A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 300 E. Hunting Park Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19124, 2023 All rights reserved. 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. All Rights Reserved. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Official websites use .gov Lock Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. An indictment is an accusation. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. WebThe Project PROTECT (Philadelphia Response & Outreach To End Child Trafficking) will support the continued advancement of Philadelphias juvenile human trafficking court, Readers will enter into an uncomfortable world that will challenge their sensibilities, sense of safety, and stereotypical notions about the topic. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years. 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. Media Contact Many of these at-risk youths are referred for services with PCAs CSEC therapist, who is specially trained in this area. 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. PHILADELPHIA United States Attorney William M. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Justice At Work assists with recovering unpaid wages, obtaining lawful immigration status for individuals and their families, and connecting communities with resources that provide services victims of trafficking. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 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. Children cannot sell sex even in places where prostitution is legal. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. We, as a society, have to begin facing up to it. Updated 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. At least Phone: 215-387-9500. 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. 2. To view information on the trainings our Coalition offers, please see the Training Catalogue. Its even more difficult to ascertain who are being forced or coerced into the trade. This series will assist local residents in being part of the network that can direct victims to safety and healing. 215-861-8300. 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. 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. More are involved than we realize.. PCA works in tandem with DHS to connect survivors with the appropriate services. FOX 29 Philadelphia. Call the hotline if you are a victim or want to help someone you think is a victim: 1-888-373-7888. Readers will enter into an uncomfortable world that will challenge their sensibilities, sense of safety, and stereotypical notions about the topic. Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street Phone: 215-893-8400 CHERRY HILL, N.J. - Officials announced Tuesday th arrest of three people for allegedly trafficking a missing child for prostitution. Lock Free counseling and trauma therapy services offered include individual and group sessions. The comprehensive programming at Dawns Place supports individuals by addressing their complex needs including trauma services, substance use disorders, legal and educational concerns and more. Kevin Smith allegedly did just that to three young women and a child. Blue Campaign, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Main Office: UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA At least four of the recovered children were connected to child sex trafficking, the marshals service said on Thursday. New Day consists of community case managers in Philadelphia and Montgomery County, the New Day Drop In Center on Kensington Ave., a Police Assisted Diversion Program, and New Day New Home, our transitional home for female identifying survivors ages 18+ located at a confidential address in Montgomery County. Have a question about Government Services? Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Healthy Minds Philly is an initiative of the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, City of Philadelphia, 24-HOUR NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE |, National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC), The Salvation Armys New Day to Stop Trafficking Program, Blue Campaign, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. We know of 22 locations in the state where this is taking place. Address: 300 E. Hunting Park Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19124 After a few days they are trafficking them. Our resolve remains steadfast in finding other children in peril.. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Why? is beginning a series about human trafficking. Smith would photograph each female in his home with his camera and, using his laptop computer, would create an Internet advertisement for each on a website known as Backpage.com. 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] 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 Eastern District of Pennsylvania The seal of the F.B.I. Email WebPhiladelphia Police are launching a special task force to battle the growing problem of Human Traffickers preying on children in Philadelphia, CBS has learned. UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE WebVictims of human trafficking can be children or adults, U.S. citizens or foreign nationals, male or female. During this time, Kendall also allegedly used his cell phone to record one of the minors performing oral sex on him and then sent the video to the minor victim. Justice At Work Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL They educate and provide technical assistance to legislators, policy decision makers, and other stakeholders in order to improve legal responses to CSE. They provide direct care to juvenile victims of trafficking experiencing homelessness. Andre Michael Felts, aka Dre and Plug, 32, and Kevin Michael Francis, aka Kev, 60, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to sex traffic a minor and four counts of sex trafficking a minor. 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. A subsequent forensic examination of Smiths laptop computer revealed two sexually explicit images of Minor 1, both of which were taken prior to her 18th birthday. WebPHILADELPHIA 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, WebHuman Trafficking | Philadelphia | Battle4Children Charities You're not a victim for sharing your story. 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. 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. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Tipsters can remain anonymous, if they like.. Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Sex Trafficking Children in Northeast Philadelphia. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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. Covenant House is a youth shelter in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. WebTuesday, August 11, 2020. Dawns Place offers a year-long residential program to survivors of commercial sexual exploitation or sex trafficking. On December 8, 2021, Jeremiah Eli Lowery pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Nationalities Service Center provides intensive case management services to support with basic needs, safety planning, acquiring public benefits, and other referrals for physical and mental health providers. 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. The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Address: 31 E. Armat Street Philadelphia PA 19144. Fax: 215-733-0876. Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street The minor was rescued from Ossais vehicle after he was pulled over in Tinicum Township. appreciated. The charges against the defendant stem from his operation of a sex trafficking ring in Philadelphia and the surrounding regionincluding Bucks and Delaware counties. 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. EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA Blue Campaign is a national public awareness campaign, designed to educate the public, law enforcement and other industry partners to recognize theindicatorsof human trafficking, and how to appropriately respond to possible cases. The Project PROTECT (Philadelphia Response & Outreach To End Child Trafficking) will support the continued advancement of Philadelphias juvenile human trafficking court, Working to Restore Adolescent Power (WRAP Court), and related programs serving child victims of human trafficking. Yet it is clear that this and other types of trafficking are not just limited to certain times of the year. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. NSC also assists individuals with obtaining long term immigration status, supporting survivors when working with law enforcement and assessing for other legal needs. As a city Philadelphia has major conventions and athletic events as well as many entertainment strips. 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. 215-861-8300. Lock If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of lifetime imprisonment. 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 3. 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. WebSixteen children considered critically missing were rescued during a four-week operation that concluded this week, according to the US Marshals Service office in Philadelphia. 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. Apr 1, 2016 Local 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. Those who so victimize vulnerable kids do untold physical and emotional harm. President Obama said there is a need to do more to fight against the exploitation of human beings for profit. Folks in need of WOAR services do not require insurance. 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. A Warner Bros. WebPHILADELPHIA Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that John Adams, 41, Mercedes Hampton-Devero, 28, Malachai Kendall, 20, and Chukuw Ossai, 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. 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. Allegedly, this defendant forced four young people, one a minor child, to sell their bodies for his financial gain. 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. 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. Finally, what is the paradigm shift that must occur in society to finally obliterate human trafficking? Lock He even transported them to other cities and states, determined to keep the money coming in at their expense. 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. Email. Official websites use .gov 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. 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). An official website of the United States government. Rich Walls of North Philadelphia learned much from an all-male workshop held at Enon last year. Yet many are not aware of it despite the fact more and more are becoming victims of human trafficking. 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. Official websites use .gov 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. hangs in the Flag Room at the bureau's headquarters in Washington. Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL Address: Nationalities Service Center 1216 Arch Street, 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 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 Northeast Philadelphia hotel owner was ordered to pay $24 million to eight sex trafficking victims. Smith gave each of his recruits a cellular telephone, which he paid for, and then included that phone number in the Backpage advertisement. 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? 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. WebCSEC or Child Sex Trafficking Sex trafficking affects children, too. 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