On Thursday, Aug. 17, the Sedalia Police Department in cooperation with the Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control, the Missouri Information Analysis Center and the Department of Homeland Security joined forces on a prostitution sting intended to fight human trafficking.
Detectives used covert surveillance techniques, undercover officers, and electronic communications in an undisclosed west-side location to lure men attempting to solicit prostitution.
“We were approached by the Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control, which is their investigation arm, several months ago about doing an operation here in Sedalia trying to break the cycle of human trafficking,” Sedalia Police Cmdr. David Woolery told the Democrat. “In this particular operation, they were looking for customers of prostitution because without the demand you don't have the supply.”
Four men were arrested for contacting “sex workers” via sites on the dark web, an unadvertised portion of the internet known for criminal activity. Police said they were shocked by the number of men contacting them about an online sex ad.
“They created basically an advertisement for the prostitution,” Woolery said of the task force. “And then the suspects would answer the advertisement, set up communication and then come and try and patronize the prostitute.”
Donald Reese, 62, of Sedalia, James Deer, 39, of Columbia, Tim Sinn, 44, of Versailles, and Keith Haslag, 41, of Sedalia, were arrested upon arrival for meeting the prostitutes.
“One of the important things to notice,” Woolery pointed out, “is how the cycle of human trafficking many times involves sexual acts. That cycle is presumably a girl who becomes a victim and is trafficked to perform sexual acts. By reducing the demand in our area, we hope to prevent the victims being used in prostitution, which is many times connected to human trafficking.”
Woolery said human trafficking takes many forms and often involves sexual abuse.
“Many times, these operations are centered around hotels, motels, and that type of environment,” Woolery said, “and as the definition of human trafficking mentions, it's not just what we think of as coercion, like somebody's got a gun to them, it's different than that. They're controlling their life. Perhaps that victim doesn't have any means to live by, any income or anything like that, and the person trafficking them provides that in exchange for them producing for them.”
Scratching the surface of the sex trade showed police how pervasive the human-trafficking problem has become. Luckily, with the new electronic surveillance techniques and methods of tracking those soliciting paid sex, law enforcement is making great strides in stemming the demand for prostitution.
“We take that demand away and hope they go find another enterprise,” Woolery said. “Then also we hope during these investigations to interact and find the victims through the people that participate in these crimes.”
Finding one victim of human trafficking often leads to the rescue of others forced into this bondage and law enforcement is keen to speak with anyone who is being trafficked.
If you or someone you know needs help, call the national human trafficking hotline toll-free 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-888-373-7822 to speak to specially trained anti-trafficking hotline advocates. Support is provided in more than 200 languages.
Victims can also text 233733 for help.
Chris Howell can be reached at 660-530-0146.
