The D.C. Human Trafficking Task Force was formed in 2004 to increase the prosecution of traffickers while identifying and serving the victims of this horrific crime. In 2004, the Task Force became one of 42 U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) trafficking grant recipients. Link to grant announcement:

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/archives/pressreleases/2004/DOJ04760.htm

The Four Main Task Force Goals

• To facilitate a more coordinated anti-trafficking effort in the D.C. area through protocol development, extensive community outreach, proactive investigations, law enforcement training, intelligence sharing, and more formalized partnerships between law enforcement organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
• To identify citizen, resident and transnational victims of both sex and labor trafficking.
  
• To provide comprehensive services to trafficking victims.
  
• To increase the prosecution of traffickers.

Trafficking Is:

The use of force, threat of force, fraud or coercion to recruit, harbor, transport, provide or obtain any person for labor or commercial sex or to cause a person under 18 to engage in a commercial sex act.

Task Force Membership

Membership is open to any D.C. metropolitan area law enforcement agency or non-governmental organization involved in anti-trafficking activities. Below is a list of active members with a link to their website:

Law Enforcement

U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia

D.C. Office of the Attorney General

D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, Prostitution Enforcement Unit

D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, Youth Investigations Branch

D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, Special Liaison Unit (SLU) - The SLU is comprised of the Asian Liaison, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Liaison, Gay and Lesbian Liaison and the Latino Liaison Units

Federal Bureau of Investigation

U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section

U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime

U.S. Department of State, Office to Combat and Monitor Trafficking in Persons

U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement

U.S. Department of Labor

Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor
1-866-4-USWAGE (1-866-487-9243)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families

Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force- Contact Jessica Johnson

Non-Governmental Organizations

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

African Tourism Organization

Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC)

Ayuda

Ayuda's mission is to protect the rights of low-income immigrants in the DC metropolitan area. We  provide multilingual legal and social services for low-income immigrants in the areas of immigration, human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault. Our human trafficking program assists immigrant human trafficking survivors with legal and social services. Legal services include immigration representation and advocacy in criminal cases against traffickers. Social services include comprehensive case management to secure emergency and long-term needs and access community resources. We  also conducts bilingual community outreach and trainings on human trafficking for service providers, law enforcement and community members.

Boat People SOS

Break the Chain Campaign

Bridge to Freedom Foundation

Casa De Maryland

Courtney's House

FAIR Fund

Global Centurion

Global Rescue Relief

Global Rescue Relief helps procure basic services for human trafficking victims such as eye glasses and dental work.  We also has a professional’s giving network of relevant professionals who are willing to provide pro bono services to human trafficking victims.  In addition, we are currently in the process of soliciting in-kind donations for Freedom Packs which will consist of clothing and toiletries made available to first responders for recently rescued victims.

HIPS

HIPS (Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive) is a harm reduction organization whose mission is to assist male, female and transgender sex workers lead healthier lives. We offer support groups, gender-based goal-setting interventions, HIV prevention and counseling, client advocacy and safer sex and drug use materials. We have an outreach van that tours the city each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, offering supplies, water, conversation, and HIV prevention education. We also staff a 24-hour-hotline, (800) 676-HIPS, where DC based sex workers can call for immediate crises assistance and others can find resources and a non-judgmental, friendly counselor.

Innocents At Risk

Latin American Youth Center

Polaris Project

Prevent Human Trafficking

Restoration Ministries

Restoration Ministries (RM) is an organization that bases its identity in Christ, focusing on the intimacy of a personal relationship with Jesus to transform lives. From this identity our desire is to develop loving long term relationships with women and girls who have survived sex trafficking and to empower them by providing and advocating for appropriate aftercare services.

