{"id":4883,"date":"2019-11-20T05:35:36","date_gmt":"2019-11-20T05:35:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/?p=4883"},"modified":"2019-11-20T05:35:36","modified_gmt":"2019-11-20T05:35:36","slug":"more-than-100-people-arrested-in-hillsborough-county-human-trafficking-sting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/2019\/11\/20\/more-than-100-people-arrested-in-hillsborough-county-human-trafficking-sting\/","title":{"rendered":"More than 100 people arrested in Hillsborough County human trafficking sting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/w3.cdn.anvato.net\/player\/prod\/v3\/anvload.html?key=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\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) \u2013 Hillsborough County deputies have arrested more than 100 people in connection to a five-month-long undercover investigation relating to human trafficking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI strongly believe that in order to eradicate human trafficking, we must continue to focus on reducing the demand,\u201d Sheriff Chad Chronister said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The investigation ran from June through the start of November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Detectives began zeroing in on websites and forums known for soliciting sex, as well as strip clubs, massage parlors and motels throughout Hillsborough County. Then they had female detectives pose as prostitutes and male detectives pose as Johns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Deputies said they debriefed every woman who was taken into custody to learn if they were being trafficked, and offered support services that were made available through organizations like the Salvation Army, Bridging Freedom and Created Tampa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At a press conference on Monday, Chronister put a spotlight on a number of cases, including two where men allegedly tried to meet up with a teenage girl for sex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chronister said Jason Fitzgerald, 36, and Luis Colon, 29, each met up with an undercover detective who posed as the stepfather of a 14-year-old girl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFitzgerald and Colon showed up at a trailer park in North Tampa. They began negotiating a price for sex with the child, and when they were told they could take their pick, having sex with a 14-year-old girl or a 13-year-old girl inside one of the trailers, they jumped at the chance to be with the even younger girl,\u201d explained the Sheriff. \u201cPredators like this do not belong on the streets of Hillsborough County.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both Fitzgerald and Colon were arrested and charged with human trafficking for commercial sexual activity, traveling to meet a minor to solicit certain illegal acts and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chronister also mentioned the arrest of 29-year-old Steven Cook who tried to arrange a sexual encounter at a hotel with two women and an undercover detective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Investigators say one of the women claimed Cook forced her to meet up and have sex with men even though she was in pain from a medical-related issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cook, who is also a Latin King Gang Member, was charged with human trafficking and deriving proceeds of prostitution, among other charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s chipping away and I think it definitely puts a dent in it, especially in our community. Maybe they won\u2019t do it here,\u201d said Dotti Groover-Skipper of the Salvation Army.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) \u2013 Hillsborough County deputies have arrested more than 100 people in connection to a five-month-long undercover investigation relating to human trafficking. \u201cI strongly believe that in order to eradicate human trafficking, we must continue to focus on reducing the demand,\u201d Sheriff Chad Chronister said. The investigation ran from June through the [&#8230;]\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2598,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"tpgb_global_settings":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[39,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-human-trafficking","category-news"],"tpgb_featured_images":{"full":["https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/human-trafficking-1.jpg",728,424,false],"tp-image-grid":["https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/human-trafficking-1.jpg",700,408,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/human-trafficking-1-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/human-trafficking-1-300x175.jpg",300,175,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/human-trafficking-1.jpg",728,424,false],"large":["https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/human-trafficking-1.jpg",728,424,false],"default":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-content\/plugins\/the-plus-addons-for-block-editor\/assets\/images\/tpgb-placeholder.jpg"},"tpgb_post_meta_info":{"get_date":"November 20, 2019","get_modified_date":"November 20, 2019","category_list":{"category":[{"term_id":39,"name":"Human Trafficking","slug":"human-trafficking","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":39,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Human Trafficking News and Updates","parent":0,"count":61,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":19,"name":"News","slug":"news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":19,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":238,"filter":"raw"}],"post_tag":false,"post_format":false},"author_name":"Hope To Heal","author_url":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/author\/hope2233\/","author_email":"webmaster@hopetoheal.org.za","author_website":"","author_description":"Our mission is for women and children to live free from violence and abuse and to provide quality, compassionate, and nonjudgmental services in a manner that fosters self-respect and independence in persons experiencing domestic violence and child abuse and to lead the struggle to end domestic violence through advocacy and community education.","author_facebook":"","author_twitter":"","author_instagram":"","author_role":["administrator"],"author_firstname":"Hope To","author_lastname":"Heal Foundation","user_login":"Hope2233","author_avatar":"<img alt='' src='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/00ba9733f71edb9653d7f34fee6719bfc21db4d30ee7e9a8d61ac758d1032f46?s=200&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/00ba9733f71edb9653d7f34fee6719bfc21db4d30ee7e9a8d61ac758d1032f46?s=400&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-200 photo' height='200' width='200' decoding='async'\/>","author_avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/00ba9733f71edb9653d7f34fee6719bfc21db4d30ee7e9a8d61ac758d1032f46?s=96&d=mm&r=g","comment_count":0,"post_likes":0,"post_views":0},"tpgb_post_category":{"category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/category\/human-trafficking\/\" alt=\"Human Trafficking\"  class=\"category-human-trafficking\">Human Trafficking<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/category\/news\/\" alt=\"News\"  class=\"category-news\">News<\/a> "},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4883","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4883"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4883\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4884,"href":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4883\/revisions\/4884"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4883"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4883"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.hopetoheal.org.za\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}