Law Enforcement Officials Complete Trafficking in Persons Seminar

By Lindsay Thompson
Feb 18, 2011 – 5:58:02 PM

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Nassau, The Bahamas – Personnel in law enforcement and related areas completed a two-day training seminar on how to fight the threat of human trafficking to and from The Bahamas and the region.

Coordinated by the Organisation of American States, the seminar on ‘Strengthening Capacity of Law Enforcement Officials, Judges and Prosecutors in the Caribbean to identify and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children’, was held at SuperClub Breezes on February 15 – 16, 2011.

Minister of National Security the Hon. Tommy Turnquest in his Keynote Address said that such seminars set the tone for the extraordinary cooperation between regional and international governments in what has been recognised as the fastest growing transnational criminal activity in the world.

Participants were members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Immigration and Customs department, the Office of the Attorney General and related agencies. The seminar provided a forum for strengthening the capacity of law enforcement officials and prosecutors in identifying and combating trafficking in persons, especially women and children.

The government implemented the Trafficking in Persons Prevention and Suppression Act in December 2008, which makes all forms of trafficking of human beings illegal. Penalties range from three years to life imprisonment.

“The government is committed to preventing, detecting and successfully prosecuting this evil perpetrated on unsuspecting women and children while in The Bahamas,” he said.

Because The Bahamas is an archipelago of islands scattered over 100,000 square miles of water, he said policing its borders is a daunting task.

Human Trafficking is defined by Article 3 (a) of the United Nations Protocol as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation”.

Although trafficking has existed for centuries, it is said that the effects of globalisation have contributed to an environment in which it makes human trafficking a highly profitable and generally low risk criminal business.

“While there is little evidence of the same here, regrettably there exists the potential of the participation of The Bahamas,” Mr. Turnquest said.

Research has shown that human traffickers rarely use direct force and abduction; most traffickers use subtle means of force and deception. However, the situation becomes more complicated when victims themselves become recruiters in trying to save themselves from further exploitation.

“While trafficking of men, women and children for forced labour and prostitution may not be an issue in The Bahamas presently, The Bahamas takes the issue of human trafficking very seriously by having implemented strategies to effectively address this scourge on humanity,” Mr. Turnquest said.

Research also suggests that The Bahamas’ borders make it an ideal target for the facilitation of human trafficking.

“However, for the most part, persons who find themselves in The Bahamas illegally come voluntarily for mostly economic purposes,” Mr. Turnquest said.

Meanwhile, The Bahamas encourages trafficked victims to participate in investigations and prosecutions of persons culpable of trafficking.

The seminar was also addressed by Senator the Hon. John Delaney, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs; Mrs. Juliet Mallet Phillip, OAS Representative in The Bahamas; and Fernando Garcia-Robles, Anti-TIP Coordinator, OAS. Presenters from the region and the UK were: Ana Rodriquez, Peter Bryant, Guillermo Galarza, Olga Gutierrez, Franklyn Williams, and Floy Turner.

JURY FINDS NEW YORK MAN GUILTY OF SEX TRAFFICKING

United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill

Middle District of Florida

Tampa Orlando Jacksonville Ocala Fort Myers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: WILLIAM DANIELS

Thursday, February 17, 2011

PHONE: (813) 274-6388

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/flm/pr

Townsend forcibly removed her personal property (including her passport, cell phone, and laptop computer) from her belongings at the residence of Townsend’s brother in

Thomasville, North Carolina as a means of preventing her from leaving. Investigators

actually recovered the woman’s hidden passport from inside a stereo speaker at the

brother’s residence. Evidence also included a Myspace message to one of the victims in

which Townsend acknowledged that the victim would be beaten for not making “her

number,” a reference to a nightly quota of $1,000.00. Townsend transported the women

from Norfolk,Virginia,toThomasville, North Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia, Kingsland, Georgia,

and Jacksonville, Florida. Townsend and the women were in Jacksonville from September

9, 2009, until September 16, 2009. Townsend caused the women to engage in commercial

sex acts from an abandoned apartment on Edenfield Road and also from the locations of

customers, including local homes and hotels. On September 16, 2009, the Canadian

woman was apprehended by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office as part of an undercover

prostitution sting. At that time, the woman became hysterical and advised officers about

what had happened to her. The investigation into Townsend’s sex trafficking activities then

commenced. Investigators amassed a large amount of evidence including hotel records,

phone records, bank records, and 28 internet ads in which Townsend advertised the

victim’s availability for commercial sex acts. Investigators also seized a Garmin GPS from

Townsend’s vehicle and were able to establish locations of various customers in Jacksonville from the data contained in the Garmin.