RM’s primary focus is the operation of the Prostitution Intervention Prevention Program (PIPP). The PIPP has been successfully run at the local youth detention center in Washington DC since 2006 and was launched at a Washington DC psych hospital in 2010. The PIPP focuses on meeting girls who have been trafficked (or are at high risk for being trafficked), at different institutions in the process of their recovery and advocating for their future. RM is then able to interview and assess the girls who have experienced trafficking and begin providing long term services and support, including mentoring, court advocacy, and collaborating with other social service providers on the long term plan and placement for the girl.

Sasha Bruce Youthwork

Shared Hope International

Shared Hope International exists to rescue and restore women and children in crisis. We are leaders in a worldwide effort to prevent and eradicate sex trafficking and slavery through education and public awareness. While we work diligently across the world, we have a heavy focus on the USA and the issue of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking. We partner with local groups worldwide to help women and children enslaved in the sex trade by providing them with shelter, healthcare, education and vocational training opportunities.

Stop Modern Slavery- DC

Stop Modern Slavery-VA

Tahirih Justice Center

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has a contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Office of Refugee Resettlement (HHS/ORR) to provide comprehensive case management to foreign national victims of human trafficking throughout the United States. We subcontracts with local social service agencies and provides per-capita funding for administration and direct client costs. It supports its subcontractors with trafficking case management training, technical assistance and case consultation. We also offers funding for qualified social service agencies to provide comprehensive case management to foreign national survivors of trafficking and training on trafficking case management, technical assistance and case consultation to its subcontractors.

Women Empowered Against Violence, Inc.

Representative D.C. Prosecutions

On June 1, 2009, Jermaine Moore pled guilty to two –counts of transporting 15 and 17 year-old girls across state lines for the purpose of prostitution. On October 29, 2009, Moore was sentenced to 210 months incarceration. Full Press Release click here.

On September 1, 2009, Shelby Lewis was indicted for prostituting 4 juvenile girls who were 12, 13, 14 and 16 years of age. He faces a maximum of life in prison. Full Press Release click here.

On Dec. 3, 2003, Carlos Curtis was indicted on charges of transporting minors from New York and Maryland to engage in prostitution in Washington, DC. Curtis was indicted for violating numerous federal statutes including sex trafficking of children, transportation of minors, transportation for illegal sexual activity, and materials involving the sexual exploitation of children. Guilty pleas were obtained for associates Michael Goodwin for two counts of Pandering, and Janet Rodriguez for one count of pandering. On July 22, 2004, Goodwin was sentenced to 36 months. On Sept. 6, 2004, Rodriguez was sentenced to 36 months. On July 2, 2004, Curtis was convicted after a two-week trial. On March 27, 2006, Curtis was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Gary Gates and Tamisha Hayward operated an online escort/prostitution business known as “Red Light Special” and “Pandora’s Box.” Clients contacted a telephone number posted on the website to set up dates. Hayward reserved hotel rooms for the girls using Priceline.com. On April 23, 2004, Gates and Hayward were indicted on 13 counts of sex trafficking of children; 11 counts coercion and enticement; 5 counts of transportation of minors; and two counts of transportation for illegal sexual activity. Hayward was also charged with one count of conspiracy. On Sept. 8, 2004, through plea agreements, Gates was sentenced to 178 months and Hayward to 103 months.

Sunni Ham forced two underage girls into prostitution in Washington, DC. He forced them to wear revealing clothing while they performed sex acts for money. On June 12, 2007, Ham was sentenced to 106 months.

If you have any questions about the Task Force, please contact Coordinator, Assistant United States Attorney Ari Redbord. (Ari.Redbord@usdoj.gov)

Links

Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force

DC HTTF Web Site Disclaimer Statement

Links to Other Sites

The DC HTTF provides links to other websites as a convenience to its visitors. The inclusion of a link on this website does not constitute an official endorsement, guarantee or approval by the DC HTTF.
The DC HTTF neither endorses, has any responsibility for, nor exercises any control over the member organizations' views or the accuracy of the information on other websites.

 

Upcoming Events

• DC Task Force Meeting - March 15, 2011 at 10:30 am

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