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More Than 170 Charged Following A Large-Scale Human Trafficking Investigation
justice.gov ^ | November 17, 2020 | U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of Florida

Posted on 12/07/2020 9:27:45 AM PST by ransomnote

19 Face Federal Charges

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – More than 170 total arrests have been made on charges ranging from solicitation of prostitution to human trafficking of a minor.  Nineteen defendants have been indicted on federal charges as a result of a two-year, multi-agency investigation led by the Tallahassee Police Department. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence E. Revell, and Lorena Bueno, Assistant State Attorney for the 2nd Judicial Court, made the announcement at a press conference in Tallahassee, Florida.

“The victims of sex-trafficking crimes need our help,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “As a society, we must all do our part to be there for them in any way that we can. For so long as I am the United States Attorney, I will do everything I can to contribute to multi-agency efforts, to make federal resources available, and to assist your State Attorney, your police department and your sheriff as they protect our children and guard this community.”

According to Chief Revell, the investigation began in November 2018 when investigators from Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) saw that images of a minor were being posted on a website advertising sex for money. The investigation, dubbed Operation Stolen Innocence, uncovered an enormous amount of electronic evidence that required months to evaluate. This electronic evidence allowed investigators to further develop the scope and extent of the case. As a result, 72 suspects were charged with misdemeanors and notices to appear while 106 suspects were charged with felonies. Of that 106, 19 defendants face federal felony charges.

“This investigation is a testament to how diligent our investigators work to enhance the quality of life for everyone in this community, especially our vulnerable population. They worked tirelessly to bring justice to the victim in this case and were able to make an unprecedented number of human trafficking related arrests,” Chief Revell said. “I could not be prouder of the steadfast efforts of our investigators and the joint effort with our partners to stop the illegal and dehumanizing practice of human trafficking.”

The federal charges in this case include enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity, enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in prostitution, production and/or receipt of child pornography, transfer of obscene material to a minor, sex trafficking a minor, and conspiracy to sex traffic a minor.

“It is difficult to comprehend the depravity of these criminals who prey on the most innocent in our society,” said Kevin Sibley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Field Office. “Thanks to the collective efforts of the Tallahassee Police Department and HSI special agents, our local communities are significantly safer today as a result of this investigation.”

These cases resulted from investigations by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshal Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The federal cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Press Release - Operation Stolen Innocence

USA Keefe Remarks - Operation Stolen Innocence

Attachment(s): 
Topic(s): 
Project Safe Childhood
Human Trafficking
Component(s): 
Contact: 
U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of Florida (850) 216-3829 USAFLN.Press@usdoj.gov


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: pedogate; pedophilia; prostitution; trafficking
I've seen very compelling videos by the organization, Operation Stolen Innocence, listed at the bottom of the post. So many children rescued!
1 posted on 12/07/2020 9:27:45 AM PST by ransomnote
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To: ransomnote

As horrible as Sessions/Barrstool have been in every other area of their duties, they both have been stellar in fighting human trafficking.


2 posted on 12/07/2020 9:30:33 AM PST by LS ("Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually" (Hendrix) )
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To: ransomnote

Hey, the good news is, once Joe and the Ho take over, we won’t have to be bothered by reports of this kind of thing.


3 posted on 12/07/2020 9:47:02 AM PST by brownsfan (Schools. If we don't fix the schools, nothing else matters.)
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To: ransomnote

MOAR great news, ‘note. T


4 posted on 12/07/2020 9:49:53 AM PST by PGalt (Past Peak Civilization?)
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To: LS

This is great, but it is all for naught if we don’t overturn the communist conspiracy with their running dog corrupt cronies that has stolen the election.


5 posted on 12/07/2020 10:05:59 AM PST by AndyJackson
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To: ransomnote
Pedophilia is pandemic in America and throughout the world.

DOJ Project Safe Childhood in the U.S. seeks to arrest and prosecute them. (And there are many of them!)

Pedogate is not just a U.S. monstrosity. It is satanic and an evil international horror show from hell.

6 posted on 12/07/2020 10:18:12 AM PST by Perseverando (Antifa, BLM, Libs, Progs, Islamonazis, Statists, Commies, DemoKKKrats: It's a Godlessness disorder.)
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To: brownsfan

“Hey, the good news is, once Joe and the Ho take over, we won’t have to be bothered by reports of this kind of thing.”

Because they weren’t taken down, when the no moral boundaries global socialist deep state gets rid of Trump, don’t be surprised if we see some mix of Harris/Obama/HRC/Pedophile types in total control.


7 posted on 12/07/2020 10:35:20 AM PST by patriotfury ((May the fleas of a thousand camels occupy mo' ham mads tents!) )
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To: LS

As horrible as Sessions/Barrstool have been in every other area of their duties, they both have been stellar in fighting human trafficking.

******************************************

Give me a break. Barr is as deep as you get in the crimes against this nation. He should be applauded for nothing. Essentially his crimes could lead us all into essentially becoming victims of human trafficking in that he was charged with protecting our freedom and he could not have been a bigger failure. When we win this revolution he should be tried with all the rest and put in prison for life or worse if convicted.


8 posted on 12/07/2020 10:36:06 AM PST by bramps (It's the Islam, stupid! )
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To: bramps

Baloney!


9 posted on 12/07/2020 11:03:14 AM PST by caww ( )
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To: caww

Baloney!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Maybe you are right. Probably should waterboard Barr before throwing him in jail.

Leave children home unsupervised for a weekend and see what happens. Leave a country with no attorney general for four years and we see what you get. Two attempted overthrows of a legitimately elected president and Barr sits on his fat behind and does absolutely nothing.! He is a diabolical traitor to this nation and the freedom that it stands for.


10 posted on 12/07/2020 3:36:41 PM PST by bramps (It's the Islam, stupid! )
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To: AndyJackson

I think you’d have a hard time selling that to the parents of these kids.


11 posted on 12/07/2020 4:12:49 PM PST by LS ("Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually" (Hendrix) )
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To: LS

It’s a great result. But the fact that human trafficking is even an issue in our society is because of much deeper problems. Some crimes are so horrible that they deserve medieval punishments and this one of them. The political corruption that makes this even possible is another.


12 posted on 12/07/2020 4:23:11 PM PST by AndyJackson
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To: bramps
For whatever reasons you've got a Barr itch that won't stop festering no matter how hard you scratch it. However it's really Trump that's gotten to you because he's not doing what you want regarding Barr............And BTW you don't know who's been arrested and charged ....the left will never report one of theirs getting taken down unless it stands to bring them gain....Further you don't know what Barr's investigating either. Thank God neither Barr nor Trump has to report to you or all we'd see is some low life political staff singing the blues in jail so you can say they did something.... instead of bringing down the big boys running it all.
13 posted on 12/07/2020 5:40:41 PM PST by caww ( )
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To: AndyJackson

Human trafficking is not new including in this country....it’s gone on for centuries!


14 posted on 12/07/2020 5:41:58 PM PST by caww ( )
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To: caww

I’m guessing you own swampland all over the world.


15 posted on 12/07/2020 6:30:44 PM PST by bramps (It's the Islam, stupid! )
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To: caww

So how come Hillary Clinton, John Brennan , James Comey and Loretta Lynch are walking around free as birds?


16 posted on 12/08/2020 11:08:30 AM PST by jmacusa (If we're all equal how is diversity our strength?)
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