Category: Security News

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

On behalf of more than two dozen partner agencies, Assistant Director in Charge Kristi K. Johnson, of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, announced the results of ”Operation Lost Angels,” an initiative which began on January 11th and recently culminated in the recovery of 33 children.

During January—Human Trafficking Awareness Month—the FBI worked with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and more than two dozen law enforcement and non-governmental partners to identify, locate, and recover missing children, particularly those who have been or were suspected of being sexually exploited and/or trafficked.

Of the 33 children recovered, eight were being sexually exploited at the time of recovery. Two were recovered multiple times during the operation while on the “track,” a common term used to describe a known location for commercial sex trafficking. It is not uncommon for victims who are rescued to return to commercial sex trafficking either voluntarily or by force, fraud, or coercion. This harmful cycle highlights the challenges victims face and those faced by law enforcement when attempting to keep victims from returning to an abusive situation. Victims may not self-identify as being trafficked or may not even realize they’re being trafficked.

Several other victims located had been sexually exploited in the past and were considered vulnerable missing children prior to their recovery. Additionally, the operation resulted in the arrest on state charges of one suspected human trafficker and the opening of multiple investigations. Some of the minor victims were arrested for probation violations, robbery, or other misdemeanors. One child was a victim of a noncustodial parental kidnapping.

The FBI caseload for both sex and labor trafficking-related crimes has increased significantly in the past several years. As of November 2020, there were more than 1,800 pending trafficking investigations, including those involving minors exploited through commercial sex trafficking. Today, the FBI leads 86 Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces around the nation and participates in Anti-Trafficking Coordination (ATC) Teams in 12 offices, including in Los Angeles. The ATC Teams are intended to streamline coordination on the front lines of federal human trafficking investigations and prosecutions.

In fiscal year 2020, the FBI initiated 664 human trafficking investigations nationwide, resulting in the arrests of 473 traffickers. The FBI also collects and posts human trafficking statistics through its annual crime report. The most recent report can be found at https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-theu.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/additionaldata-collections/human-trafficking

“The FBI considers human trafficking modern day slavery and the minors engaged in commercial sex trafficking are considered victims,” said Assistant Director Johnson. “While this operation surged resources over a limited period of time with great success, the FBI and our partners investigate child sex trafficking every day of the year and around the clock.”

Multiple teams were assembled for this operation which were comprised of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the California Department of Child & Family Services, and nongovernmental victim advocacy organizations.

“Human trafficking is a pervasive and insidious crime that threatens the safety of our young people, who are the future of our communities,” said Michel Moore, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. “We can only begin to take back the future of our youth with the strong partnerships forged between outstanding service providers and law enforcement.”

In addition to recovering child victims who are missing or engaged in commercial sex trafficking or who are otherwise being exploited, the FBI and our partners provide much needed resources to victims to ensure that their short- and long-term needs are met. Resources may include immediate medical requirements; legal services; housing; employment; education; job training; and childcare, among others.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said, “Collaboration with our law enforcement partners is key to ending the vicious cycle of modern day slavery. I’m committed to doing everything we can to stop human trafficking.”

Intelligence gathered during the operation will be shared with the appropriate partners and new cases have been initiated. The agencies whose personnel participated in Operation Lost Angels are listed here:

• Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office
• Los Angeles Police Department
• California Highway Patrol
• Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office
• United States Attorney’s Office
• United States Marshall’s Service
• Internal Revenue Service
• Drug Enforcement Agency
• Health and Human Services
• Inglewood Police Department
• El Segundo Police Department
• Pomona Police Department
• Glendale Police Department
• Long Beach Police Department
• San Diego Police Department
• Wichita Police Department
• Langston University Police (Oklahoma)
• San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office
• Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
• San Luis Obispo District Attorney Bureau of Investigation
• Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
• California Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services
• Los Angeles County Probation Office
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Wayfinder Family Services
• Arizona Department of Child Safety

Anyone who believes they may be victims of human trafficking may call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline (NHTRC) at 888-373-7888 or visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org/ The NHTRC is a national, confidential, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls at all times.

Those who wish to report incidents of suspected human trafficking may call their local FBI office or local police department. For more information about the FBI’s Human Trafficking investigations, please visit: https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/violent-crime/human-trafficking

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

LOS ANGELES—A military Humvee worth approximately $120,000 was stolen Friday from a military facility in Bell, California. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the recovery of the vehicle.

