child trafficking philadelphia

They are not just the drug user, the wayward runaway teen, or the troubled foster child. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison. Media Contact WebYoung women and girls are the most at-risk of trafficking, although boys are also trafficked and are less likely to ask for help. To view a comprehensive listing of agencies across the Greater Philadelphia region servicing trafficking youth, please see the Social Services Directory. WebPHILADELPHIA Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that John Adams, 41, Mercedes Hampton-Devero, 28, Malachai Kendall, 20, and Chukuw Ossai, The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Delaware County District Attorneys Office, the Bensalem Police Department, the Media Borough Police Department, the Tinicum Township Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department. To view information on the trainings our Coalition offers, please see the Training Catalogue. We ask anyone with knowledge of child or adult sex trafficking to let us know about it, so we can help. UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE Official websites use .gov Prior to joining the FBI, I was employed as an Immigration human trafficking, violent crimes against children, and other federal violations. Working alongside the international community, we have seen significant increases in trafficking prosecution and conviction, and we have made great strides in supporting victims.. Based on the results of that assessment, PCA will secure services for the child. Children cannot sell sex even in places where prostitution is legal. All three defendants were charged with one count of conspiracy to sex traffic a minor, while Felts and Francis were also each charged with four counts of sex trafficking a minor. A locked padlock In a separate Indictment, Ossai is charged with the sex trafficking of a minor in late January 2020. The Indictment alleges that for about seven days at the end of September 2019, Smith knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, maintained a minor for the purposes of forcing that minor to engage in commercial sex acts in Philadelphia. 215-861-8300. 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. We, as a society, have to begin facing up to it. Have a question about Government Services? NSC also assists individuals with obtaining long term immigration status, supporting survivors when working with law enforcement and assessing for other legal needs. Leah Fletcher, Account Executive. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Tipsters can remain anonymous, if they like.. PCA conducts forensic interviews of the younger victims, and our partners in the Human Trafficking Task Force conduct the interviews for older teens. 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. 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. Smith also had sexual relations with the females who worked for him. Fax Line:(215) 861-8618. The Indictment alleges that Felts ran a prostitution ring that recruited and enticed young girls, including one who was only fifteen years old, 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. Those who so victimize vulnerable kids do untold physical and emotional harm. An official website of the United States government. 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. Lock Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL Eight Croatian nationals charged with attempting to traffic children, outside the magistrates court in Ndola, Zambia, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. A Northeast Philadelphia hotel owner was ordered to pay $24 million to eight sex trafficking victims. UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. At least one of the victims was also a victim of physical violence during the operation of the trafficking ring: according to public filings, Felts pulled her from a vehicle and repeatedly stomped on her. PCA believes strongly that understanding and responding to the needs of commercially sexually exploited youth in Philadelphia is critical, and we are committed to providing every child victim of sex trafficking with the same comprehensive care and coordinated response as other referrals to our facility. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years. 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? As part of the scheme, the defendant recruited, enticed and maintained three minor children, one of whom was as young as 13 years old, to engage in commercial sexual encounters. Address: 990 Spring Garden Street, Suite 300,Philadelphia, PA 19123 A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. 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. Apple Tea Whats Cookin? 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. Smith was charged locally and was later charged in a federal indictment. Dawns Place Kelly Sagastume, Program Manager, Project PROTECT, ksagastume@sccalaw.org, Dana Bernhaut, Child Policy Associate, dbernhaut@sccalaw.org. WebThe Project PROTECT (Philadelphia Response & Outreach To End Child Trafficking) will support the continued advancement of Philadelphias juvenile human trafficking court, A locked padlock is beginning a series about human trafficking. 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. 2023 Cable News Network. Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Sex Trafficking Children in Northeast Philadelphia. He recruited young women, including a minor (Minor 1), to work as prostitutes. 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 Please contact WOAR via the 24-hour Philadelphia Sexual Violence hotline:215-985-3333. A lock ( The dates would take place at the home that Smith leased and the females gave 100 percent of their cash earnings to Smith. Main Office: ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for Community Engagement, Philadelphia Man Convicted Of Sex Trafficking A Child, Eastern District of Pennsylvanias U.S. Attorneys Office Hosts Presentation on Autism-Based Discrimination in Schools, Camps, and Childcare Facilities, One Leader of a Violent Sex Trafficking Gang Sentenced to Life and a Consecutive Ten Years Imprisonment, and a Gang Associate Sentenced to 37 years Imprisonment, Chester County Doctor Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Operating Pill Mill Out of Main Line Pain Clinic. 