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  1. #1
    Senior Member JohnDoe2's Avatar
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    ICE busts significant sex trafficking ring operating from Florida to North Carolina

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sent this bulletin at 01/17/2013 01:47 PM EST

    ICE busts significant sex trafficking ring operating from Florida to North Carolina

    Operation Dark Night results in 13 criminal arrests, 44 administrative arrests and as many as 11 victims rescued



    SAVANNAH, Ga. — Today, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the results of a lengthy investigation, called Operation Dark Night, into a sex trafficking ring operating in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. The investigation, which was led by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), led to a takedown yesterday in which authorities made 13 criminal arrests and 44 administrative arrests tied to the investigation, as well as the rescue of as many as 11 victims.

    "ICE investigates a wide array of crimes, but the trafficking of women and girls for prostitution is among the most sinister," said ICE Director John Morton. "Few crimes so damage their victims and undermine basic human decency. Our fight against this evil must be relentless, both here and abroad."

    U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Edward Tarver said, "In what essentially amounts to slavery in the year 2013, the conduct described in the indictment against these defendants is reprehensible. This case is a prime example of the United States Attorney's Office and HSI recognizing that human trafficking is a cancer facing our society and taking a stand to stop the victimization of women involved in sex trafficking."

    According to the indictment, Joaquin Mendez-Hernandez, aka El Flaco, conspired with each of the other defendants to transport people across interstate boundaries to engage in prostitution. In addition, Mendez-Hernandez allegedly conspired with at least three others to entice women from Mexico, Nicaragua and elsewhere to travel to the United States with false promises of the American dream. Once inside the United States, these women were allegedly threatened and forced to commit acts of prostitution at numerous locations in Savannah and throughout the Southeast. In one such instance identified in the indictment, Mendez-Hernandez is alleged to have told a Mexican woman that she would be sent back to her home country unless she serviced 25 clients a day.

    HSI provides relief to victims of human trafficking by allowing for their continued presence in the United States during criminal proceedings. Victims may also qualify for a T visa, which is issued to victims of human trafficking who have complied with reasonable requests for assistance in investigations and prosecutions. Anyone who suspects instances of human trafficking is encouraged to call the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Anonymous calls are welcome.

    Operation Dark Night was led by HSI, with assistance from the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); CBP Air and Marine Operations; the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigations; the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department; the Chatham County Sheriff's Office; the Garden City Police Department; and, the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania D. Groover and E. Greg Gilluly Jr. are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    Note to Editors: HD video and still images of this operation may be downloaded from the following website, after completing a brief registration process: DVIDS - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423 or complete our tip form.



    http://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSICE-678145
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  2. #2
    Senior Member HAPPY2BME's Avatar
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    Unfortunately, the largest customer base here was probably U.S. Citizens.

    Same applies to the Multi-Billion $$$ illegal drug industry.
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  3. #3
    Super Moderator Newmexican's Avatar
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    Unfortunately, the largest customer base here was probably U.S. Citizens.
    They take them around to service the illegal men that are working agriculture, construction etc. Notice that they were in the Florida,Georgia and North Carolina big Ag states. I wonder if the farmers they worked for knew? The majority of illegals in this country are male. Anyone that has ever been to a border town, think Via Cuna, knows that prostitution either by choice or by force is part of the that culture. JMO

    US 'Network of Pimps' Indicted for Enslaving Dozens of Latina Immigrants


    Published January 18, 2013
    Fox News Latino



    • 2010 Getty Images



    SAVANNAH, Ga – A network of pimps lured dozens of women from Latin America with dreamland promises only to trade them cross-country like slaves, forcing them to perform up to 30 acts of prostitution a day, according to federal authorities.

    And it went on for five years before they were busted.

    Twelve people — eight men and four women — have been indicted in U.S. District Court in Savannah.
    Some of these women would be forced to perform up to 30 acts of prostitution a day. I'm outraged that trafficking of other human beings is ongoing in our country today.
    - Edward Tarver, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia

    Prosecutors said they served as pimps, luring dozens of women to the United States from Mexico and Central America and forced them to work as prostitutes in homes, hotel rooms and mobile home parks between cities in Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas.

    Men were charged $30 to have sex with them and the women were moved between cities or states about once a week, authorities said.
    "I'm outraged that trafficking of other human beings is ongoing in our country today," said Edward Tarver, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

    Authorities said they rescued 11 women, most in their 20s and from Mexico and Nicaragua, who were being used as sex slaves. They're getting help while assisting prosecutors with their criminal case, authorities said.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton said the case should serve as a wake-up call as to how widespread sex trafficking has become in the United States. He noted his agents made 967 arrests related to human trafficking and sex tourism last year.

