FBI: 69 child prostitutes rescued, 99 pimps held

[RamboLiberal]

Source: MSNBC

WASHINGTON — More than five dozen child prostitutes have been found as part of a three-day nationwide crackdown on the sexual exploitation of children, the FBI said.

FBI spokesman Jason Pack said Monday that 69 children were removed from prostitution and 99 suspected pimps were arrested in 40 cities across 30 states and the District of Columbia. Authorities arrested 785 other adults on a variety state and local charges, Pack said.

All the children found were placed into protective custody or returned to their families.

The children were found during Operation Cross Country V, a three-day roundup targeting child traffickers and pimps. The largest group of child prostitutes, 24, was found in and around Seattle, according to the FBI.

FBI executive assistant director Shawn Henry said the children found ranged in age from 12 to 17. Authorities are working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to confirm their identities.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40084045/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

[joeybee12]

1. Jebus Christ...12 years old...

I can believe they found the most around Seattle...runaways head there, so they're easy prey for those scum.

[SugarShack]

13. Google the FRANKLIN COVER UP....12 yr. old boys for DC electeds!

[sce56]

24. Never got a real investigation in to that one!

[yurbud]

31. that was my first thought. papa bush must be making a lot of frantic phone calls

To make sure his name doesn't come up publicly.

You should post about googling franklin cover up in comments of msnbc story.

The parallels in that to the jeff gannon/johnny gosch case were too creepy for words.

[woo me with science]

51. "Feds: Somali gangs ran sex ring in 3 states"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40073234/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts

MINNEAPOLIS — Twenty-nine people have been indicted in a sex trafficking ring in which Somali gangs in Minneapolis and St. Paul allegedly forced girls under age 14 into prostitution in Minnesota, Tennessee and Ohio, according to an indictment unsealed Monday.

The 24-count indictment, unsealed in U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Tennessee, said one of the gangs' goals was recruiting females under age 18, including some under age 14, and forcing them into prostitution so the defendants could get money, marijuana or liquor.

....

Omar Jamal, an advocate for Somalis in Minnesota, said the allegations shocked the Somali community, whose members pointed out Islam forbids such activity.

"Collectively, they might have been in denial that such grave sex minor trade could ever be going on in the community," he said. "It's a kind of crime that a community can never think of their kids as being capable of doing this. ... People are saying, 'How could this be? How could such a thing happen?'"

(more at link)

[nolabear]

14. That makes sense. Since I'm there I was stunned and couldn't imagine why.

But you're right; there are so many runaways in part because of the climate and possibly the fact that the underbelly is very well hidden, as we see again and again in this progressive neck of the woods. We should hide our heads in shame for about one second and then get active in making the people who would do such a thing as have sex with a child think many, many, MANY times before they act.

[HopeHoops]

2. It takes 99 pimps to run 69 hookers?

:shrug: News to me. The age range is pretty disgusting.

[rocktivity]

10. Maybe they subcontracted.

It sounds like they were pretty well organized in order to operate nationwide.

:eyes:
rocktivity

[Courtesy Flush]

23. Top-heavy org chart. nt

[sofa king]

44. Probably 69 underaged hookers and an unspecified number of adult prostitutes.

I would imagine that even pimps who specialize in this distasteful line of work probably also run prostitutes who have passed into legal adulthood. Or, some of the pimps could be co-conspirators who perform other tasks like recruitment or scheduling... or....

Even more unsettling, some of the "pimps" could also be functioning as--and seeking cover as--parental pairs.

[woo me with science]

52. This is correct. 785 others were arrested. nt

[YOY]

3. Chances are there's more vics than 69 there if there's 99 pimps.

Just sayin'...

[Ian David]

4. Really, shouldn't we let the free market decide what age you can be a prostitute at? Damn socialists

:sarcasm:

[mzmolly]

5. Disgusting.

I hope the pimps rot.

[Iggo]

6. Good job, Fibbees!!

Kick.Ass.

:applause:

[Beacool]

7. Good!!!!

I hope that there is a special place in hell for those who abuse the defenseless: children, animals, the elderly, the disabled, etc.

Rot in hell, bastards!!!

:mad:

Poor children.......

:(

[BanTheGOP]

9. Yes...over 880 Republicans taken off the voter rolls...

...and thrown into the slammer. Just a few million to go...

[dionysus]

37. this will make you feel better Bea...

:hi:

[superduperfarleft]

38. Dude, seriously, are you mocking someone's expression of outrage at this?

Really?

[dionysus]

40. nope. it's a running joke i have going with Bea (banky).... but if you're dumb enough

to take it as me mocking the situation, knock yourself out...

