July 29, 2023
Undercover operation results in 11 arrests and recovery of four trafficking victims
From the MN BCA website:
ST. PAUL — Eleven people are facing felony charges following their arrests for attempting to solicit minors for sex or for promoting prostitution.
Investigators with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA)-led Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force and the St. Paul Police Department conducted an operation July 27-28 in St. Paul. During the operation, suspects chatted online with undercover agents and investigators who posed as minors or as sex buyers. Investigators arrested the suspects as they arrived at an arranged meeting place for an encounter.
Suspects were booked into the Ramsey County Jail. A list of arrestees is available here. Charges are expected in the coming days.
• Ten people were booked on probable cause felony solicitation of a minor under 18 years of age for prostitution:
Malvin Chirongoma, 25, of Inver Grove Heights – arrested 27 July 2023
Yonis Abdiweli Hashi, 22, of Eden Prairie – arrested 27 July 2023
Rodrigue Lauture, 42, of Minneapolis – arrested 27 July 2023
Geber Danian Lopez Mejia, 34, of Blaine – arrested 27 July 2023
Jose Jacinto Guaman Quizhpi, 29, of Minneapolis – arrested 27 July 2023
Brandon Emmanuel Rivera Ruiz, 22, of Richfield – arrested 28 July 2023
Abdul Jameer Shaik, 33, of Chanhassen – arrested 27 July 2023
Thomas Charles Stephenson, 23, of St. Michael – arrested 27 July 2023
Robert Jeremy Yang, 41, of St. Paul – arrested 27 July 2023
Toula-Joe Yang, 35, of St. Paul – arrested 27 July 2023
• One person was booked on probable cause felony promotion of prostitution: – Leonard David Caston, Jr., 30, of Mondovi, Wisconsin – arrested 28 July 2023
• Four female victims were recovered from trafficking situations.
“We are committed to helping Minnesota’s trafficking victims escape the reprehensible actions of those who would buy or sell them for sex,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. “Our predatory crimes agents will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and advocates to end this terrible crime in Minnesota.”
“Good police work doesn’t happen without law enforcement coming together, and because of that partnership these individuals can no longer do harm,” Saint Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said.
Many additional agencies lent resources to this enforcement effort including the East Metro Sex Trafficking Task Force (EMSTTF), Tribes United Against Sex Trafficking (TRUST) and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office. Victim advocate organization Breaking Free also provided services during victim recoveries.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of being trafficked, call 911. To report a suspected trafficking situation, call the BCA at 877-996-6222 or email bca.tips@state.mn.us.
The Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force (MNHTITF) provides statewide law enforcement response for the Human Trafficking National Hotline. Victims can get help by calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 or send the text HELP to 233733.
The following agencies are members of the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force: Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minneapolis and St. Paul police departments, Homeland Security Investigations and the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.
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You can report a suspected sex-trafficking situation to the BCA at 877-996-6222 or bca.tips@state.mn.us
Just some facts on human trafficking in Minnesota:
– Minnesota had 9 criminal human trafficking cases active in 2018, 2 new cases
– Minnesota convicted 1 defendant in a human trafficking case in 2018
– Federal prosecutors in Minnesota charged 1 new criminal human trafficking case in 2019
– Federal courts in Minnesota handled 6 active criminal human trafficking cases in 2019
– Federal courts in Minnesota convicted 26 defendants in human trafficking cases in 2019
This must be the 1 case: Nearly 60 arrested, 28 victims rescued in huge Final Four weekend sex trafficking bust bring me the news
– Minnesota had 9 criminal human trafficking cases active in 2020
– Minnesota convicted 1 defendant in a human trafficking case in 2020
– 9 defendants were sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
– Minnesota had 2 criminal human trafficking cases new in 2021
– Minnesota convicted 10 defendants in a human trafficking case in 2021
– 9 defendants were sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
If you want to read about sex-trafficking Minnesota 2009-2015 Urban Research and Outreach Engagement Center University of Minnesota
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