidalgo International Bridge
On December 12, CBP officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge encountered 52-year-old Juan Quintero, as he arrived from Mexico. Quintero faces charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony in the state of Texas.
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/cbp-officers-apprehended-fugitive-wanted-sexual-assault-child-hidalgo 

▫️Three Pike County men arrested for child sexual abuse offenses in separate investigations
MILFORD, PIKE CO.  — Three men have been arrested in Pike County for child sexual abuse offenses in three separate offenses, officials have announced. On Dec. 6, detectives with the Pike County District Attorney's Office charged 61-year-old Donald McConnell of Dingmans Ferry with aggravated indecent assault, child porn possession, corruption of minors, intimidating a witness and several related charges.
On Dec. 7, detectives then charged Chad Parker, 34, of Bushkill, with possessing child porn and criminal use of a communication facility. According to officials, detectives received information that Parker had sent child sexual abuse material to an individual along with sexually explicit text messages.
On Dec. 12, detectives charged Robert J. Lasky, 48, of Blooming Grove Township with child porn possession.
https://fox56.com/news/local/three-pike-county-men-arrested-for-child-sexual-abuse-offenses-in-separate-investigations   (VIDEO) 

▫️SLED charges 5 people with human trafficking of minors
WEST COLUMBIA. S.C. - According to agents, Rebecca Melanie Perry, 29, Antonio Marquis Nicholson, 32, Jared H. Pease, 56, Terrell Counts, 32, and Monesha Tatayana Lapri Gary, 24, were all arrested in relation to an ongoing human trafficking investigating.
According to arrest warrants obtained by ABC Columbia News,  all of the suspects are accused of either recruiting, or trafficking victims under the age of 18 knowing they would be forced to perform sex acts in exchange for pay dating back to February of this year.  Arrest warrants say the incidents took place over a two month span of time as the aforementioned suspects worked out of the Home Towne Studios and Suites Columbiana.
» https://www.abccolumbia.com/2023/12/14/sled-charges-5-people-with-human-trafficking/
» https://www.foxcarolina.com/2023/12/15/5-charged-sled-human-trafficking-case-linked-columbia-hotel/
» https://www.wccbcharlotte.com/2023/12/14/five-in-south-carolina-charged-for-human-trafficking-a-minor/ 

▫️Montpelier resident arrested for aggravated sexual assault of a child
The Attorney General’s Office announced that Jeffrey Coolidge, 58, of Montpelier, Vermont, was arraigned today on two charges of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. 
» https://vermontbiz.com/news/2023/december/14/montpelier-resident-arrested-aggravated-sexual-assault-child
» http://ago.vermont.gov/blog/2023/12/14/montpelier-resident-arrested-aggravated-sexual-assault-child 

▫️University of Florida scientists accused of keeping children in 'makeshift' wooden cages
GAINESVILLE, Fla.  — Two University of Florida biological scientists were arrested last week for allegedly “willfully and maliciously” abusing their two children.
Yurui Xie, 31, and Dustin Huff, 35, were arrested by Gainesville police on aggravated child abuse and child neglect charges. The two had been keeping their 6-year-old and 2-year-old children in improvised wooden cages, according to a police report obtained by The National Desk (TND).
https://abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/university-of-florida-scientists-accused-of-keeping-children-in-makeshift-wooden-cages-gainesville-police-yurui-xie-dustin-huff 

▫️Exclusive body camera video shows takedown of man accused of raping 16-year-old, police say
Exclusive body camera video obtained by Local 10 News Thursday shows police ar