[superduperfarleft]

41. Well geeeeeeez......

Just curious. Nevermind.

[dionysus]

43. ok, my bad, it's probably not too clear if you haven't seen Bea and I interact.

;)

i always give her a banky when i run into her.

[Beacool]

62. I see that you got into trouble.

Are you trying to take away my thunder? Getting into trouble is usually my area of expertise.

:D


Thanks for banky!!!

:hug:

[Beacool]

61. It's OK, Dionysus and I have a running joke going on.

Although I appreciate your comment since there's no way that you could have known about it.

Thanks!!!

:hi:

[siligut]

8. I have to wonder about the children who are returned to their families.

All the children found were placed into protective custody or returned to their families.

If they have supportive families; how did they end up on the streets in the first place?

[mudplanet]

11. A very good point. There's a lot more to this story than we're getting.

[Xithras]

12. Depends

A lot of girls get pulled into prostitution because of drugs. The lack of a supportive family may not be the problem.

[siligut]

17. Of course there are exceptions

I knew that I would have been better off if I had included, in my first post, that there are always exceptions. I also know that some of the victimized children went into child custody.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

49. A lot of kids (girls far more frequently than boys) are under attack in their own homes

runaways often have that reason for running. And they don't know what normal behavior is, don't know how to protect themselves. Perfect targets for predators; pimps frequently use drugs as a lure to bring kids into the fold and suppress whatever self-protective instincts they have.

[jkappy]

57. Incest often drives girls from the home into the arms of the pimps

who enslave them for prostitution and pornography and rape.

[Iggo]

16. I had a very supportive family when I turned to drugs.

I try not to think what it would've been like if I was a girl.

[dmr]

47. Some are abducted right off the streets,

Or are lured to their demise.

There was a story on one of the TV magazines where a young girl around 13 was lured by her boyfriend's father. He told her that he'd pick her up & take her to a surprise birthday party for the boyfriend. Her own dad had grounded her about something so she decided to sneak out. She met the man at a Dairy Queen, I think.

Another story was a girl who was befriended by another girl at school. They became fast friends. She went to her house one day & never came home. When her family went to their house, they were all gone. They sold her for 300 dollars & were driving her from the Midwest to California. Lucky for her, her brother found her drugged & gagged in back of a car while the guy & the girl that lured her went inside a store. They had a violent battle, but the brother got his sister back.

Liam Neeson has a movie called "Taken", where his daughter & her girlfriend are taken while on a trip somewhere in Europe. They were befriended by a nice looking & kind young guy who invited them to a party or to show them around (I forget). They gave him their address. Instead a couple of big nasty men showed up & violently took them. They were drugged & sold. Liam got her back. But it wasn't easy.

All of this breaks my heart.

[siligut]

60. Interesting stories and I believe it happens.

You gave real-life cases where the girl was abducted by people she knew and trusted, the OP article gave cases where, according to FBI executive assistant director Shawn Henry, "Child prostitutes are often recruited by loose knit groups that seek out kids who may be involved in drugs or runaways looking for a "responsible adult" to help them." This is what I was responding to in my post. If a child is a runaway, sometimes there is a good reason, so returning them to that home may not be the best solution.

Or if a child is involved with drugs, a supportive family would have resources to help, although Iggo gave a real-life example of his history, where he had a supportive family, but was involved with drugs anyway. I know there are exceptions, all this was just too much to put into my initial post. I know of a few cases from real-life myself, but even though I live in Seattle, I don't personally know of the cases the article cites.

I saw Taken, with Liam Neeson, too, great film!

[dmr]

67. Understand where you're coming from now

It has to be awfully scary out there for these kids. They may put up a good defiant front, but it still has to be scary. Scary enough to be recruited, and then betrayed.

Heartbreaking.

:hi:

[pattmarty]

15. Sick motherfuckers.

[siligut]

18. Did you read some of the comments at the link?

One guy is whining that it is hypocrisy because of what some young girls are wearing. So, while the law says, don't have sex with young people, it is different if they show some skin or their pants spell out "juicy" across their butts. I guess he thinks it is OK to steal if someone leaves their car unlocked or if a store advertises patio furniture with bright letters.

[hedgehog]

19. Every one of those kids encountered how many men who thought it was

OK to pay them for sex and then walk away.

[realisticphish]

20. that's the truly horrifying part

there are enough evil people in the world that I'm not surprised that people would "pimp" children. But the people who paid for it... that makes me ill

[femrap]

32. And just where are

'the johns????' Arrest those pieces of wasted beings. Not until the johns are thrown in jail and get Karma returned to them will this slavery stop.

