Under Cover Human Trafficking Sting Results in Charging Six Northland Men

SUPERIOR - Six Northland men have been charged in an undercover human trafficking sting.

During the week of August 11th, 2014 the Superior Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Duluth Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security initiated an undercover operation focused on addressing crimes associated with human trafficking, to include child enticement, prostitution and the patronizing and solicitation of prostitutes.

The operation involved the placing of fictitious online advertisements offering the sale of sexual services as well as answering existing online advertisements posted by others in which sexual services were being offered in exchange for money.

The advertisements were placed on online sites/services that our known to be used for prostitution and human trafficking.

One of the posted advertisements indicated that the poster was a younger female.

From this advertisement a contact was made with a person who indicated they were interested in sexual services.

The undercover officer replied back indicating that the poster was only 15 years old.

The person who replied to that ad continued to correspond with the undercover profile even after the disclosure that the poster was a child.

Additionally, the person who replied to the original advertisement sent pornographic images to a cell phone he thought the 15 year old child was using.

Eventually arrangements were made to meet at a local hotel on August 13th, 2014 for the purpose of sex.

Child Enticement is a Class D Felony punishable upon conviction by a fine up to $100,000.00 and/or imprisonment up to 25 years.

Causing a Child to View or Listen to Sexual Activity is a Class H Felony punishable upon conviction by a fine up to $10,000.00 and/or imprisonment up to 6 years. 

Another fictitious online advertisement was posted for an adult female offering sexual services for money.

This advertisement was replied to by numerous adult men.

In each case correspondence between the undercover officer and person responding to the advertisement resulted in an arrangement to meet at a local hotel on August 13th, 2014.

Each of the persons were charged with Prostitution, a Class A misdemeanor punishable upon conviction by a fine up to $10,000.00 and/or imprisonment not to exceed 9 months.

All persons have been referred to the District Attorney’s Office for prosecution and have already made their initial appearances in Douglas County Court.

Nationwide the issue of human trafficking has been getting greater attention.

Advocacy groups in the Twin Ports have indicated that our region is not immune to this activity.

Many of those engaged in prostitution are not doing so voluntarily.

Someone may be forcing them into these activities by withholding money, drugs or perhaps threatening to take away food and shelter.

In other cases the threat or use of physical harm is used. Enforcing the prostitution and solicitation laws is just one way we can help reduce the instances of human trafficking in our communities.

Operations like this serve to create a deterrent to those who seek pay for sex services.

The persons answering the undercover advertisements do not know if they are communicating with a trafficked person or not and thus engaging in this activity could directly be contributing to the continued victimization of a trafficked person.

These are preliminary allegations and all suspects are presumed innocent by law pending future court proceedings.