Bureau of Criminal Investigation

"Tommy Guns" Sentenced to Prison for Human Trafficking and Involuntary Manslaughter
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"Tommy Guns" Sentenced to Prison for Human Trafficking and Involuntary Manslaughter

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost today announced that a Franklin County man has been sentenced to prison for providing a lethal dose of narcotics to a human trafficking victim. “Traffickers exploit vulnerabilities, leveraging addiction to control their victims – evil that will now be restrained by prison bars,” Yost said. Paul Chiles,…

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month: How the crime impacts Ohio – WCPO
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January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month: How the crime impacts Ohio – WCPO

CINCINNATI — Human trafficking is the sale or exchange of people for forced labor or commercial sex work and investigators across Ohio have identified over 100 victims of the crime annually. “I mean quite prevalent,” said Jomel Spurlock, director of victim services for the Ohio Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Initiative. “You have traffickers that are…

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month: Ohio Attorney General’s Office stresses state issue
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January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month: Ohio Attorney General’s Office stresses state issue

CINCINNATI — Human trafficking is the sale or exchange of people for forced labor or commercial sex work and investigators across Ohio have identified over 100 victims of the crime annually. “I mean quite prevalent,” said Jomel Spurlock, director of victim services for the Ohio Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Initiative. “You have traffickers that are…

4 indicted in west Columbus human trafficking, drug bust
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4 indicted in west Columbus human trafficking, drug bust

A Franklin County grand jury indicted four people in connection to a human and drug trafficking ring in Columbus, following a yearslong investigation by an Ohio crime investigation task force. The suspects were charged with 44 felony charges for criminal activity that occurred from 2018 to 2022. RELATED: Columbus police arrest 13 gang members during…

Child-porn cases swamp Mahoning Valley court dockets – The Vindicator
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Child-porn cases swamp Mahoning Valley court dockets – The Vindicator

Prosecutors in the Mahoning Valley are talking about the outbreak of child pornography cases cropping up in area courts. Assistant Trumbull County Prosecutor Gabriel Wildman says there used to be a handful per year, but now he has 20 to 25 cases before him at one time. Wildman just in the last week had started…

Meadville woman to go to trial in Mifflin County on labor trafficking charges – Yahoo
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Meadville woman to go to trial in Mifflin County on labor trafficking charges – Yahoo

Oct. 1—LEWISTOWN — A Meadville woman will stand trial in Mifflin County on charges of labor trafficking and involuntary servitude involving four underage girls at a vehicle detailing shop she owns in Lewistown. Ellen Cummings, 44, of 15554 Rogers Ferry Road, Friday waived her right to a preliminary hearing on multiple charges filed by the…

Pennsylvania Attorney General Announces Car Detailing Business Forced Foster Children to Work Without Pay
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Pennsylvania Attorney General Announces Car Detailing Business Forced Foster Children to Work Without Pay

LEWISTOWN, PA – The owners of a Lewistown car detailing business have been accused of using forced child labor to run their business. This week, the wife of the now deceased owner was arrested. Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced the arrest of Ellen Cummings in connection to labor trafficking in Mifflin County. Cummings ran…

Human Sex Trafficking in the Bakken | Regional News | willistonherald.com – Williston Daily Herald
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Human Sex Trafficking in the Bakken | Regional News | willistonherald.com – Williston Daily Herald

Human Trafficking has become a master disguise, yet, daily happens right in plain sight. Sometimes the blindness is willful, as people look away from something they may not want to be involved with. The problem of human trafficking was discussed in detail at the 2nd Annual Bakken Human Trafficking Summit in Watford City. “I was…

US Marshals arrest 3 in Columbus human trafficking investigation – 10TV
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US Marshals arrest 3 in Columbus human trafficking investigation – 10TV

The U.S. Marshals Service arrested the three after multiple victims, all underage, were identified through the investigation. COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three Columbus residents were arrested Tuesday in connection to a human trafficking investigation, the Ohio attorney general announced. Twenty-year-old Ka-Auija’e “Unique” Washington, 28-year-old Levrous “Vell” Alfred and 21-year-old Patrice Bigord were indicted by a Franklin…