Page 10 - Florida Sentinel 6-25-19

Local
Human Trafficking Sting Nets 85 Arrests
MARCELL WALSH
MICHAEL AILENDESUAN
On Monday, Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff Chad Chronister held a press conference to an- nounce more than 80 ar- rests. The arrests are linked to a human trafficking sting.
According to the Hills- borough County Sheriff’s Office, the Special Investi- gations Division conducted a probe into human traf- ficking referred to as “Op- eration Trade Secrets.”
Sheriff Chronister
said, “Human trafficking can happen in any commu- nity and to victims of any age, race, or nationality, as our detectives have seen throughout the course of this investigation.
“We realize that many victims are afraid to come forward, so we’re actively working to find them and committing resources to targeting those who engage in human trafficking.”
The investigation began on January 1, 2019, and culminated on June 7, 2019, with 85 arrests. It fo- cused on internet activities, hotels and motels, sex trade activities, spa and massage parlors, and strip clubs in
VLADIMIR EDOUARD
OSCAR WILSON
RENE ARROYO
CURTIS HARGROVE
JUWUAN HICKS
KIRK McCLOUD
FREDERICA WILLIAMS
GRADY BELL
interaction, authority fig- ures/law enforcement; seeming to adhere to scripted or rehearsed re- sponses in social interac- tions; lacking official identification documents, or appearing to lack per- sonal possessions.
If you are a victim or be- lieve that someone is a vic- tim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1- 888-373-7888
In addition to drug ad- diction and mental health treatment programs of- fered to inmates at Hills- borough County jails, the HCSO Department of De- tention Services provides human trafficking aware- ness classes, teaching in- mates how to spot signs of a human trafficker and how to get help if they or some- one they know is being traf- ficked.
HCSO is also partnering with Created Tampa, a local non-profit that focuses on the exploitation of women, to provide counselors who will work in tandem with detectives to help identify human trafficking victims and offer services.
unincorporated areas of the county.
On April 18th, detectives conducted an undercover operation at a hotel in the area of Palm River and Falkenburg Road. Marcell Walsh, 40, reportedly brought a female with him to the motel. After inter- viewing the 24-year-old woman, she admitted that Walsh was forcing her into prostitution.
Walsh was arrested. The woman was not ar- rested.
On May 17th, detectives conducted an undercover operation at a hotel in the area of Sun City Center Blvd. and Interstate 75. Steven Cook, 29, was ob- served transporting two sex workers to the hotel.
He was placed under ar- rest after the investigation. He is a convicted felon and had a firearm within his reach in the vehicle. During the investigation, detec- tives determined he was an active “Latin Kings” gang member, and he was later gang certified. Cook also had in his possession sev- eral counterfeit United States currency bills.
soliciting another to com- mit prostitution.
Some were charged with offering massage without a license and many others face drug charges.
Clarneisha McDon- ald was charged with County Ordinance Viola- tion, unlawful acts as a pre- cursor to prostitution.
Brittany Clark was charged with County Ordi- nance Violation, unlawful acts as a precursor to pros- titution.
Rene Arroyo was charged with County Ordi- nance Violation, unlawful acts as a precursor to pros- titution.
Many victims of human trafficking do not come for- ward because of fear of re- taliation from their trafficker; distrust of oth- ers, including law enforce- ment; and the lack of knowledge about resources available to help them.
Human trafficking vic- tims can often be identified by the following character- istics: signs of physical abuse (burn marks, bruises, cuts); poor physi- cal or dental hygiene; avoiding eye contact, social
MUBARAK UMAR
CLARNEISHA McDONALD
Cook was charged with transporting for prostitu- tion, being a felon in pos- session of a firearm, possession of ten or more counterfeit bills, and driv- ing while his license was suspended.
On June 7th, detectives conducted another under- cover operation in the area of Nebraska Avenue and 138th Avenue. During that investigation, Vladimir Edouard, 35, was arrested after negotiating to receive sex from an undercover deputy.
After he was arrested, detectives observed a fe- male child, about 2 years old, in the vehicle. He was charged with soliciting an- other to commit prostitu- tion and child neglect.
During the 6-month pe- riod of the investigation, Ms. Eden Gustin, 28, was arrested three times. Two of those arrests were for offering to commit prostitution. The third was for practicing massage without a license.
Several women were charged with offering to commit prostitution. Sev- eral men were charged with
ANTONIO BUTLER
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