In commenting on the prosecution: U.S. Attorney O’Neill said, “We are committed to prosecuting those who seek to

harm and exploit persons by fraud, violence, or force. Sex trafficking is a serious offense

and must be treated as such. This case represents a major step towards restoring the

victims of these terrible crimes.”

Special Agent in Charge James Casey, FBI, stated, “Sex trafficking takes place

outside public view, but as we’ve seen in this case, it is nothing less than modern-day

slavery. We at the FBI will continue to work hard with our law enforcement partners and

prosecutors to expose these activities and bring the offenders to justice.”

“The conviction of Tyrone Townsend is good news. The issue of human trafficking

remains an important focus for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. I applaud the work of our

Special Investigations Unit, as they continue to dig beyond the seemingly “typical”

prostitution activity we see, and develop these human trafficking cases,” said Jacksonville,

FL Sheriff John Rutherford. “As always, our partnership with the US Attorney and the FBI

ensures that these heinous crimes come to light and those exploiting others are brought

to justice in the federal system. I am also proud of the work of the JSO as we participate

with the local task force and work to educate the public on the issue of human trafficking.”

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was

prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener, III.

JURY FINDS NEW YORK MAN GUILTY OF SEX TRAFFICKING WOMEN BY FORCE, THREATS OF FORCE, AND FRAUD

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces that a federal jury

on February 16, 2011, found Tyrone Townsend (age 45, of New York City) guilty of sex

trafficking by force, threats of force and fraud; transporting women across state lines for

prostitution; enticing, inducing and coercing a woman to travel across state lines for

prostitution; and conspiracy to transport a woman across state lines for prostitution.

Townsend faces minimum mandatory sentences of 30 years and a maximum penalty of

two consecutive life sentences plus 35 years in federal prison for his crimes. His

sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 6, 2011. Townsend was indicted on April 20,

2010.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Townsend met the first

victim, an eighteen-year-old runaway, in April 2009 after she traveled by Greyhound bus

to New York City. He met the second victim, a Canadian citizen, after she responded to

an internet advertisement and met up with Townsend and the first victiminNorfolk, Virginia.

Both victims testified that Townsend beat them (including beating one victim with a belt)

and sexually assaulted them as a means of causing them to engage in commercial sex

acts. Both victims testified that Townsend required them to call him “Daddy,” and that

Former Gilroy sex trafficking victim receiving award

A human trafficking victim held in a Gilroy warehouse and abused sexually for nine months will receive the Healing Hearts award from Community Solutions on March 18 at the Morgan Hill Cultural Center at 17000 Monterey Rd.

Emelen Recillas will be honored with the award, which recognizes individuals overcoming significant barriers and challenges who are now leading healthy and productive lives, according to Perla Flores, director of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking programs for Community Solutions.

In 1997, Recillas was a 21-year-old immigrant when she came to the United States to work at a restaurant/bar in Morgan Hill which is now closed, Flores said.

“She was tricked into coming into the United States,” said Flores. “They told her she would be working in someone’s restaurant, but she was forced into a situation of sexual confrontation and prostitution.”

Flores said the 34-year-old Hollister resident was under the impression she would be earning her keep as a waitress, but was instead forced into prostitution with men at the establishment in order to repay her “debt.”

Flores said when Recillas wasn’t working, she stayed inside a dimly lit, padlocked warehouse with one barred window and 31 other women at 7373 Monterey St.

The building is now unoccupied.

Recillas found a way out of her situation nine months later when the restaurant was shut down, according to Flores.

One day, Flores said the truck that picked the women up for work every day didn’t show up, and Recillas later learned the bar was shut down.

Recillas never saw the restaurant owner again, according Flores.

Flores said Recillas later reported her story to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2009 after watching a TV special on human trafficking and realizing she had been a victim.

“It’s not just the typical restraints, or guards,” said Flores, explaining why Recillas didn’t just “escape” while she was at work. “There’s also the emotional component to it.”

Flores explained the man who recruited Recillas knew where she came from, knew her family and threatened to harm those she loved if Recillas ever fled.

“When they would call back home,” someone would monitor their phone calls,” said Flores. “And in their home county, law enforcement is corrupt … there are a lot of ways to control someone without having to shackle them.”

