Underage Children Rescued from Child Prostitution Ring Catering to Super Bowl Visitors

Sixteen children between the ages of 13 and 17 were rescued from a child prostitution ring in New Jersey that was allegedly set up to take advantage of Super Bowl tourists.

The operation, conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), led to the arrest of 45 pimps and their associates, the agency announced on Tuesday, February 4th. Some of the suspects admitted to traveling to New Jersey from other states specifically to force women and children to have sex with Super Bowl attendees.

Many of the children in the child prostitution ring had been reported missing by their families. Other victims are foreign nationals.

“High-profile special events, which draw large crowds, have become lucrative opportunities for child prostitution criminal enterprises,” Ron Hosko, assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, said in a statement. “The FBI and our partners remain committed to stopping this cycle of victimization and putting those who try to profit from this type of criminal activity behind bars.”

FBI investigators worked with federal, state, and local law enforcement for six months leading up to the Super Bowl. They made contact with over 20 hotels in New York City, and taught employees there how to identify sex trafficking victims.

The sting operation was part of the Innocence Lost Initiative, which was established in 2003 by the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, in partnership with the Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, to combat child prostitution. In July of last year, the Innocence Lost Initiative rescued 105 children and led to the arrest of 150 pimps in one of the largest national child prostitution busts in US history.

Federal Sex Crimes Defense and Child Prostitution

The sex crime defense attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, LLC provide experienced and effective legal representation. We understand that you are faced with a personal and professional crisis and that your personal and professional reputation and future are at stake.

Under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, there are three tiers of sex offenders who must register. Tier I offenders must register themselves on a national sex offender registry for 15 years, checking in every year; Tier II must register for 25 years; and Tier III will be registered for life. The act further expands on federal laws to protect children from sex offenders and sexual solicitation, offers child protective grants programs, and other initiatives to prevent and punish sex offenders and others who victimize children.

The act enlarges on federal sex crimes legislation such as the kidnapping statute, increases the number of federal capital offenses, enhances the mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment and other penalties that attend various federal sex offenses, establishes a civil commitment procedure for federal sex offenders, authorizes random searches as a condition for sex offender probation and supervised release, outlaws Internet date drug trafficking, permits the victims of state crimes to participate in related federal habeas corpus proceedings, and eliminates the statute of limitations for certain federal sex crimes and crimes committed against children.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Federal Sex Crime Charges

If you have been charged with a federal sex crime, from sexual harassment to child prostitution, contact the criminal defense attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case. Based in Columbia, SC, our law firm has practiced throughout South Carolina for 16 years, and our federal criminal defense attorneys have a strong understanding of the complexities of federal sex crimes legislation. Contact us today for help. 803.252.4800.