At approximately 8:15 a.m., Friday morning, a military vehicle was stolen from the National Guard Armory in the city of Bell, California. The four-door High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle—commonly known as a Humvee—was up-armored, meaning it had been upgraded and is considered a combat vehicle.

The vehicle has four doors and is green camouflage in color. The bumper number is #40BSBHQ6; the Administrative # is WV57TO-HQ06/M1165A1; and the registration number is NZ311R. The Battalion number, 40TH BSB, can also be seen on the vehicle.

Photographs of the vehicle are being distributed publicly. Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of the vehicle or the person or group responsible for the theft is urged to call the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at 310- 477-6565.

A theft from a military facility—government property—violates federal law and carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Major Theft Task Force in Los Angeles, which includes FBI agents and Task Force officers with the Los Angeles Police Department. Assistance is being provided by the Bell Police Department; the California Highway Patrol; and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The California Army National Guard is supporting the investigation.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

During the holidays, scammers focus less on giving and more on stealing. Shoppers looking for a good deal this holiday season should be aware of increasingly aggressive and unorthodox scams designed by criminals to steal money and personal information. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), in 2019 Arkansans lost over $22,681,000 due to a variety of scams. This year, FBI Little Rock wants local shoppers to enjoy a scam-free holiday season by remaining vigilant against the following schemes.

Online Shopping Scams: If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is! Steer clear of unfamiliar sites offering unrealistic discounts on brand-name merchandise. Scammers frequently prey on Black Friday and Cyber Monday bargain hunters by advertising “One-Day Only” promotions from recognized brands. Without a skeptical eye, consumers may end up paying for an item, giving away personal information, and receive nothing in return except a compromised identity.

Payment Red Flags: Be cautious of sellers and websites that demand payment solely through gift cards. Scammers sometimes encourage shoppers to conduct wire transfers, allowing criminals to quickly receive illicit funds. Credit cards provide several layers of security against fraud and are typically the safest way to conduct online shopping.

Charity Scams: Charity-related frauds increase during the holidays as individuals seek to donate money to those less fortunate. Criminals use phone calls, email campaigns, and fake websites to solicit on behalf of fraudulent charities. Scammers target people who want to donate to charity, then hoard their well-intentioned donations while those most in need never see a dime.

Steps to avoid holiday fraud schemes:

• Before shopping online, secure all financial accounts with strong passwords or passphrases. Additionally, the FBI recommends using different passwords for each financial account.
• Check bank and credit card statements routinely, including after making online purchases and in the weeks following the holiday season.
• Never give personal information— such as your date of birth, Social Security number, or billing addresses— to anyone you do not know.
• Be wary of promotions and giveaways that request your personal information.
• Prior to donating to any charity, verify that they have a valid Taxpayer Identification number by visiting their website or calling the charity directly.

Reporting fraud: Arkansan shoppers who suspect they’ve been victimized should immediately contact their financial institution, then call their local law enforcement agency or FBI Little Rock at (501) 221-9100. Victims of holiday scams are also encouraged to file a complaint with the FBI at www.ic3.gov.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

The Phoenix Police Department, Peoria Police Department, and FBI are asking for the public’s help in seeking potential victims and additional information about an alleged sexual offender and homicide suspect, Lance David Ray.

Ray, 53, was recently arrested in connection with three separate incidents in 2000. In the Peoria incident, it is alleged that Ray kidnapped a 14-year-old, held him at gunpoint, and sexually assaulted him. In the first of the two Phoenix Incidents, the charges allege that Ray kidnapped, bound, and sexually assaulted a 17-year-old at gunpoint. The other incident involved an 18-year-old male victim who was shot and killed after a struggle.

In 2020, D.N.A. evidence linked Ray to these crimes. In October of 2020, Ray was arrested in Bloomington, Indiana, where he was visiting. He was extradited to Phoenix and booked into the Maricopa County Jail. The investigation is ongoing, and it is believed that additional victims may exist.

Ray lived in the San Francisco, California, area in the early 1990s before moving to Portland, Oregon, in 1993. Ray resided in Oregon, Washington, and California until 1999, when Ray moved to Phoenix, Arizona, from 1999 to 2003. Ray then resided in California again from 2003 to 2017 before moving to St. Louis, Missouri, in 2017.

If you believe you or someone you know may have information regarding Lance David Ray, please e-mail ReportRay@fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. In your e-mail please provide your name, date of birth, phone number, and address.

We would like to thank all of our partners who have helped in this investigation, including FBI St. Louis, FBI Los Angeles, and FBI Indianapolis.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News