US - 168 Children Rescued from Prostitution in sex trafficking bust

[hopingicanhelp]

"These are America's children."

FYI... they are being sent to Juvenile Detention for rehabilitation. Perhaps that's best considering that some of them are "in love with their pimps" and some of them see this life as better than the one they had before -- I just hope it doesn't result in a juvenile record as a result.

Now when will they find a way to arrest the "consumer"?

CNN
CBS
ABC

 

[Softail]

FBI rescues 3 Austin kids from sex ring

AUSTIN (KXAN) — It’s called Operation Cross Country VIII. In 106 cities, including San Antonio and Austin, the FBI along with several local, state and federal law enforcement partners targeted child sex trafficking throughout the United States. Agents say the three day operation rescued 167 children. Three were from Austin.

“We don’t want to release the ages but we will say they are all under the age of 17,” FBI agent Daniel Powers said.

Three pimps were also arrested, and agents say two of them are from Austin.

Investigators say most of the victims were girls, but there were also some boys rescued. Some of the arrests occurred because of tips from suspicious travelers.


http://kxan.com/2014/06/23/3-children-rescued-from-prostitution-in-austin-raid/

 

[Softail]

FBI operation into sex trafficking rescues 18 Colorado children

Eighteen children were rescued and 11 pimps were arrested in Colorado as part of a nationwide, week-long crackdown on commercial child sex trafficking, the FBI reported Monday.

Nationally, 168 children were recovered and 281 pimps arrested, the FBI said.

Two accused pimps were arrested by Aurora police, who were searching for a 16-year-old runaway girl with a history of mental disorders, according to arrest documents filed at the Arapahoe County Courthouse.


http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_26017771/fbi-operation-into-sex-trafficking-rescues-18-denver

 

[Sunshine95]

This is great! But doing my math then there are 164 rescued kids NOT from Austin and only one pimp arrested not from Austin? I was hoping there would be a whole lot more pimps arrested during this. But nothing is perfect, so this glass is more than half full! It can be a tough road to recovery, I wish the kids all the strength and love the will need! Maybe some of our missing will be solved with this!

Editing after seeing the new posts to say Thanks! And that I am so glad a whole lot of pimps were arrested!!!

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.newser.com/story/188896/kids-not-reported-missing-rescued-in-fbi-bust.html

One impediment to the FBI's job: Many of those rescued hadn't been reported missing. "But for operations like this, these children likely would never have been found," said John Ryan, head of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He said states need better laws to make child welfare services report missing children. For now, there's the FBI's annual sweep—called Operation Cross Country — which has thus far led to 14 life sentences, 1,450 convictions, and seized over $3.1 million in assets.

71 arrested, 11 recovered from prostitution in Georgia

FBI New Haven rescues child sex trafficking victim

Sex-trafficking busts rescue 16 in Ohio

FBI says 2 children recovered from sex trafficking ring in Arkansas, dozens arrested

Alabama teen and baby rescued in a nationwide prostitution sting

3 Juveniles Recovered, 4 Pimps Arrested in South Florida Sex Trafficking Sting

FBI: 3 sex-trafficking victims rescued in Louisiana

FBI saves 2 Maryland girls from forced prostitution; arrests 5 pimps

Authorities rescue 16-year-old girl in Casper during nationwide sex trafficking sting

FBI operation rescues 18 children in Denver metro from sex trafficking; 11 alleged pimps arrested

38 California arrests in child-trafficking sweep

 

[passionflower]

I am wondering about Kyron and other children we have been searching for!!! My mind went blank, little girl taken from home in Texas???

 

[OkieGranny]

Ali Lowitzer?