Flores said Recillas and the other captive women feared deportation if they went to the police.

“There are those tangible ways to control someone against their will, but emotional issues come into play as well,” she said.

Recillas is now eligible for the same benefits as a refugee, according to Flores, such as health and gaining vocational skills.

Flores said Recillas is proactive and determined to do whatever she can, but also explained law enforcement does not have enough evidence to charge anyone at this point.

According Sgt. Wes Stanford of the Gilroy Police Department no reports have been filed concerning these circumstances.

Calls made to the Morgan Hill Police Department pertaining to Chiquis restaurant were not returned at time of publication.

Community Solutions provides treatment, intervention in mental health, assisting victims in child abuse and domestic violence among other programs to help communities from South San Jose to San Benito County. Flores’ department works daily to raise community awareness about preventing domestic violence and human trafficking and interacts daily with victims.

Blair Tellers
Blair Tellers is a staff writer for the Gilroy Dispatch.

Communication challenges, human trafficking plague seafaring industry

By Sara Angle
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Seafarers worldwide have always faced a difficult life marked by long periods away from loved ones, but increased globalization has given rise to new challenges, including difficulty with communication and human trafficking.

These were some of the issues that regional directors of the Apostleship of the Sea discussed Feb. 14-16 during their annual gathering at the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers.

Globalization has led to the development of more ports, and existing ports are seeing an increase in traffic.

The growth in the shipping and fishing industries has led to a greater demand for mariners, and the demand for manpower is so great in some parts of the world that personnel can be victims of human trafficking, said Father Romeo Yu Chang, regional coordinator of East-Far East Asia.

For example, in Thailand, many people do not wish to take on the strenuous and risk-filled job on fishing boats, so laborers are being trafficked in from other countries, he said in the region’s annual report.

Undocumented laborers are often victims of abuse and exploitation, and many of the workers “are enticed or lured or kidnapped to work as sea fishermen,” he wrote in the report.

The greatest problem historically faced by seafarers, who might spend 9-10 months at sea, has been the difficulty in communicating with family back home.

The Apostleship of the Sea helps seafarers by offering phone cards and Internet connections at port centers, and port chaplains often go onto the boats with laptops and cell phones for workers to use, said Deacon Albert M. Dacanay, regional coordinator for North America and the Caribbean.

A growing number of seafarers have access to new technologies that make it possible to reach home frequently and cheaply, he told Catholic News Service Feb. 15.

Because many seafarers now have access to Wi-Fi and smart phones, the apostleship is launching a beta test system for a social networking site that would allow seafarers and chaplains to keep in touch with each other.

The website would be a tool for communication between seafarers and their families, seafaring families with other families, and a method of relaying information about apostleship services to seafarers on the go. An iPhone application is also in the works.

The site would also help chaplains easily track ships and their crew to better serve them.

Connecting chaplains directly with seafarers in need is a hallmark of what Deacon Dacanay calls their “networking ministry.”

“The first thing you do when they come (is ask them) how long are you staying and where is your next port?” he said.

That way if the chaplain is unable to help the seafarer immediately, he can alert the chaplain at the next port of call to visit the crew member in need of continued assistance.

“We try to make it a very close family network for chaplains” so they can all look out for crew members in need, he said.

The increased ease of being in touch with family members has brought a greater demand for counseling and crisis intervention, said Redemptorist Father Xavier Pinto, regional coordinator for South India and the Gulf region. One-on-one time with members of the pastoral teams is becoming progressively more critical and important, he said.

Apostleship regional directors see this as an opportunity to expand their network, but because of a lack of resources, they worry that they will not be able to meet the demand, some said.

A globalized workforce also means crew members on one ship might be from many different countries. The multiethnic crews often have no way of communicating with one another, if only for companionship, and that can cause problems, said Deacon Dacanay.

Staff members at apostleship centers speak the language native to that region, and sometimes English, but many mariners that come to them are immigrants who do not speak either language, he said.

Another problem the apostleship works to alleviate is protecting the rights and living conditions of seafarers who are stuck on ships that have been abandoned by the captain due to bankruptcy or legal issues.

In his opening address Feb. 14 to the regional coordinators meeting, Scalabrinian Father Gabriele Bentoglio, undersecretary of the pontifical council, said ships abandoned at port with crews left on board “is one of the most visible effects of the global economic crisis in the maritime industry.”

The apostleship tries to provide for their basic needs, such as food and water, and assists with repatriation and efforts to recover unpaid wages, he said.

