An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. Official websites use .gov Smith lived with several of the females who were working for him. An official website of the United States government. The minor was rescued from Ossais vehicle after he was pulled over in Tinicum Township. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Metcalf and Brittany Jones. Working alongside the international community, we have seen significant increases in trafficking prosecution and conviction, and we have made great strides in supporting victims.. An official website of the United States government. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Enoch Smith, 36, a/k/a Drees, a/k/a Idris, of Philadelphia, PA, was convicted today of all charges including sex EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA PCA conducts forensic interviews of the younger victims, and our partners in the Human Trafficking Task Force conduct the interviews for older teens. 215-861-8300. Email. Lock PHILADELPHIA Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that John Adams, 41, Mercedes Hampton-Devero, 28, Malachai Kendall, 20, and Chukuw Ossai, 31, all of Philadelphia, PA, were arrested and charged in two separate Indictments with sex trafficking of minors. He even transported them to other cities and states, determined to keep the money coming in at their expense. Media Contact Led by U.S. Attorneys Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. Address: 31 E. Armat Street Philadelphia PA 19144. HIAS PA provides free legal and immigration services to survivors of trafficking. Philadelphia, PA 19106, Telephone:(215) 861-8200 Further, Keel and Felts allegedly had explicit discussions via Facebook Messenger about the commercial sex acts occurring at the residences. Have a question about Government Services? An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. An official website of the United States government. Three Philadelphia men were charged, by a federal grand jury, in an indictment unsealed today in the Eastern District of Smith also had sexual relations with the females who worked for him. Media Contact Its even more difficult to ascertain who are being forced or coerced into the trade. Deputy US marshals assigned to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force led the operation along with personnel from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, Bucks County Children Youth Services, the Philadelphia Police Departments Human Trafficking Unit, and the FBI. The crimes alleged in these Indictments will have a devastating and long-lasting impact on these minor victims, said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. Dawns Place ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The children involved are considered some of the most at-risk and challenging cases in the Philadelphia area, the marshals service said, based on high-risk factors including child sex trafficking and exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and medical or mental health conditions. PHILADELPHIA United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that three men, Andre Michael Felts, 32, Kevin Michael Francis, 60, and Ryan Keel, 39, all of Philadelphia, PA, were charged by Indictment for their roles in a sex trafficking operation that exploited numerous minor children from 2016 through 2017. The fraud is they are selling love, said Hugh Organ, associate director of the Philadelphia Anti-Trafficking Coalition. Box 18869, Philadelphia, PA 19119 - Phone (215) 848-7864 - Fax (215) 848-7893 Readers will enter into an uncomfortable world that will challenge their sensibilities, sense of safety, and stereotypical notions about the topic. EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA He said this is the time to shine the light on both the consequences and root causes of human trafficking. Address: 300 E. Hunting Park Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19124 This means the demand for this is modern-day enslavement continues. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Why? WOAR (Women Organized Against Rape) WebPHILADELPHIA Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Kevin Smith, 27, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by Indictment with sex trafficking by A locked padlock Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL WebTrafficking PCA believes strongly that understanding and responding to the needs of commercially sexually exploited youth in Philadelphia is critical, and we are committed to The dates would take place at the home that Smith leased and the females gave 100 percent of their cash earnings to Smith. Call the hotline if you are a victim or want to help someone you think is a victim: 1-888-373-7888. The Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation at Villanova University partners with organizations united against sex trafficking and CSE. WebThis program is designed to improve the juvenile justice and dependency systems' response to child abuse, neglect, commercial sexual exploitation, and sex trafficking of minors and related cases. Address: 600 Chestnut St., Suite 500B Philadelphia, PA 19106 When the minors were rescued and Adams learned he was under investigation by the FBI, he allegedly wiped his cell phone clean of all incriminating evidence. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. Media Contact So far the WOARs Sex Trafficking Advocacy and Response Team also assists with crisis support, sex trafficking assessment, prevention/education, and advocacy. EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA They are not just the drug user, the wayward runaway teen, or the troubled foster child. President Obama said there is a need to do more to fight against the exploitation of human beings for profit. Phone: 1-888-373-7888 Tipsters can remain anonymous, if they like.. Consequently, in order to rescue human trafficking victims, one must know how to identify them, the warning signs, and how to help them. Horne created Internet advertisements for each of the victims on the website Backpage.com, and he transported them across state lines to New Jersey, New York, Washington D.C., and Maryland for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts. New Day is a multi-faceted program designed to serve survivors of commercial sexual exploitation as well as sex and labor trafficking. PCA also conducts comprehensive assessments for children who are at risk or prevent red flags of being commercially sexually exploited. Leah Fletcher, Account Executive. During the week-long trial, the government proved that the defendant organized, operated and led a sex trafficking venture based in and around Northeast Philadelphia between 2013 and 2015, and in 2018. Many of these at-risk youths are referred for services with PCAs CSEC therapist, who is specially trained in this area. 300 E. Hunting Park Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19124, 2023 All rights reserved. Covenant House is a youth shelter in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. If you have not done so already, follow @USAO_EDPA and @USAttyMcSwain on Twitter to get the most up-to-date information about big cases and community news. Readers will enter into an uncomfortable world that will challenge their sensibilities, sense of safety, and stereotypical notions about the topic. The church has a ministry that addresses trafficking in the Philadelphia area. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Philadelphia Police Department Vice Unit, with assistance from the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office and the Bucks County District Attorneys Office. This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Address: Nationalities Service Center 1216 Arch Street, 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 A locked padlock On December 8, 2021, Jeremiah Eli Lowery pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute CHERRY HILL, N.J. - Officials announced Tuesday th arrest of three people for allegedly trafficking a missing child for prostitution. According to publicly filed court documents, Adams, whose self-professed nickname was Captain Save-A-Hoe, along with co-defendants Hampton-Devero and Kendall, trafficked two minors during approximately three weeks in January of 2020 from multiple locations in Philadelphia. WebTuesday, August 11, 2020. Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL While PCA does not conduct every forensic interview of these child victims, we work closely with police and the Department of Human Services (DHS) to make sure that every child still has access to the full constellation of services including medical and mental health treatment. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 31, 2013. Anyone who is a victim of child sex trafficking or has U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, The defendants allegedly advertised the minors online and harbored them in area hotels and properties, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for Community Engagement, Four Philadelphians Charged With Sex Trafficking of Minors, Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Two Teenage Girls, Fourth and Final Co-Defendant in Brutal West Philly Sex Trafficking Case Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison, Four Members and Associates of Reading Boarding House Sex Trafficking Gang The Sevens Convicted After Six-Week Trial in Allentown. Lock Eight Croatian nationals charged with attempting to traffic children, outside the magistrates court in Ndola, Zambia, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Sex Trafficking Children in Northeast Philadelphia. Working with our federal partners, we will do all that we can to keep criminals who sell the bodies of children for their own profit securely behind bars so they can do no more harm., To advertise underage girls for sex, to willfully pimp them out for profit, is heinous, said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. An official website of the United States government. A lock ( Tweet Share Pin Email Tweet Share Pin Email Related Posts AACP Philadelphia Branch Update NAACP Philadelphia Branch Tweet Share Pin Email ABOVE PHOTO: President Joe Biden walks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at St. Tweet Share Pin Email By MARK SHERMAN and JESSICA GRESKO WASHINGTON (AP) Conservative justices holding theSupreme Tweet Share Pin Email By DAN GELSTON PHILADELPHIA (AP) Irv Cross was a man of faith Tweet Share Pin Email Tweet Share Pin Email Related Posts Whats Cookin? A locked padlock Its a hard statistic, but 1 in 6 children reported missing in the U.S. are likely victims of child sex trafficking, one of When you hear the testimony of those who have been victimized, men have to be honest. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Eastern District of Pennsylvania WebYoung women and girls are the most at-risk of trafficking, although boys are also trafficked and are less likely to ask for help. They provide direct care to juvenile victims of trafficking experiencing homelessness. Common examples of identified child trafficking cases include: Commercial sex Stripping Pornography Forced begging Magazine crews Au pairs or nannies Restaurant work Hair and nail salons Agricultural work Drug sales and cultivation WebCHILD SEX ABUSE AND TRAFFICKING CHILD USA works to create a safer world for children by reforming the statutes of limitation for child sex abuse, working to end child marriage, and the abuse and neglect of athletes. One person who is well aware of this is Ellyn Jo Waller, the first lady of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, with campuses in Mount Airy and Germantown. NSC also assists individuals with obtaining long term immigration status, supporting survivors when working with law enforcement and assessing for other legal needs. LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness are also at Main Office: WebAn FBI operation focused on combatting child sex trafficking around the