A lock ( President Obama said there is a need to do more to fight against the exploitation of human beings for profit. Blue Campaign works closely with DHS Components to create general awarenesstrainingand materials for law enforcement and others to increase detection of human trafficking, and to identify victims. 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 Smith faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment on Count One, a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment on Count Two, a $500,000 fine, a lifetime period of supervised release and a $200 special assessment. The crimes alleged in these Indictments will have a devastating and long-lasting impact on these minor victims, said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. 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 Consequently, in order to rescue human trafficking victims, one must know how to identify them, the warning signs, and how to help them. The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations. Email UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE WOAR, Philadelphias only rape crisis center, provides free counseling and trauma therapy services to child, teen, and adult survivors of sexual violence, including survivors of sex trafficking. Updated A lock ( EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA 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. In a separate Indictment, Ossai is charged with the sex trafficking of a minor in late January 2020. Many are kidnapped from corners waiting for yellow school buses, enticed through social media to what they think is a fun night on the town, or taken to secluded spots with the promise of a way to supplement their meager wages. Why? 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. They may be lured thinking that someone is helping them find a job. Trial Attorney Jessica Urban of the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Solow of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case. Finally, what is the paradigm shift that must occur in society to finally obliterate human trafficking? Phone: 215-951-5411 or 888-829-1249 The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) is a nationalanti-trafficking hotline and resource center serving victims and survivors of human trafficking and the anti-trafficking community in the United States. 215-861-8300. A locked padlock We know of 22 locations in the state where this is taking place. Official websites use .gov Rich Walls of North Philadelphia learned much from an all-male workshop held at Enon last year. Media Contact Trained Anti-Trafficking Hotline Advocates and supervisory staff provide assistance to victims in crisis through safety planning, emotional support and/or immediate connections to emergency services through our network of trained service provider and law enforcement partners. Phone: 1-888-373-7888 WebThey 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 An official website of the United States government. More are involved than we realize.. After the workshop he, like the other men present, needed to change how they looked at girls and women as sex objects first and as their spiritual sister secondarily. Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison. Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL WebUnited 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 Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL He said this is the time to shine the light on both the consequences and root causes of human trafficking. It has hosted many programs to raise local awareness, like the A Day in the Life hosted by Shes My Sister ministry and provides safe havens for some of those rescued from local enslavement. 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. He also kept the victims in apartments throughout Philadelphia, known as trap houses, where they were made to engage in commercial sex for the benefit of the defendant. It also alleges that Smith operated a sex trafficking enterprise at various times over a period of two years from July 2015 to July 2017, during which he used physical threats to force three different young adult victims to have sex for money. He recruited young women, including a minor (Minor 1), to work as prostitutes. Participating agencies of the Coalition discuss actionable steps towards improving city-wide efforts and collaboration to ensure that youth are able to access the multitude of services across systems throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. Have a question about Government Services? Lock New Day is a multi-faceted program designed to serve survivors of commercial sexual exploitation as well as sex and labor trafficking. Fax Line:(215) 861-8618. 215-861-8300. Blue Campaigns educational awareness objectives consists of two foundational elements, prevention of human trafficking and protection of exploited persons. 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. Commercial Sexual Exploitation Institute When DHS or police identify a child that exhibits red flags, they send that child to PCA for a full assessment. Also according to court documents, Adams and Kendall each coerced the minors into having sex with them on multiple occasions, and Hampton-Devero instructed one of the minor victims to record commercial sex acts on her cell phone for Devero to post online to attract more sex buyers. 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. 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 Its a hard statistic, but 1 in 6 children reported missing in the U.S. are likely victims of child sex trafficking, one of Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Dawns Place When you hear the testimony of those who have been victimized, men have to be honest. UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE Lock Yet many are not aware of it despite the fact more and more are becoming victims of human trafficking. 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. Because this is the start of the prime season for human trafficking. 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 At least four of the recovered children were connected to child sex trafficking, the marshals service said on Thursday. hangs in the Flag Room at the bureau's headquarters in Washington. 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. Kendall was also charged with both production and distribution of child pornography, and Adams was also charged with tampering with evidence in a federal investigation. We, as a society, have to begin facing up to it. We will continue to work collectively with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these destructive crimes against vulnerable children.. 2. Did you encounter any technical issues? A locked padlock They educate and provide technical assistance to legislators, policy decision makers, and other stakeholders in order to improve legal responses to CSE. All Rights Reserved. Eastern District of Pennsylvania 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. Our resolve remains steadfast in finding other children in peril.. The dates would take place at the home that Smith leased and the females gave 100 percent of their cash earnings to Smith. Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Special Agent in Charge Michel J. Driscoll of the FBIs Philadelphia Field Division made the announcement. Address: Nationalities Service Center 1216 Arch Street, 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 The minor was rescued from Ossais vehicle after he was pulled over in Tinicum Township. A Philadelphia man is accused of trafficking four victims, one of whom was a minor, in Bucks County and surrounding areas, according to federal authorities. 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 Free counseling and trauma therapy services offered include individual and group sessions. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Enons A Day In The Life Conference Uses The Victims Voice To Talk About Human Trafficking, Enon Tabernacle holds human trafficking walk/run Oct. 3, Biden declares Kyiv stands in surprise visit to Ukraine, Supreme Court seems ready to reject student loan forgiveness, Former Philadelphia Eagle, CBS anchor Irv Cross had brain disease CTE, Queen Latifah will host the 2023 NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 25 in Pasadena CA. We get calls from as far away as Pittsburgh where girls have been taken. The charges against the defendant stem from his operation of a sex trafficking ring in Philadelphia and the surrounding regionincluding Bucks and Delaware counties. 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. Call 1-800-CALL-FBI or go online to tips.fbi.gov. WebThe Philadelphia Juvenile Anti-Trafficking Coalition is the first of its kind focusing on and addressing the needs of child victims of human trafficking and vulnerable subpopulations you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: CHILD USA, 3508 MARKET STREET, Philadelphia, PA, 19104. According to evidence and testimony presented at trial, Smith operated a prostitution business in Philadelphia between April 1, 2009 and June 30, 2011. Covenant House is a youth shelter in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Prior to joining the FBI, I was employed as an Immigration human trafficking, violent crimes against children, and other federal violations. Phone: 215-387-9500. 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