The Apostleship of the Sea, which provides spiritual care to seafarers and anyone whose livelihood depends on the sea, has set up centers and chaplaincies across the world to help seafarers wherever they may be.

For many people who are strangers in a strange new place, “the first place you visit is the church” because it’s someplace that makes you feel comfortable and welcome, Deacon Dacanay said.

When there is a chaplain at a port, “sometimes we take a picture with the sailors and we send it to their families and it keeps them assured that their husbands and their family members are kept safe and in good hands,” he said.

Deja Vu for Hawaii Human Trafficking Bill?

By Sara Lin 02/17/2011

Sara Lin/Civil Beat

Hawaii lawmakers are determined to keep an anti-human trafficking bill alive this session. But there’s still a major rift between vocal victims advocates who want laws criminalizing sex and labor trafficking, and law enforcement that thinks existing laws are adequate.

The support of Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro seems key to any human trafficking bill’s passage. But the prosecutor reiterated Thursday morning to House lawmakers that he doesn’t think Hawaii needs a human trafficking bill. He stands by his original proposal to toughen existing laws to attack the demand side of prostitution to stop sex trafficking.

“I don’t disagree with what (the advocates) are trying to do. I’ve always been very active in prosecuting johns,” Kaneshiro said. “But we already have these concepts in our current law.”

Kaneshiro’s comments come one day before he’s scheduled to meet with Luis de Baca, President Barack Obama’s Ambassador-at-Large in charge of monitoring and combating human trafficking.

Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for forced labor or sexual exploitation. Hawaii is one of five states without a law banning the practice.

The House Human Services Committee voted to advance House Bill 576, which would establish sex trafficking as a felony offense. At an informational briefing before the committee voted on the measure, trafficking survivors gave testimony.

Several of the victims were former prostitutes who talked about the shame of having been forced into prostitution and the stigma they felt afterwards.

As if to underscore the point, as one victim tearfully recounted being forced at gunpoint to prostitute herself for three months, Rep. Faye Hanohano looked disgusted and twice rolled her eyes.

Hawaii clearly has a human trafficking problem. Federal prosecutors in Honolulu filed the largest human trafficking case in U.S. history in September, involving more than 400 Thai farm workers who were kept on farms here and in other states as indentured labor.

Lawmakers introduced 11 human-trafficking related bills this session. Six bills sought to establish specific human trafficking criminal statutes. Four of those bills — three in the House, one in the Senate — are still viable.

Last year, the Legislature unanimously passed what would have been Hawaii’s first human trafficking bill. But Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed the bill in July after law enforcement, prosecutors and public defenders opposed it, citing vague wording.

Clearly, that experience was fresh on legislators’ minds.

“I’d hate to have what happened last year — with the governor vetoing the bill — to happen again,” said House Human Services Committee Chair Rep. John Mizuno, who scheduled Tuesday’s hearing on HB 576. The measure was passed on to the Judiciary Committee with amendments.

But judging from Tuesday’s hearing, it could be deja vu for anti-trafficking advocates.

HB 576 is backed by the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery, the same vocal victims advocate group that successfully lobbied for last year’s failed bill. This year’s bill is slightly different, but the same characters have lined up to oppose it again.

Deputy Attorney General Lance Goto said: “We do oppose this bill because it seeks to prohibit conduct already prohibited by the law.” The attorney general’s written testimony also indicates wording in the bill is again vague and confusing, and would make winning convictions more difficult.

Hawaii Public Defender John Tonaki seemed to side with Kaneshiro.

“I’m mainly here as an observer,” Tonaki said. “As Kaneshiro said, when you change things in the criminal code, you really have to be careful. You don’t want advocates to mix enforcement with problems in the law.”

“These cases can be very difficult to gather evidence on, so some of these may be enforcement problems rather than problems in the law,” Tonaki said.

Feds: Russian sex trafficking ring operating in Central Florida

By Amy Pavuk, Orlando Sentinel
11:53 a.m. EST, February 18, 2011
A federal grand jury in Orlando has indicted a dozen people suspected of working in a Russian sex-trafficking ring in Central Florida for more than a year.
The 27-count indictment, unsealed this week, accuses Roman Caraiman and Alexandr Postica of recruiting women to work as sex workers at massage parlors around the United States.
Federal authorities said Caraiman imported people from Russia and sought to bring women from other countries to the United States, all to work in the sex trade.
None of those indicted by the grand jury are U.S. citizens.
Several have been arrested, including Tatiana Belinschi, a 25-year-old who goes by the alias “Laura.” She was booked into the Orange County Jail this week and is scheduled for arraignment this morning in Orlando federal court.

