The FBIs Philadelphia Field Division is investigating the case and received significant assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department. 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. Philadelphia Children's Alliance. Discovery Company. You are a survivor setting the world on fire with your truth and you never know He even transported them to other cities and states, determined to keep the money coming in at their expense. WebHuman Trafficking | Philadelphia | Battle4Children Charities You're not a victim for sharing your story. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. On December 8, 2021, Jeremiah Eli Lowery pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of lifetime imprisonment. 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. WebTuesday, August 11, 2020. WebUnited 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 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, For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE The Philadelphia Police Department learned of the prostitution operation by surveying Backpage advertisements and conducted an undercover sting operation at the premises in June 2011. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. 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. They educate and provide technical assistance to legislators, policy decision makers, and other stakeholders in order to improve legal responses to CSE. Ryan Keel, 39, was charged with conspiracy to sex traffic a minor. Main Office: Please contact WOAR via the 24-hour Philadelphia Sexual Violence hotline:215-985-3333. Lock We, as a society, have to begin facing up to it. While PCA does not conduct every forensic interview of these child victims, we work closely with police and the Department of Human Services (DHS) to make sure that every child still has access to the full constellation of services including medical and mental health treatment. Official websites use .gov 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. WebPhiladelphia Men Charged with Child Sex Trafficking. The charges against the defendant stem from his operation of a sex trafficking ring in Philadelphia and the surrounding regionincluding Bucks and Delaware counties. 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. Those who so victimize vulnerable kids do untold physical and emotional harm. Covenant House 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. An official website of the United States government. We cannot use terms like child prostitution. Media Contact Smith gave each of his recruits a cellular telephone, which he paid for, and then included that phone number in the Backpage advertisement. 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. WebPhiladelphia Man Convicted Of Sex Trafficking A Child. We get calls from as far away as Pittsburgh where girls have been taken. A Warner Bros. 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. 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. A locked padlock Prior to joining the FBI, I was employed as an Immigration human trafficking, violent crimes against children, and other federal violations. Rich Walls of North Philadelphia learned much from an all-male workshop held at Enon last year. 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] Its even more difficult to ascertain who are being forced or coerced into the trade. 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. Phone: 1-888-373-7888 One person who is well aware of this is Ellyn Jo Waller, the first lady of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, with campuses in Mount Airy and Germantown. Smith was charged locally and was later charged in a federal indictment. Address: 990 Spring Garden Street, Suite 300,Philadelphia, PA 19123 6:45 PM EDT, Sat March 20, 2021. 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. At least If you, a family member or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking (sex or labor), or you suspect that human trafficking is taking place, resources are available: National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL A locked padlock CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Text the letters "Befree" or the numbers 233733 to reach the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. Philadelphia, PA 19106, Telephone:(215) 861-8200 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 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. In a separate Indictment, Ossai is charged with the sex trafficking of a minor in late January 2020. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. 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. 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. This month, let us find inspiration in Americas progress toward justice, opportunity, and prosperity for all and affirm out pledge to continue fighting for human rights around the world, he said. Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. They provide direct care to juvenile victims of trafficking experiencing homelessness. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Tinicum Township Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department, and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erica Kivitz. 2. This is about helping raise awareness to eradicate human trafficking, Waller said. He recruited young women, including a minor (Minor 1), to work as prostitutes. The New Day Hotline is also available for 24/7 support to survivors and technical assistance to other professionals. 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. 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. 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. Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL Working alongside the international community, we have seen significant increases in trafficking prosecution and conviction, and we have made great strides in supporting victims.. 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