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. More are involved than we realize.. 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 It may cause some to realize what some in their own circle have been hiding from them, often suffering in silence or shame. Media Contact A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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. Official websites use .gov The New Day Hotline is also available for 24/7 support to survivors and technical assistance to other professionals. 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. 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. HIAS PA provides free legal and immigration services to survivors of trafficking. Philadelphia, PA 19106, Telephone:(215) 861-8200 NSC also assists individuals with obtaining long term immigration status, supporting survivors when working with law enforcement and assessing for other legal needs. 2. Tipsters can remain anonymous, if they like.. WebPhiladelphia Man Convicted Of Sex Trafficking A Child. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Delaware County District Attorneys Office, the Bensalem Police Department, the Media Borough Police Department, the Tinicum Township Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department. Its not just that women have lowered their standards, but that men are the one who see women as lower, too.. 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. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Lock 215-861-8300. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 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 Address: 300 E. Hunting Park Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19124 The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melanie Babb Wilmoth. This ongoing series will address this and more. Three Philadelphia men were charged, by a federal grand jury, in an indictment unsealed today in the Eastern District of Justice At Work Fax Line:(215) 861-8618. Eastern District of Pennsylvania A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. Dubbed Operation Safeguard, the initiative began on February 15 when a US Marshals Service task force took over 26 missing children cases at the request of other law enforcement agencies. A lock ( Phone: 215-387-9500. An official website of the United States government. 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. Address: 600 Chestnut St., Suite 500B Philadelphia, PA 19106 Main Office: 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 Email. Fax: 215-733-0876. This means the demand for this is modern-day enslavement continues. It is going take the men taking control to reverse this. The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. PCA conducts forensic interviews of the younger victims, and our partners in the Human Trafficking Task Force conduct the interviews for older teens. Allegedly, this defendant forced four young people, one a minor child, to sell their bodies for his financial gain. A Philadelphia man is accused of trafficking four victims, one of whom was a minor, in Bucks County and surrounding areas, according to federal authorities. 2023 Cable News Network. PCA works in tandem with DHS to connect survivors with the appropriate services. 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. Hebrew International Aid Society Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. 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, WebAddress: 300 E. Hunting Park Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19124 Phone: 215-387-9500 Legal and Immigration Services, Trainings and Advocacy Justice At Work Justice At Work Smith also had sexual relations with the females who worked for him. Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 Have a question about Government Services? After the workshop he, like the other men present, needed to change how they looked at girls and women as sex objects first and as their spiritual sister secondarily. Address: Nationalities Service Center 1216 Arch Street, 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 The Indictment alleges that for about seven days at the end of September 2019, Smith knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, maintained a minor for the purposes of forcing that minor to engage in commercial sex acts in Philadelphia. 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. Have a question about Government Services? Leah Fletcher, Account Executive. Blue Campaigns educational awareness objectives consists of two foundational elements, prevention of human trafficking and protection of exploited persons. A locked padlock 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 Further, Keel and Felts allegedly had explicit discussions via Facebook Messenger about the commercial sex acts occurring at the residences. 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. Main Office: Philadelphia, PA 19106, Telephone:(215) 861-8200 Lock 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.. 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. 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 For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Smith faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment on Count One, a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment on Count Two, a $500,000 fine, a lifetime period of supervised release and a $200 special assessment. Phone: 215-832-0900. 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. A Warner Bros. Many who engage in the paid sex during Super Bowl season are not the typical prostitute street walker. WebCSEC or Child Sex Trafficking Sex trafficking affects children, too. We get calls from as far away as Pittsburgh where girls have been taken. WebPhiladelphia Division. Dawns Place A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. WebHuman Trafficking Task Forces are a coalition of victim service providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, community members, courts and other parties working to combat human 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. 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. Children cannot sell sex even in places where prostitution is legal. They may be lured thinking that someone is helping them find a job. WebThe Philadelphia Juvenile Anti-Trafficking Coalition is the first of its kind focusing on and addressing the needs of child victims of human trafficking and vulnerable subpopulations The Philadelphia Sunday SUN - P.O. Free counseling and trauma therapy services offered include individual and group sessions. 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. Because this is the start of the prime season for human trafficking. 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. As a city Philadelphia has major conventions and athletic events as well as many entertainment strips. Earlier this month outgoing President Barack Obama issued a proclamation declaring January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Address: 31 E. Armat Street Philadelphia PA 19144. Enoch Smith, 36, a/k/a Drees, a/k/a Idris, of Philadelphia, PA, was convicted today of all charges including sex trafficking of a minor and production of child pornography. Philadelphia, PA 19106, Telephone:(215) 861-8200 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. 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. The dates would take place at the home that Smith leased and the females gave 100 percent of their cash earnings to Smith. 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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Kelly Sagastume, Program Manager, Project PROTECT, ksagastume@sccalaw.org, Dana Bernhaut, Child Policy Associate, dbernhaut@sccalaw.org. Covenant House Official websites use .gov When the minors were rescued and Adams learned he was under investigation by the FBI, he allegedly wiped his cell phone clean of all incriminating evidence. The indictment alleges that Felts ran a prostitution ring that recruited and enticed young females, including minors, 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. 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. Official websites use .gov It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle L. Morgan. The Philadelphia Juvenile Anti-Trafficking Coalition is the first of its kind focusing on and addressing the needs of child victims of human trafficking and vulnerable subpopulations that are overrepresented and underserved. He even transported them to other cities and states, determined to keep the money coming in at their expense. 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. Fax Line:(215) 861-8618. 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. Based on the results of that assessment, PCA will secure services for the child. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison. UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE They educate and provide technical assistance to legislators, policy decision makers, and other stakeholders in order to improve legal responses to CSE. Nationalities Service Center Box 18869, Philadelphia, PA 19119 - Phone (215) 848-7864 - Fax (215) 848-7893 Lock Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years. Many girls and women, boys and men are forced or coerced into this lifestyle. UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE The charges against the defendant stem from his operation of a sex trafficking ring in Philadelphia and the surrounding regionincluding Bucks and Delaware counties. The fraud is they are selling love, said Hugh Organ, associate director of the Philadelphia Anti-Trafficking Coalition. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 300 E. 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