 

[sloane7777]

Sadly I suspect most of these kids were never reported missing , Kids like Ali are a bit more strong willed , with the home life to back it up, so many parents either cant deal with their teens and even younger children nowdays from lack of coping skills themselves. I wouldnt be surprised if 5 out of 168 were actually a "missing child" as for the babies Im betting the moms knew

 

[Reality Orlando]

"FLORIDA — FBI officials said they've recovered almost 200 children who were being victimized through prostitution, and WFTV found out at least eight of those children are from Florida.
The nationwide sex trafficking bust is known as Operation Cross Country.
Many of the women involved in the nationwide prostitution sweep were never even reported missing. Authorities said many of them were children who grew up in broken families and were trying to find a way to fit in and survive.
"The youngest, I want to say I've seen is 13," an undercover officer told WFTV.
Operation Cross Country reportedly put 281 alleged pimps behind bars and rescued 168 child prostitutes in more than 100 cities from Florida to California."

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/fbi-281-pimps-arrested-168-child-prostitutes-recov/ngRPp/

 

[time]

Fairfield, Fresno and Sacramento

The FBI initially launched Operation Cross Country in 2008. This month’s operation resulted in the largest number of rescues yet in the Sacramento area. The nine female victims ranged in age from 15 to 17. Special agent Gabriela Betance said agents found a few of the girls working as prostitutes on the streets or near truck stops, but most were discovered on websites advertising escort services. Betance said the Internet gives pimps many ways of contacting potential prostitutes and makes it easier for clients to find commercial sex.

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/23/6506392/fbi-recovers-9-child-sex-trafficking.html

I am so happy for any victims recovered and it's nice to hear they are targeting the 'escort' services online. However, the Sacramento area is really a hotspot and I'm concerned they only found 9 in this whole large area... Fresno is nearly 3 hours from Sacramento.

Sacramento’s location is convenient for sex traffickers, who commonly transport victims along interstates 80 and 50. Additionally, Sacramento hosts numerous conventions, which can bring to town people looking to pay for sex.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/23/6506392/fbi-recovers-9-child-sex-trafficking.html#storylink=cpy​

Let's hope there is more!

 

[time]

"These are America's children."

FYI... they are being sent to Juvenile Detention for rehabilitation. Perhaps that's best considering that some of them are "in love with their pimps" and some of them see this life as better than the one they had before -- I just hope it doesn't result in a juvenile record as a result.

Now when will they find a way to arrest the "consumer"?

CNN
CBS
ABC

A different view ...

Derek Stigerts, a Sacramento Police Department detective, said one of the three girls taken into custody by his agency was sent to juvenile hall because of an earlier warrant. The others were returned home.

...With so many victims from broken homes, arresting them and holding them in juvenile hall is often “the safest thing,” said Gina Swankie, a Sacramento FBI spokeswoman. Agents could not say how many of the six victims recovered in Fresno and Fairfield were sent to correctional facilities.

Kate Walker, a staff attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, focuses her work on the sexual exploitation of children. Walker said children recovered through initiatives like Operation Cross Country VIII end up in the penal system not because juvenile hall is the best place for them, but because protective services often lack programs and resources designated for trafficking victims.

But because of $19 million in the budget Gov. Jerry Brown signed Friday, that practice could change next year. The money will be used to establish services for victims of sexual exploitation through California’s child welfare programs.

​

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/23/6506392/fbi-recovers-9-child-sex-trafficking.html

 

[OkieGranny]

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2024194141_apxmissingchildrensextrafficking.html

When FBI agents and police officers fanned out across the country last month in a weeklong effort to rescue child sex trafficking victims, they pulled minors as young as 11 from hotel rooms, truck stops and homes.

Among the 168 juveniles recovered was a population that child welfare advocates say especially concerns them: children who were never reported missing in the first place.

Advocates say the roundup reinforces the need for a standardized, nationwide approach to report children as missing, especially those absent from state foster care systems who are seen as most vulnerable to abuse. Concerns over unaccounted-for children aren't new, but they're receiving fresh attention amid heightened awareness of child sex trafficking. State and federal efforts are underway to streamline how police are alerted when kids go missing.