Thread: 48 Children Recovered in Operation Cross Country III

Press Release
For Immediate Release
February 23, 2009 Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691

Forty-Eight Children Recovered in Operation Cross Country III

During the past week, the FBI joined our law enforcement partners in a three-day national enforcement action as part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative. This operation, known as Operation Cross Country III, included enforcement operations in 29 cities across the country and led to the recovery of 48 children being prostituted domestically. Additionally, 571 criminals were arrested on a combination of state and federal charges for the domestic trafficking of children for prostitution and solicitation.

“We continue to pursue those who exploit our nation's children,â€

Get busy ICE.

We live in a degenerate world that would traffic children for prostitution. I hope and pray they have airtight cases and can put the scum in prison for life.

That is a lot of law enforcement agencies across the country. I would hope they have an airtight case. 571 criminals arrested. Where to put them all? Now are these all illegals? Or some of our own home grown?

Wow....can't believe my county actually helped.....way to go!

Originally Posted by uniteasone

That is a lot of law enforcement agencies across the country. I would hope they have an airtight case. 571 criminals arrested. Where to put them all? Now are these all illegals? Or some of our own home grown?

The article says "state and federal charges for the domestic trafficking of children for prostitution and solicitation". It doesn't say anything about international trafficking. I assume that means that they were moving kids from city to city and/or state to state, not from country to country. I,m trying to find more info to see if any of the people involved are illegals.

FBI, police rescue child prostitutes around US

By DEVLIN BARRETT, The Associated Press
10:01 a.m. February 23, 2009

WASHINGTON — The FBI has rescued more than 45 suspected teenage prostitutes, some as young as 13, in a nationwide sweep to remove kids from the illegal sex trade and punish their accused pimps.

Over a three-night initiative called Operation Cross Country, federal agents working with local law enforcement also arrested more than 50 alleged pimps, according to preliminary bureau data.

The teenage prostitutes found in the investigation ranged in age from 13 to 17.

Meanwhile, in Memphis, Tenn., a man pleaded guilty Monday to federal civil rights charges for sex trafficking in minors. Leonard Fox faces at least 10 years in prison after admitting that he arranged for underaged girls to engage in sex for money.

"To sexually prey upon young girls in this manner for financial gain is particularly damaging to the victims and an affront to the society in which we live," said Loretta King, acting head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

Historically, federal authorities rarely play a role in anti-prostitution crackdowns, but the FBI is becoming more involved as it tries to rescue children caught up in the business.

"The goal is to recover kids. We consider them the child victims of prostitution," said FBI Deputy Assistant Director Daniel Roberts.

"Unfortunately, the vast majority of these kids are what they term 'throwaway kids,' with no family support, no friends. They're kids that nobody wants, they're loners. Many are runaways," Roberts said.

Most of the children are put into the custody of local child protection agencies.

Agents in cities from Miami to Chicago to Anchorage, Alaska took part in the operation.

Special Agent Melissa Morrow of the FBI's Washington office said the operation has put them on the trail of a particular 16-year-old prostitute they still haven't found.

Adult prostitutes arrested during the operation provided key tips about the girl, the agent said.

"She is currently 16 and started when she was 13. Now she is out there recruiting other juveniles as well," said Morrow, adding that finding the girl is "at the top of our list."

The federal effort is also designed to hit pimps with much tougher prison sentences than they would likely get in state criminal courts.

Government prosecutors look to bring racketeering charges or conspiracy charges that can result in decades of jail time.

"Some of these networks of pimps and their organizations are very sophisticated, they're interstate," said Roberts, requiring wiretaps and undercover sting operations to bring charges.

The weekend's roundup marked the third such Operation Cross Country, and is part of a broader federal program launched in 2003 to crack down on the sexual exploitation of children.
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Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Sex Trafficking Charges

WASHINGTON – Leonard Fox a/k/a Anton a/k/a "Daddy" pleaded guilty today to a federal civil rights charge for sex trafficking of minors, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Loretta King of the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Lawrence J. Laurenzi for the Western District of Tennessee.

In U.S. District Court in Memphis, Fox admitted to recruiting and obtaining underage girls and arranging for those girls to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial benefit.

"The defendant forced children into the brutal and demeaning world of human trafficking," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Loretta King. "To sexually prey upon young girls in this manner for financial gain is particularly damaging to the victims and an affront to the society in which we live."

"Fox faces up to life in prison after his plea today where he admitted to preying upon the innocence of young girls so that he could profit at their expense," said U. S. Attorney Laurenzi. "The United States Attorney’s Office takes seriously the victimization of our community’s children and will continue to investigate and prosecute these cases."

Fox faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison as well as a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is schedule for May 28, 2009.

Human trafficking prosecutions are a top priority of the Justice Department. In Fiscal Year 2008, the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices filed a record number of criminal civil rights cases, including record numbers of both sex trafficking and labor trafficking cases.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Parker and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Jim Felte. The case was investigated by the FBI, the Memphis Police Department and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department.

http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2009/Februa ... t-151.html