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The monthly Newsletter of the Center for Countering Human Trafficking
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April 18: University of Arkansas Ft. Smith (UAFS)
Blue Campaign, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and UAFS Criminal Justice Department invite you to join our no-cost, one-day, in-person symposium about human trafficking on college campuses.
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April 18: Continued Presence Webinar for Law Enforcement
As part of a quarterly series, CCHT is offering live webinars on the Continued Presence program for the community. Registration is open to law enforcement only (you must provide an agency email at the time of registration).
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At the Center
CCHT Releases Annual Report
Last month, the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT) released the DHS Countering Human Trafficking: Year in Review, detailing achievements by DHS and the CCHT during Fiscal Year 2023. Employees of DHS and its components work every day to end sex trafficking and forced labor through a wide range of efforts including:
- Identification and screening for human trafficking victims
- Victim protection and assistance
- Criminal investigations of human trafficking crimes
- Enforcement of laws related to the importation of goods produced with forced labor
- Training, outreach, and engagement with law enforcement, government, industry, non-governmental organizations, and the public
In addition to highlighting recent achievements by DHS components doing counter-trafficking work, the Year in Review contains links to publicly available reports, resource guides, public awareness materials, program descriptions, press releases, and more. The goal of the annual report is to help readers not only better understand the work of DHS, but also to use the many available resources in furtherance of their own counter-trafficking efforts.
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DHS to Launch Know2Protect Campaign
Over the last decade, child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) has increased exponentially. In its mission to end this horrific crime, DHS will be launching Know2Protect this spring. A national public awareness campaign, Know2Protect’s goal is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults, and policymakers to prevent and combat CSEA. Relying on HSI’s leadership and expertise, Know2Protect will explain how to report online enticement and victimization and offer response and support resources for victims and survivors. Project iGuardian™ will serve as the official in-person educational arm to teach the public about the ongoing threats children and teens face from online predators. Learn more here.
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Blue Campaign Corner
Resource Spotlight: Child Abuse Prevention Month
Though human trafficking victims can be any age, young people are particularly vulnerable to the crime. Traffickers target youth because of their lack of life experience and underdeveloped ability to make informed decisions in situations that may lead to trafficking. However, there are steps you can take to protect the young people in your life. For National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Blue Campaign is spotlighting its human trafficking awareness resources for youth:
Follow the Campaign (@DHSBlueCampaign on X, Facebook, and Instagram) for more useful tips and updates throughout April and beyond.
Beyond the Report: How to Alert Law Enforcement to Suspected Human Trafficking
You may know what human trafficking looks like, but would you know how to safely report it to the appropriate authorities if you saw it? Identifying and reporting a potential case of the crime are the first steps toward recovering victims and bringing traffickers to justice. Law enforcement can connect human trafficking survivors to services such as medical and mental health care, shelter, and legal assistance. When reporting human trafficking include the following detailed information:
- Where you are
- Who or what you observed
- When you observed it
Following these steps can help individuals in a possible trafficking situation be connected to trained help.
To report suspected human trafficking to federal law enforcement, call 1-866-347-2423.
To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).
Remember: Do not interfere or intervene. If it’s an emergency, call 9-1-1.
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HSI Charleston, West Virginia Investigation Leads to West Virginia Man’s Guilty Plea for His Role in Labor Trafficking Scheme
On January 9, 2024, Frederick Sayre Anderson, 63, pleaded guilty to concealing, harboring, and shielding a noncitizen from detection in connection with a scheme where he exploited a female noncitizen for labor for over a decade.
“Frederick Anderson distorted U.S. immigration laws in order to victimize a foreign national for his own financial gain,” said HSI Washington, D.C. Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon. “He continued to exploit that woman for more than ten years…HSI Washington, D.C. will not allow such criminals to abuse the residents of our communities.” The HSI Charleston, West Virgina, office falls within the HSI Washington, D.C. area of responsibility.
According to the investigation, Anderson signed and submitted a Petition for Alien Fiancé to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in June 2010. He admitted that he filed that petition to obtain a 90-day K-1 nonimmigrant visa so a noncitizen could legally reenter the United States.
The noncitizen was granted the visa, which required Anderson to marry her within 90 days. She arrived in the United States in January 2011, and Anderson picked her up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He then transported her to Parkersburg, West Virginia, where she lived and worked at Anderson’s place of business until May 2021.
Anderson admitted that the woman did not receive compensation for the work she performed at his place of business. He also admitted that they never married. Her visa expired in April 2011, making her ongoing presence in the United States unlawful.
HSI Charleston special agents visited Anderson’s place of business at least three times. In May 2021, Anderson admitted he took steps to prevent government officials from detecting her presence. On one occasion, he told her to hide behind the business and he lied to agents, falsely stating that she did not live inside the business, that she had left months prior, and that he didn’t know where she was.
Anderson’s sentencing is scheduled for April 18, 2024. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. He is also subject to a pending restitution claim for approximately $289,000.
This investigation was conducted by HSI Charleston, the West Virginia State Police, and the Parkersburg Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is prosecuting the case.
For more information, read these press releases from the Department of Justice and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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To report suspected human trafficking to federal law enforcement, call 1-866-347-2423.
To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).
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