world resulted in the arrests of 15 suspected pimps and associates in the Philadelphia region, authorities Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The children were cleaning blood and animal parts off the floor of meatpacking plants by night and going to school by day, the Labor Department investigators said. Know that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are working every day to put traffickers like Horne behind bars and ensure some justice for their victims. Have a question about Government Services? As a city Philadelphia has major conventions and athletic events as well as many entertainment strips. They will be trafficking women and young girls on major highways and airports, arranging for sexual rendezvous in Center City hotel rooms or unmarked vans on a tree-lined residential street. Phone: 215-893-8400 33 missing children found in anti-human trafficking operation in Southern California. Children cannot sell sex even in places where prostitution is legal. 2023 Cable News Network. FOX 29 Philadelphia. Please contact WOAR via the 24-hour Philadelphia Sexual Violence hotline:215-985-3333. Lock Dawns Place offers a year-long residential program to survivors of commercial sexual exploitation or sex trafficking. Eastern District of Pennsylvania Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. PHILADELPHIA United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Artavius Horne, a/k/a Lo, 36, of Philadelphia, PA was sentenced to 45 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert for sex trafficking three children for years. More are involved than we realize.. At least Text the letters "Befree" or the numbers 233733 to reach the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. Main Office: A lock ( ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Three Philadelphia men were charged, by a federal grand jury, in an indictment unsealed today in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for their roles in a sex trafficking operation that exploited numerous minors from 2016 through 2017. In addition, PCA works closely with DHS to provide comprehensive assessments of children referred to DHS who are screened for concerns of being exploited. Every action we take at home, form the clothing we wear to the food we eat, is connected to what happens around the world, Obama said. appreciated. In 2017, Horne was convicted of similar offenses in Bucks County, PA. Horne committed these heinous acts while on parole for doing the exact same thing, said U.S. Attorney McSwain. WebIf you are victim of human trafficking and need help or suspect that someone else is a victim: Call 911 if you are in immediate danger. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle L. Morgan. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. If you have not done so already, follow @USAO_EDPA and @USAttyWilliams on Twitter to get the most up-to-date information about big cases and community news. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. is beginning a series about human trafficking. The indictment alleges that Felts ran a prostitution ring that recruited and enticed young females, including minors, to engage in commercial sex acts; harbored the victims at various residences for that purpose; transported and provided the victims to males who purchased the commercial sex acts; and collected a portion of the proceeds. The FBI's Philadelphia Division said that 15 pimps and associates were arrested in the area as part of the takedown, which included participation from the Philadelphia Police Department, suburban police departments and prosecutors' offices and the Pennsylvania State Police. The crimes Smith is accused of committing are some of the most devastating to victims that our office prosecutes, said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for Community Engagement, Philadelphia Man Charged With Forcible Sex Trafficking of Multiple Victims Including a Minor, Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Two Teenage Girls, Fourth and Final Co-Defendant in Brutal West Philly Sex Trafficking Case Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison, Four Members and Associates of Reading Boarding House Sex Trafficking Gang The Sevens Convicted After Six-Week Trial in Allentown. Now that there is more transparency, we have to be more honest, Walls said. They pay their airfare, hotel room and everything else. After a few days they are trafficking them. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE Philadelphia, PA 19106, Telephone:(215) 861-8200 RALEIGH, N.C. A Maxton man was sentenced today to 252 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy responsible for moving kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin from Mexico to Robeson County, North Carolina. Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL If you have not done so already, follow @USAO_EDPA and @USAttyMcSwain on Twitter to get the most up-to-date information about big cases and community news. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sara Solow and Trial Attorney Jessica Urban of the Department of Justice Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Online Tip Reporting. 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 As many are gathering in front of large flat screen televisions during Super Bowl Sunday surrounded by trays of hors doeuvres, party platters and beer, an underground network will also be working hard. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 215-861-8300. We ask anyone with knowledge of child or adult sex trafficking to let us know about it, so we can help. This is about helping raise awareness to eradicate human trafficking, Waller said. An indictment is an accusation. So, the Philadelphia Sunday Sun is beginning a series about human trafficking. Blue Campaigns educational awareness objectives consists of two foundational elements, prevention of human trafficking and protection of exploited persons. 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