Several of the suspects were arrested outside Florida, including Postica and co-defendants Saida Babaeva, 28, and Alina Priadko, 24.
Also named in the indictment: Kateryna Krykovlyuk, Elena Shashurova, Vlada Blisciuc, Elena Abushinova, Irina Luchina, Aleksandra Liubina and Natalia Fedorova.
The indictment alleges that the 12 worked together in a commercial sex business in Orange, Osceola and Hillsborough counties since at least July 2009. Their activities continued through this month, the charges state.
Caraiman, Belinschi and Postica are accused of using at least one website to recruit non-U.S. citizens to work in the sex industry in America.
Authorities said Caraiman and Belinschi placed ads for massage services on the classifieds websites craigslist and backpage, so they could solicit customers.
Nine of the suspects paid a portion of their proceeds to Caraiman, who then shared his money with Belinschi and Postica, the charges state.
The indictment details dates, beginning in 2009, when the women are accused of offering to perform sex acts on an undercover detective in exchange for money.
Authorities say the sex ring operated outside of Florida as well.
In December, according to the indictment, Postica transported Babaeva from Ohio to Michigan to work, and Postica also transported Liubina and Fedorova from Massachusetts to Michigan, also for commercial sex work.
Babaeva and Priadko were both arrested in Ohio, jail records show.
apavuk@tribune.com or 407-420-5735.

Superbowl Results

2011 The Dallas based Traffick 911 hosted a coalition of local and national groups to combat potential sex trafficking at this year’s Super Bowl. These groups included the national organizations Courtney’s House, Florida Coalition against Human Trafficking, The Home Foundation, FREE International, Airline Ambassadors, Global Child Rescue and the KlaasKIDS Foundation. On January 29th, over 220 personnel received training regarding potential indicators of sex trafficking. From January 31st to February 5th, 50 teams totaling 205 workers conducted outreach around the metroplex. Despite the inclement weather, these outreach teams: Made direct contact with 6 potential victims, Notified law enforcement of a vulnerable minor found in Deep Ellum, Provided law enforcement with 43 reports of potential trafficking activity, Provided 9 specific reports regarding missing child sightings and domestic minor sex trafficking Traffick 911 also maintained a command center from January 31st to February 05th and monitored numerous websites used to advertise women and girls as escorts. A definitive increase of ads was noticed leading up to the Super Bowl. For example, advertisements on http://www.backpage.com: Date Escort Ads Saturday, January 15th 135 Saturday, January 22nd 179 Saturday, January 29th 232 Saturday, February 5th 367 Many of these ads featured suggestive titles specifically addressing the Super Bowl and it’s influx of visitors, to include:

Come touchdown in Pleasures Stadium you’ll be Runningback for more no flags no penalties

SUPER BOWL AFTER PARTY OVER HERE!!!! Come Get Your Ultimate Victory!!! Packers Play Date

GO Steelers!!! Pre-game Specials!!! –*Sweet and Sexxy

Traffick 911 would like to thank each of its partners for their participation in the outreach and specifically thank the numerous law enforcement agencies for their efforts, advice and assistance during our outreach. For additional information regarding this report please contact Brad Dennis at (850) 525-4807.

Panel Investigates Child Labor in the Chocolate Industry

Wednesday, February 09, 2011 //
Contact: Brandi Palmer
727-562-7381
palmer@law.stetson.edu

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and Americans eat more than 50 million pounds of chocolate to celebrate. But according to the U.S. Department of State, more than 100,000 children are enslaved working in the cocoa industry. On Feb. 8, a group of students, faculty and experts gathered at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport to discuss the issue of child labor in the international cocoa industry.

Stetson Law student Amber Knight, an intern at the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking, introduced the program, which included a screening of the documentary film, “The Dark Side of Chocolate,” by U. Roberto “Robin” Romano and award-winning Danish journalist Miki Mistrati.

International human rights expert Professor Luz Nagle moderated a panel that discussed the importance of consumer awareness, corporate responsibility and tougher labor laws to combat child slavery and exploitation. The panel included consumer advocate Carol Botbyl, Stetson Law Professor Clark Furlow, Distinguished Professorial Lecturer Justice Andrew G.T. Moore II, Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking representative Giselle Rodriguez, and nationally renowned labor lawyer Peter Robb.