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. Phone: 1-888-373-7888 Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. When DHS or police identify a child that exhibits red flags, they send that child to PCA for a full assessment. Why? New Day is a multi-faceted program designed to serve survivors of commercial sexual exploitation as well as sex and labor trafficking. Thats why there has to be an entire paradigm shift.The average girls who enters this is about 13.. I am gratified that the defendants are all now off the streets and in custody pending trial on these charges, said U.S. Attorney McSwain. EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA Nationalities Service Center Kevin Smith allegedly did just that to three young women and a child. 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. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for Community Engagement, Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Sex Trafficking Children in Northeast Philadelphia, 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, Philadelphia Man Sentenced To 45 Years For Sex Trafficking Children In Northeast Philadelphia. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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. Philadelphia, PA 19106, Telephone:(215) 861-8200 300 E. Hunting Park Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19124, 2023 All rights reserved. Their legal aide also includes guidance for survivors interacting with law enforcement, assistance with obtaining legal status, and other referrals to immigrant social services. Covenant House is a youth shelter in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Official websites use .gov FOX 29 Philadelphia. 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. Main Office: Use tab to navigate through the menu items. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. hangs in the Flag Room at the bureau's headquarters in Washington. Now that there is more transparency, we have to be more honest, Walls said. For more information please call the New Day Hotline at 267-838-5866. CHERRY HILL, N.J. - Officials announced Tuesday th arrest of three people for allegedly trafficking a missing child for prostitution. As a city Philadelphia has major conventions and athletic events as well as many entertainment strips. He has no regard for the law -- or even basic human decency -- as evidenced by his willingness to sell the bodies of children for sex to benefit himself. WebThe 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. Hebrew International Aid Society Fax Line:(215) 861-8618. The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. 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. 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. A locked padlock The FBI will never stop working to find and help trafficked victims, to protect them from further abuse and keep their traffickers from hurting anyone else.. The Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation at Villanova University partners with organizations united against sex trafficking and CSE. Felts was detained pending trial this afternoon, joining his co-defendants, who are also in federal custody. The minor was rescued from Ossais vehicle after he was pulled over in Tinicum Township. Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street 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. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. 33 missing children found in anti-human trafficking operation in Southern California. In addition, they also have other housing programs available to youth who complete their shelter program. Consequently, in order to rescue human trafficking victims, one must know how to identify them, the warning signs, and how to help them. 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 After a few days they are trafficking them. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Those in the community must also engage in self-examination to ascertain if one is playing a role in the proliferation of this crime against humanity. WebPhiladelphia Division. Yet it is clear that this and other types of trafficking are not just limited to certain times of the year. The Salvation Armys New Day to Stop Trafficking Program 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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. Media Contact WebAdding a category of perpetrator to include: an individual 18 years of age or older who engages a child in severe forms of trafficking in persons or sex trafficking, as those terms are defined under section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. Smith lived with several of the females who were working for him. Justice At Work specializes in providing free legal representation to victims of labor trafficking as well as other communities of workers. An official website of the United States government. Phone: 215-951-5411 or 888-829-1249 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. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for Community Engagement, Three Philadelphia Men Detained on Charges of Child Sex Trafficking, 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, Three Philadelphia Men Detained On Charges of Child Sex Trafficking. Philadelphia has major conventions and athletic events as well as sex and trafficking! A full assessment other types of trafficking are not just the drug user, the defendant faces maximum... 45 Years for sex trafficking to let us know about it, so we can help: means. Did just that to three young women and a child the Institute to Address commercial sexual exploitation well. 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