Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Main Office: Main Office: A locked padlock Sixteen children considered critically missing were rescued during a four-week operation that concluded this week, according to the US Marshals Service office in Philadelphia. 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. This ongoing series will address this and more. Our resolve remains steadfast in finding other children in peril.. Working alongside the international community, we have seen significant increases in trafficking prosecution and conviction, and we have made great strides in supporting victims.. Commercial Sexual Exploitation Institute Updated An official website of the United States government. He even transported them to other cities and states, determined to keep the money coming in at their expense. To view tips on identifying sex and labor trafficking red flags, please see the Red Flags Infographic. 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. Online Tip Reporting. 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. Covenant House is a youth shelter in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. In addition, PCA works closely with DHS to provide comprehensive assessments of children referred to DHS who are screened for concerns of being exploited. 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.. He said this is the time to shine the light on both the consequences and root causes of human trafficking. 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. 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. Many who engage in the paid sex during Super Bowl season are not the typical prostitute street walker. 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. More are involved than we realize.. WOAR (Women Organized Against Rape) Philadelphia Children's Alliance. Philadelphia, PA 19106, Telephone:(215) 861-8200 President Obama said there is a need to do more to fight against the exploitation of human beings for profit. At least four of the recovered children were connected to child sex trafficking, the marshals service said on Thursday. 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. 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. In a separate Indictment, Ossai is charged with the sex trafficking of a minor in late January 2020. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Metcalf and Brittany Jones. 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. Phone: 1-888-373-7888 Yet without those who purchase the services of modern day slaves, like any market, it would dry up. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Please contact WOAR via the 24-hour Philadelphia Sexual Violence hotline:215-985-3333. Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Sex Trafficking Children in Northeast Philadelphia. Felts was detained pending trial this afternoon, joining his co-defendants, who are also in federal custody. UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525, Eastern District of Pennsylvania Based on the results of that assessment, PCA will secure services for the child. 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. An official website of the United States government. Now that there is more transparency, we have to be more honest, Walls said. Smith gave each of his recruits a cellular telephone, which he paid for, and then included that phone number in the Backpage advertisement. 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. When DHS or police identify a child that exhibits red flags, they send that child to PCA for a full assessment. In addition, they also have other housing programs available to youth who complete their shelter program. CHERRY HILL, N.J. - Officials announced Tuesday th arrest of three people for allegedly trafficking a missing child for prostitution. The FBIs Philadelphia Field Division is investigating the case and received significant assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department. Email. PCA conducts forensic interviews of the younger victims, and our partners in the Human Trafficking Task Force conduct the interviews for older teens. As a city Philadelphia has major conventions and athletic events as well as many entertainment strips. 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. They may be lured thinking that someone is helping them find a job. Did you encounter any technical issues? An indictment is an accusation. 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 You are a survivor setting the world on fire with your truth and you never know Address: Nationalities Service Center 1216 Arch Street, 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 Dawns Place offers a year-long residential program to survivors of commercial sexual exploitation or sex trafficking. 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. 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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 2023 Cable News Network. To view information on the trainings our Coalition offers, please see the Training Catalogue. UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE 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. Blue Campaigns educational awareness objectives consists of two foundational elements, prevention of human trafficking and protection of exploited persons. PHILADELPHIA United States Attorney William M. 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 The Salvation Armys New Day to Stop Trafficking Program Anyone who is a victim of child sex trafficking or has Apple Tea Whats Cookin? Secure .gov websites use HTTPS At least Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] 6:45 PM EDT, Sat March 20, 2021. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness are also at HIAS PA provides free legal and immigration services to survivors of trafficking. We will continue to work collectively to investigate these destructive crimes against the most vulnerable victims., Using physical threats to control another human being, to force them into sexual exploitation, is unconscionable, said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBIs Philadelphia Division. PCA also conducts comprehensive assessments for children who are at risk or prevent red flags of being commercially sexually exploited. Lock This is about helping raise awareness to eradicate human trafficking, Waller said. EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA WebPhiladelphia Division. WebHuman Trafficking | Philadelphia | Battle4Children Charities You're not a victim for sharing your story. 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, UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA Phone: 215-832-0900. 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. 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. 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. 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. Call 1-800-CALL-FBI or go online to tips.fbi.gov. An official website of the United States government. 215-861-8300. 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. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years. Leah Fletcher, Account Executive. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. Make no mistake, the Philadelphia Child Exploitation Task Force is working each and every day to lock up sex traffickers and other predators preying on innocent children., This investigation is 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. WebPHILADELPHIA Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that John Adams, 41, Mercedes Hampton-Devero, 28, Malachai Kendall, 20, and Chukuw Ossai, Years for sex trafficking of a minor in late January 2020 sex trafficking of a minor late... And received significant assistance from the Philadelphia police Department that someone is helping them find a.. Recovered children were connected to child sex trafficking of a minor in late January 2020 Campaigns educational awareness consists... 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