Filmmaker Robin Romano joined the program via Skype. “Cocoa is to the Ivory Coast as the Ivory Coast is to cocoa,” Romano said following the screening of his film. He later shared that the Ivory Coast is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a human rights treaty advocating for children’s rights.

Rodriguez said she was saddened to know that children are forced to labor in the cocoa industry without access to adequate food, medical care, or even school.

Justice Moore said that he found not knowing even more disturbing.

In 2001, there was a force to implement legislation to give some teeth to the movement to stop child labor, Nagle said. Now a decade later, the issue remains. “Who will hold corporations accountable for enforcing the rights of the child?” Professor Nagle asked the panel.

The panel concluded with many questions. “Could we make it good business not to buy cocoa beans from companies using child labor?” Robb asked.

On one point, Professor Nagle was certain. “We all need to be involved,” she said.

###

Wednesday, February 09, 2011 //
Contact: Brandi Palmer
727-562-7381
palmer@law.stetson.edu

Rodriguez said she was saddened to know that children are forced to labor in the cocoa industry without access to adequate food, medical care, or even school.

Justice Moore said that he found not knowing even more disturbing.

The panel concluded with many questions. “Could we make it good business not to buy cocoa beans from companies using child labor?” Robb asked.

On one point, Professor Nagle was certain. “We all need to be involved,” she said.

###

Stetson University College of Law is Florida’s first law school. It has educated lawyers for more than a century. The law school is located in the Gulfport/St. Petersburg area with a satellite campus in downtown Tampa. Stetson University’s historic campus, founded in 1883 in DeLand, is home to the College of Arts & Sciences, School of Business Administration and School of Music, and has a satellite center in Celebration offering advanced degrees.

Twin brothers get 4 years for sex trafficking

Twin brothers from Dolton have pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to four years in prison for forcing young women into prostitution in the south suburbs, prosecutors said this morning.

Tyrelle and Myrelle Lockett, 18, pleaded guilty in the Markham courthouse Tuesday to felony charges of human trafficking for forced labor or services after an undercover sting operation found that they forced young women, including one underage victim, to perform sex acts with men for money, according to a news release.

In the sting, sheriff’s police officers met with Tyrelle Lockett in a Lansing motel after they answered an Internet ad placed by the Locketts, authorities said.

The convictions were the first under a sex trafficking initiative that combines the resources of State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez’s office and local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

The brothers’ operation involved making motel reservations and taking photos of the female victims for the Internet ads they created and posted, according to prosecutors. Once the meetings with clients were set, the victims would enter motel rooms to have sex with the men while the defendants waited nearby to collect payment.

The 17- and 18-year-old victims, who were not charged, told police that the brothers beat them and threatened them if they didn’t perform the sex acts, and took all the money.

The sentences were handed down by Cook County Judge Frank Zelezinski.

Church of Scientology: Sea Org human trafficking?

Bombshell allegations came to light Monday that the Church of Scientology is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for violating human trafficking laws. In particular, the allegations are that Sea Org practices may have violated human trafficking laws. Sea Org is a kind of fraternal religious order for the most devoted members of the Church of Scientology.

The allegations come to light in a recently released profile of former Church of Scientology member Canadian writer-director Paul Haggis, a profile written by Lawrence Wright entitled “Apostate: Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology.”

According to the report the FBI is currently investigating claims that the church pays Sea Org workers as little as $50 per week, uses physical force to keep church members from escaping Scientology compounds, as well as other complaints of mistreatment of church members who try to quit, and allegations that dozens of apostates were confined in “reeducation camps” doing manual labor – sometimes for years.

One scholar reports:

Sea Organization (Sea Org) members can be subject to extremely severe and intrusive punishments through security checks, internal hearings called “Committees of Evidence,” and a forced labor and re-indoctrination program known as the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF) and its harshest companion, the RPF’s RPF. Taken together, these harsh and intrusive punishments likely violate a number of human rights clauses as outlined by two United Nations statements.

According to the Church of Scientology website L. Ron Hubbard founded the Church of Scientology in 1952 as a “religion that offers a precise path leading to a complete and certain understanding of one’s true spiritual nature and one’s relationship to self, family, groups, Mankind, all life forms, the material universe, the spiritual universe and the Supreme Being.”

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Church of Scientology: Sea Org human trafficking? – National Humanist | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/humanist-in-national/church-of-scientology-sea-org-human-trafficking#ixzz1DQ4WMiiZ

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