615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 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. The crimes alleged in these Indictments will have a devastating and long-lasting impact on these minor victims, said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Philadelphia, PA 19106, Telephone:(215) 861-8200 A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. He admitted that he had to examine himself as to whether he lusted after young women young enough to be his daughter. 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. 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.. 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. An official website of the United States government. UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE Address: 990 Spring Garden Street, Suite 300,Philadelphia, PA 19123 A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. An official website of the United States government. hangs in the Flag Room at the bureau's headquarters in Washington. Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL Philadelphia, PA 19106, Telephone:(215) 861-8200 Tipsters can remain anonymous, if they like.. 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Main Office: Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street 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. 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, A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. WebHuman Trafficking Task Forces are a coalition of victim service providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, community members, courts and other parties working to combat human 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. 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. Media Contact It will also educate parents and family members to notice the warning signs of children and adolescents who may be involved in the life, as many call it. Finally, what is the paradigm shift that must occur in society to finally obliterate human trafficking? PCA conducts forensic interviews of the younger victims, and our partners in the Human Trafficking Task Force conduct the interviews for older teens. A lock ( 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. HIAS PA provides free legal and immigration services to survivors of trafficking. CHERRY HILL, N.J. - Officials announced Tuesday th arrest of three people for allegedly trafficking a missing child for prostitution. 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. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Those who so victimize vulnerable kids do untold physical and emotional harm. They educate and provide technical assistance to legislators, policy decision makers, and other stakeholders in order to improve legal responses to CSE. Eastern District of Pennsylvania 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. The seal of the F.B.I. EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA 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 toll-free hotline is available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year in more than 200 languages. 215-861-8300. 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 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. WebThe Project PROTECT (Philadelphia Response & Outreach To End Child Trafficking) will support the continued advancement of Philadelphias juvenile human trafficking court, 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. Lock In September 2019, Horne was convicted at trial of three counts of sex trafficking minors by force, fraud or coercion. 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. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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? 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 Hebrew International Aid Society An official website of the United States government. It may cause some to realize what some in their own circle have been hiding from them, often suffering in silence or shame. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Enslavement of African Americans is rising in the City of Brotherly Love and Sister Affection. A lock ( 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 Leah Fletcher, Account Executive. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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. 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. He recruited young women, including a minor (Minor 1), to work as prostitutes. UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years. 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. Apr 1, 2016 Local Why? Phone: 215-893-8400 The actual statistics for human trafficking victims from neighborhoods like North, West or South Philadelphia or Northwest Philadelphia neighborhoods like Germantown and Mount Airy is difficult to track. We cannot use terms like child prostitution. Fax Line:(215) 861-8618. 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. Main Office: 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. 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. 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. Earlier this month outgoing President Barack Obama issued a proclamation declaring January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. 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. 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. This is about helping raise awareness to eradicate human trafficking, Waller said. Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] 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. Address: Nationalities Service Center 1216 Arch Street, 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 Yet many are not aware of it despite the fact more and more are becoming victims of human trafficking. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melanie Babb Wilmoth. 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. 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 Main Office: Official websites use .gov Smith lived with several of the females who were working for him. 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. 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. Furthermore, travelers who frequent turnpike rest stops, ride public transportation or stay in hotels can quickly recognize when a human trafficking victim may be approaching them for assistance. Media Contact Now that there is more transparency, we have to be more honest, Walls said. Our hope is for a better future for the 16 children we recovered, said Eric Gartner, the US marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Main Office: He deserves every minute of the 45 years that he received today., Artavius Horne made his living by sexually exploiting children, advertising underage girls for sex with strangers, said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBIs Philadelphia Division. 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. An official website of the United States government. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Metcalf and Brittany Jones. 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. Fax: 215-733-0876. Media Contact 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. Because this is the start of the prime season for human trafficking. WebIn January 2020, we convened the Philadelphia Juvenile Anti-Trafficking Coalition, gathering 50+ public and private agencies to collaborate on identifying gaps in services for trafficked WebPhiladelphia Division. 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. Official websites use .gov Kelly Sagastume, Program Manager, Project PROTECT, ksagastume@sccalaw.org, Dana Bernhaut, Child Policy Associate, dbernhaut@sccalaw.org. Many who engage in the paid sex during Super Bowl season are not the typical prostitute street walker. We know of 22 locations in the state where this is taking place. Federal agents arrested three Philadelphia men Friday in connection to a child sex trafficking sting operation, and Your Content is first to reveal the identities of the men.. 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 FOX 29 Philadelphia. You are a survivor setting the world on fire with your truth and you never know 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 Fax Line:(215) 861-8618. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. A locked padlock WebPHILADELPHIA Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that John Adams, 41, Mercedes Hampton-Devero, 28, Malachai Kendall, 20, and Chukuw Ossai, Thats why there has to be an entire paradigm shift.The average girls who enters this is about 13.. They provide direct care to juvenile victims of trafficking experiencing homelessness. 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