Patriarchy...a fucking nightmare.

Those young girls and women will never have what might be considered a 'normal' life.

[realisticphish]

42. well

785 other people were arrested. I have a feeling a lot of them are the johns

[femrap]

48. Now that is cool! I wish the

article would come out and say that.

It boggles my mind to think that men treat young girls like this. They know they are enslaved yet feel nothing about using them. And I'm sure many of them are 'upstanding figures of society.'

Well, I hope the names of the 785 others are listed.

[realisticphish]

53. it's in the OP

but it's rather easy to miss. I'm not sure why they didn't emphasize that part of it, that number is WAY more impressive

[femrap]

56. 'arrested on a variety of

state and local charges'......I really would like more info on those charges. Assuming they are 'johns' is just that....an assumption.

[realisticphish]

58. very true nt

[LuckyLib]

21. Read "Half the Sky" to see how worldwide and endemic this practice is --

India, China, Indonesia, Thailand, even our own country. What kind of twisted thinking allows/supports/encourages this?

[Mnemosyne]

36. Republican "Moral Majority". Sick fucks... n/t

[BlancheSplanchnik]

63. Patriarchy.

Sex sells, men have physical strength, money and power, females are commodities.

[rasputin1952]

22. Glad to see this! This is one way I want my tax dollars spent...

saving children from monsters that would exploit them.

[leftstreet]

25. Ugh. And the M$M is getting away with calling them 'child prostitutes'

That labeling is wrong on so many levels

:grr:

[superduperfarleft]

39. Good point. n/t

[October]

46. OMG, so true! /nt

[BlancheSplanchnik]

64. MSM...Mass Stupidity Media

Good point you make.

[Tsiyu]

26. THIS IS WHAT A SENSIBLE NATION

does with its law enforcement resources.


HEy FBI: MORE OF THIS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[provis99]

27. should be "child sex slaves", not "child prostitutes"

Calling them child prostitutes makes it sound like they made a lifestyle choice.

[Demstud]

59. Good point

I hadn't thought of it like that.

[jkappy]

68. All Prostitutes are Sex Slaves!

How can man's oldest oppression be viewed in any other way but an institution of slavery--one of the chief ways of securing and maintaining women's inferior status or caste.

[TheEuclideanOne]

28. What happened? Did they raid ACORN?

**sitting quietly and awaiting flaming responses*** :evilgrin:

[Hissyspit]

29. No, this is the real stuff Fox and Congress could have been putting their time and energy into.

Actually using their incredible power to help children and make the world a better place instead of slandering innocent people in political attempts to make rich people richer.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

65. you're not kidding

:(

[thelordofhell]

30. 99 pimps for 69 girls

Why can't I get this song out of my head now.........

88 lines about 44 women vs. Jason
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsoXb8kZtw0

[Pavulon]

33. Provided they weren't wasting time with stupid drug law

I bet they could spend far more time stopping crime that actually destroys peoples lives.

[Shallah Kali]

34. This is a widespread crime

Human Trafficking in America
http://www.kansascity.com/trafficking

it is sickening how many evil people exist - the ones who sell and the ones who buy. makes me wish i believed in a hell for them to fry in.

[Odin2005]

35. OMG! Those poor kids!

:cry:

[woo me with science]

45. And not a single one of them

will have cute inner child personalities wake up in shock tomorrow or 20 years later to find that they repressed the entire sex slave experience. :sarcasm:

This is excellent, excellent news. :thumbsup:

[nalnn]

50. Images of the offenders

Here are some of the offenders:

Here

[gtar100]

54. Another consequence of poverty.

The circumstances allow diseased individuals such as these pimps to thrive. If our world had opportunities for meaningful work for everyone, how many of them would have actually chosen to abuse children for money. Those who have the integrity to not go down that path continue to grind in the daily struggle while those without the moral compass get rewarded. It's just plain sick.

[CoffeeCat]

55. CNN did a story...

...on the number of children who are being trafficked, right now,
in the United States. I believe their number was 350,000. How
unbearable and shameful that the United States has numbers like that.

An advocate for these children spoke about how serious the problem is,
and she also stated that many high-profile people are working behind
the scenes to put an end to this. She mentioned that Demi Moore
and Ashton Kutcher have been quietly giving money to the cause for
a while, and that money like that was instrumental in rooting out
rings like this and running investigations that finally lead to arrests.

It is a sign of hope that law enforcement is taking this seriously
and that these children are now free.

I hope they all end up in a better place where they can heal and
find peace.

Thanks for posting.

[durkermaker]

66. ....