Video: The battle to rescue victims of sex trafficking

JIMENEZ GETS
EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO THE SQUAD.
SEEING FIRSTHAND WHAT IT TAKES
TO RESCUE UNDERAGE GIRLS
TRAFFICKED FOR SEX.
>> I AM MAKING A CALL.
OMAR: IT IS A CALL THAT COULD
SAVE A LIFE.
ALONGSIDE LOCAL AND STATE LAW
ENFORCEMENT, THIS IS THE FBI'S
CHILD EXPLOITATION TASK FORCE IN
ACTION.
HE IS SETTING UP A DATE
UNDERCOVER, HOPING THE GIRL HE
FINDS IS SOMEONE WE CAN SAVE --
HE CAN SAVE.
AS THE PIECES BEGAN TO FALL INTO
PLACE, WE MOVE INTO PLACE.
>> JUST PARK IN A SPOT RIGHT
THERE.
OMAR: AS HE WALKS UP TO THE
MOTEL DOOR, WHEAT -- WE
WAIT.
THEY FIND TWO GIRLS INSIDE.
ONE FROM IDAHO, ONE FROM OREGON.
>> THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU GO
IN A ROOM AND THE GIRL YOU ARE
MEETING IS A GIRL -- THAT THERE
MIGHT BE A GIRL IN THE BATHROOM.
>> THE FIRST THING WE SAY, WE
ARE LOOKING FOR JUVENILES.
HOW OLD ARE YOU?
WE WILL HOPEFULLY FIND OUT THAT
CHILD IS LISTED AS A MISSING
KID.
OMAR: THIS TIME, THE GIRLS ARE
OVER 18 AND WHILE PROSTITUTION
IS ILLEGAL, THE FORCE ONLY MAKES
AN ARREST IF THERE IS NO
OUTSTANDING WARRANT.
>> WHEN THEY THINK OF HUMAN
TRAFFICKING, THEY THINK OF THE
MOVIE "TAKEN."
THEY ARE NOT THINKING THESE
GIRLS ARE FROM THE UNITED STATES
OR THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
OMAR: WHEN THE TASK FORCE FIRST
STARTED, THEY WERE COVERED ABOUT
10 JUVENILES.
IN 2016, THEY WERE COVERED 53 --
WERE COVERED 53.
>> WE STARTED SEEING WHAT THE
PROBLEM IS.
OMAR: THEY LOOK TO MARYLAND AS A
TOP FIVE PLACE TO MAKE MONEY,
SETTING THE PERSIMMON THE --
PROXIMITY OF SECURE JOBS.
>
ACCORDING TO THE AGENTS, THEIR
ODDS OF FINDING SOMEONE UNDERAGE
IS ONE AND 25, BUT THE ODDS DO
NOT STOP THEM.
THEY HOPE TO STAY CLOSE IN A
CONTINUOUS PURSUIT THAT EVOLVES
BY THE HOUR.
OMAR JIMENEZ, WBAL-TV 11 NEWS.

Video: The battle to rescue victims of sex trafficking

Latest Posts