Jacksonville FL — In a press conference promoting human trafficking awareness Tuesday, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams announced that Jacksonville Police, along with other community partners, were involved in rescuing or identifying 35 victims of human trafficking locally in 2020. Williams says of those 35, 8 were juveniles. Those numbers are up from 2019. We reported last year when JSO announced 19 people were rescued in 2019. Williams says in 2020, 27 people were arrested locally for human trafficking related incidents and two of them are pending federal indictment. In 2019, 34 were arrested locally.
Williams says with fewer people out in public in 2020 because of the pandemic, law enforcement is having to get creative to reach the community so they can report any possible human trafficking situations.
“Human trafficking is modern day slavery. It is a crime that involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in a commercial sex act.” Williams says.
Williams says some of the signs to keep a look out for if you think someone might be a victim of human trafficking include noticing if someone is acting fearful, if that victim lets others speak for them, or if they’re not able to call their family or friends. Williams says to be on the look out anywhere because human trafficking isn’t just prone to one area or another.
Today, Sheriff Williams and the NE FL Human Trafficking Coalition held a news conference recognizing January as National Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
— Jax Sheriff's Office (@JSOPIO) January 12, 2021
He was joined by FBI ASAC Mark Hoffman and State Attorney Melissa Nelson.
Watch here: https://t.co/enqM6qdp0R pic.twitter.com/u5ENOdVFSf
In 2020, #JSO’s Integrity and Special Investigations Unit worked with partners to identify and rescue 35 victims, eight of which were juveniles. There were 27 human trafficking and related arrests and two are pending federal indictments.
— Jax Sheriff's Office (@JSOPIO) January 12, 2021
Cox Media Group
Sign Up
