Civil Rights Division

The Civil Rights Division is a division of the US Department of Justice that is responsible for enforcing federal laws that protect civil rights and liberties. The division is tasked with investigating and prosecuting cases of discrimination, hate crimes, police misconduct, and other violations of civil rights laws. The division also provides resources and support for victims of civil rights violations and works to promote equal opportunity and justice for all. In the context of human trafficking, the Civil Rights Division plays a key role in protecting the rights of trafficking victims and prosecuting those who engage in trafficking-related offenses. The division works closely with other law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations to investigate and prosecute cases of trafficking and to provide support for survivors.

 

 

Rock County Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Sex Trafficking of an Adult & a Minor
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Rock County Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Sex Trafficking of an Adult & a Minor

MADISON, WIS. – A federal judge in the Western District of Wisconsin sentenced Cory Hereford, 51, Beloit, Wisconsin to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking and related charges. Hereford was convicted after a four-day trial in February 2022 of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, maintaining a property for the purposes of distributing…

Owner Of Farm Labor Contracting Company Pleads Guilty In Racketeering Conspiracy Involving The Forced Labor Of Mexican Workers
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Owner Of Farm Labor Contracting Company Pleads Guilty In Racketeering Conspiracy Involving The Forced Labor Of Mexican Workers

WASHINGTON —Bladimir Moreno, 55, pleaded guilty in federal court in Tampa, Florida, to charges of conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and conspiracy to commit forced labor. A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida had previously returned a six-count indictment against multiple defendants for their roles in a…

Brockton Woman Sentenced for Role in Conspiracy to Operate a Prostitution Business
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Brockton Woman Sentenced for Role in Conspiracy to Operate a Prostitution Business

BOSTON – A Brockton woman was sentenced on Sept. 15, 2022 in federal court in Boston for her involvement in a conspiracy that involved coercing young women to engage in prostitution. Natashia Bowman, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Alison D. Burroughs to three years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution…

Alabama Defendant Convicted of Sex Trafficking and Offenses Tied to a Scheme to Compel Victims, Including a Minor, to Engage in Prostitution – Department of Justice
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Alabama Defendant Convicted of Sex Trafficking and Offenses Tied to a Scheme to Compel Victims, Including a Minor, to Engage in Prostitution – Department of Justice

A federal jury found defendant Lonnie Mitchell, 36, guilty of numerous offenses relating to the defendant’s involvement in coercing several victims, including a minor, to engage in prostitution over the course of several years. Following a five-day trial, the jury convicted the defendant of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion of five victims. The…

Former San Diego Police Officer and Three Co-Defendants Indicted for Owning and Operating Illicit Massage Businesses in California and Arizona
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Former San Diego Police Officer and Three Co-Defendants Indicted for Owning and Operating Illicit Massage Businesses in California and Arizona

A federal judge in the Southern District of California partially unsealed an indictment today in which four individuals are charged with conspiracy, interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering (ITAR), money laundering, making a false statement to a mortgage lender, and wire fraud for conduct associated with owning and operating five illicit…

California Couple Sentenced for Conspiring to Subject Mother and Her Daughter to Labor Trafficking
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California Couple Sentenced for Conspiring to Subject Mother and Her Daughter to Labor Trafficking

Nery A. Martinez Vasquez, 54, and Maura N. Martinez, 54, both of Shasta Lake, California, were both sentenced today for conspiring to subject three victims to forced labor, a crime to which the defendants had previously pleaded guilty. Vasquez was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and Martinez was sentenced to three…