HUMAN TRAFFICKING at it’s Worst, FBI reports

January 2013 

National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

HUMAN TRAFFICKING ( in the West ) AT IT’S WORST, FBI reports

Last month, a Kentucky cardiologist and his ex-wife pled guilty to recruiting a Bolivian woman to work as their domestic servant and holding her unlawfully for nearly 15 years. The couple took her passport, threatened her with deportation, and falsely promised that her wages were being put in a bank account.

Trafficking in persons is a widespread form of modern-day slavery, and as we observe National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, we’d like to update you on what the FBI—with its partners—is doing to go after the traffickers and help the victims. PROCLAMATION

Human trafficking is a top investigative priority of the Bureau’s civil rights program. During fiscal year 2012, we opened 306 human trafficking investigations around the nation involving forced labor or forced household service as well as sex trafficking of international victims (young and old) and adult U.S. citizen victims.

Along the same lines, the sex trafficking of U.S. children is also a priority within our crimes against children program. During fiscal year 2012, we opened 363 investigations into the commercial sexploitation of domestic minors. Fortunately, we were also able to locate more than 500 young victims of sex traffickers.

We participate in 88 human trafficking task forces and working groups around the country. Our efforts include not only investigating cases where we find them, but also proactively using intelligence to drive and support these cases, looking at known areas of human trafficking activities, and developing liaison relationships within communities to promote awareness of these crimes.

Help for victims. The Bureau also has a robust assistance program in place for victims of human trafficking—as well as other federal crimes investigated by the FBI.

Our Office for Victim Assistance (OVA) oversees the work of victim specialists located throughout our 56 field offices.

These specialists—experienced in crisis intervention, social services, and victim assistance—work closely with agents to ensure that potential victims of trafficking are rescued, transferred to safe locations, and provided with referrals for medical, mental health, housing, legal, and other necessary services. And this past year, representatives from OVA and our civil rights program developed a protocol for human trafficking investigations that was implemented in all FBI field offices. The protocol highlights a victim-centered approach and the need for collaboration between the investigating agent, the local victim specialist, non-governmental agencies, and other law enforcement partners.

It’s nearly unthinkable, but every year thousands of children become victims of crime—whether it’s through kidnappings, violent attacks, or sexual abuse.

OVA oversees our child/adolescent forensic interviewers who work with Crimes Against Children task forces and provide training for agents and task force officers working human trafficking cases. These interviewers also collaborated with partner agencies to develop an interview protocol for minor victims of sex-ploitation for use by professionals working against human trafficking.

Our training and awareness efforts were significant.

During fiscal year 2012, we conducted training around the country focused on defining, detecting, and investigating human trafficking cases. The audiences included law enforcement—both U.S. and international—along with government employees, religious and civic organizations, ethnic advocacy groups, schools, social service agencies, medical personnel, legal aid agencies, domestic violence services, etc.—in short, anyone in a position to make a difference in the life of a trafficking victim.

Multi-agency investigations, intelligence, victim assistance, training—we’re putting our tools and capabilities to work to help combat the scourge of human trafficking.

Case Example: Human Trafficking at Its Worst

Notorious Sex Trafficker Terrence ‘T-Rex’ Yarbrough Faces up to Life in Prison Following Sex Trafficking Conviction in Tennessee

WASHINGTON—Terrence Yarbrough, a/k/a, “T-Rex,” 37, of Memphis, Tennessee, was convicted today in federal court on 10 counts of sex trafficking and one count of conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud, the Justice Department announced today.

“This verdict sends a clear message that human trafficking will not be tolerated in the United States,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The defendant brutally exploited vulnerable young women and girls and deprived them of their rights and dignity so he could profit by selling their bodies. Securing justice on behalf of the victims of modern-day slavery is one of the highest priorities of the Civil Rights Division.”

“The brutal and depraved acts that this individual inflicted upon these women are almost impossible to fathom,” said Edward L. Stanton, III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. “The conviction of Yarbrough reiterates this office’s firm commitment to bring sex traffickers to justice. Our office’s dedicated civil rights unit will continue to prosecute these cases in order to protect the vulnerable and innocent victims of such crimes.”