    "To those who would believe that sex trafficking doesn't happen in America, reflect on this case and think again," Morton said at the news conference with Tarver.

    A Jan. 11 indictment was unsealed Thursday. It charges a Mexican national identified as Joaquin Mendez-Hernandez with conspiring with other suspects to use false promises of profit and prosperity to lure women illegally into the U.S. and use threats to force them into prostitution. The indictment accuses Mendez-Hernandez of telling one woman she would be returned to Mexico if she didn't have sex with at least 25 men each day.

    Prosecutors said the sex network largely catered to Latino immigrants, and therefore had prostitutes working not only in larger cities such as Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C., but also in small farm communities such as Bonaire, Ga.

    The indictment says the suspects would swap cell phone photos of the women to decide which ones they wanted brought to them. Authorities gave no details about how the women were smuggled into the U.S. and what sort of living conditions they endured.

    Authorities said 10 of the indicted suspects had been arrested by Thursday afternoon and two were still being sought.

    Six of the defendants are being held in southeast Georgia, including Mendez-Hernandez, whose age and hometown were not given. He made a brief court appearance Thursday afternoon in Savannah. None of them had attorneys and they were not asked to enter pleas.

    Those accused of operating the Southeastern prostitution network weren't the only ones arrested. Morton said 44 additional men, all from countries outside the U.S., were taken into custody. He said most were caught paying for sex with the prostitutes.

    Those in the U.S. illegally would be deported, while all others would be prosecuted, Morton added.


    Read more: US 'Network of Pimps' Indicted for Enslaving Dozens of Latina Immigrants | Fox News Latino

  4. #4
    Senior Member JohnDoe2's Avatar
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    I.C.E.News Release

    February 11, 2013
    Savannah, GA

    13 additional defendants charged in Operation Dark Night

    SAVANNAH, Ga. – A superseding indictment, returned Thursday in federal court, has added 13 more defendants for their roles in an alleged sex trafficking and prostitution ring operating in Mexico, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and elsewhere. In total, 25 defendants have now been charged in the superseding indictment, which follows the original 12-defendant indictment returned in January.

    The federal charges follow a lengthy investigation dubbed "Operation Dark Night," led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). In addition to the 12 arrests and nearly 20 search warrants executed in January, federal authorities rescued 11 women alleged to have been forced into prostitution. The investigation of this case remains ongoing.

    United States Attorney Edward Tarver said, "The superseding indictment adds even more gruesome details to the allegations of an already reprehensible human trafficking ring operating within our very own communities. The U.S. Attorney's Office and our law enforcement partners will not stop until all of those responsible are brought to justice."

    "The superseding indictment alleges that this sex trafficking ring was even more extensive and ruthless," said Brock D. Nicholson, special agent in charge of HSI Atlanta. "Over a dozen new suspects, including 'johns,' have now been added. Of more concern are new allegations that members of this conspiracy arranged to hold some of their victims' children hostage in Mexico to ensure their compliance as prostitutes in the United States. The investigation in Operation Dark Night will continue until we have rooted out all of the bad actors in this conspiracy and have brought them to justice."

    According to allegations in the superseding indictment, some of the defendants would entice women from Mexico and elsewhere to travel to the United States with false promises of the American dream. Once inside the United States, these women were allegedly threatened and forced to commit acts of prostitution at numerous locations in Savannah, Ga., and throughout the southeast. Women were alleged to have been forced to perform as many as 25 acts of prostitution a day.

    Tarver stressed that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government's burden to prove the defendants' guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    HSI provides relief to victims of human trafficking by allowing for their continued presence in the United States during criminal proceedings. Victims may also qualify for a T-visa, which is issued to victims of human trafficking who have complied with reasonable requests for assistance in investigations and prosecutions. Anyone who suspects instances of human trafficking is encouraged to call the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Anonymous calls are welcome.

    Operation Dark Night was led by HSI, with assistance from the FBI; the ATF; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); CBP Air and Marine Operations; Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS); IRS-Criminal Investigations; the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department; the Chatham County Sheriff's Office; the Garden City Police Department; and, the Chatham County Counter Narcotics Team.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

    ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423 or complete our tip form.



    http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1302/130211savannah.htm
    NO AMNESTY

    Don't reward the criminal actions of millions of illegal aliens by giving them citizenship.


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