At the trial, victims recounted a series of violent acts perpetrated by Yarbrough to coerce them into prostituting for him, including beatings with belts, wooden coat hangers, crowbars, padlocks, and dog chains. They also testified to being thrown down stairs, having their heads smashed in car doors, having their legs burned with irons, and being scalded with boiling water.

Yarbrough faces a minimum of 15 years in prison with no parole and could be sentenced to up to life in prison. U.S. District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson will sentence Yarbrough on April 18, 2013.

“Sex traffickers can be violent abusers or simply subtle manipulators who prey upon those whose circumstances of life make them vulnerable and cruelly exploit their victims for profit,” said Aaron T. Ford, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The FBI is committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable human traffickers for their crimes and get help for the victims in these heartbreaking cases.”

Evidence presented at trial included the testimony of 10 victims identified in the indictment, as well as several eyewitnesses and others. Numerous witnesses testified that Yarbrough repeatedly enticed vulnerable women as young as 15 years old into prostitution with false promises of love, family, and prosperity. Any time a victim refused to engage in prostitution, he resorted to threats, intimidation, and violence. The jury heard testimony that Yarbrough’s pattern of recruitment, exploitation, and violent coercion continued for years before his 2009 arrest in St. Louis.

“The Office of Inspector General (OIG) at USDA is committed to the investigation and prosecution of individuals and retailers who defraud the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), more commonly referred to as the food stamp program. Protecting the integrity of the SNAP is a major investigative priority for OIG. OIG agents helped determine that Terrence Yarborough committed Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) fraud by submitting false information to apply for SNAP benefits and using the benefits to fund his prostitution operation.

The Tennessee Department of Human Service-Investigations Division, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office did an excellent job in this joint investigation. We look forward to working with them on future endeavors,” stated Karen Citizen-Wilcox, Special Agent in Charge of the Southeast Region.

One of the victims testified that Yarbrough forced her to engage in prostitution the entire time she was pregnant with his child. He frequently beat her on the stomach when she did not want to comply with his demands. He had her working as a prostitute in Tunica in her eighth month of pregnancy when he induced her labor through a severe beating. Yarbrough drove her back to Memphis and dropped her off at a hospital. The day after she left the hospital following childbirth, Yarbrough forced her to resume prostituting. Sometime later, Yarbrough smashed her on the head with a lamp and kicked out her front teeth when she tried to stop prostituting for him.

Another victim testified that Yarbrough lured her into prostitution by promising to reunite her with their children and then beat her severely when she insisted on seeing them and refused to continue working. Yarbrough punched her in the face so hard he broke three of her teeth. On another occasion, he beat her knees with a metal pipe and caused injuries which continue to affect her.

She also testified that Yarbrough threatened to prostitute their 9-year-old daughter.

The jury heard testimony that one exhausted victim slept through a phone call from a client after serving prostitution clients for days on end with almost no sleep. When Yarbrough found out she missed the call, he smashed her head into a car door, dragged her by the hair to his hotel room, and beat her with his belt. Jurors also saw a letter addressed to that victim and signed by Terrence Yarbrough stating that he was proud of how she did not scream while he beat her with the belt.

Witnesses further testified that Yarbrough bragged about his beatings of some victims to other victims to let them know what would happen to them if they disobeyed him. Jurors also saw the “T-Rex” logos Yarbrough tattooed on four separate victims and heard that he claimed that they had been “branded” as his property. Testimony and jail recordings showed that Yarbrough confiscated his victims’ identification documents as well as all their money to make it difficult for them to escape.

Jurors also heard testimony that Yarbrough conspired with his mother, Norma Yarbrough Webb, 65, and Michelle Johnson, 40, to fraudulently obtain food stamp benefits while Yarbrough was incarcerated. Johnson and Webb previously pled guilty to related charges.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the St. Louis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Skrmetti and Trial Attorney Benjamin J. Hawk of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.