Lawmakers React to Arrests of Illegal Aliens in ‘Multinational’ Human Trafficking Ring

Senator Marsha Blackburn, State Rep. Gino Bulso

Tennessee lawmakers are reacting to Monday’s Tennessee Star report that two illegal aliens living in Tennessee have been arrested in what the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) calls an ongoing criminal investigation into a multinational human sex trafficking ring. 

“Two illegal aliens caught & arrested in Tennessee have been linked to a multinational human trafficking ring,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on X. “Under Joe Biden, every town is a border town. We must close the border.”

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Florida Sheriff Blasts Border Policies After 21 Charged in Sex Trafficking Ring

Grady Judd

An undercover human trafficking operation in Florida found that 21 illegal foreign nationals were using papers given to them by the Department of Homeland Security to fly to major cities in the United States for free to engage in sex trafficking, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

“Federal policy drives illegal immigrant crime and victimization,” Judd said when announcing the results of a multi-agency undercover operation that led to the arrest of 228 people. Among them, 21 people arrested were in the country illegally, citizens of Chile, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela.

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Blackburn Grills FBI Director on Epstein Flight Logs

During a Tuesday meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) grilled the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Christopher Wray, about what she said she believes is a lack of thorough investigation into an alleged high-profile sex trafficking ring run by billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.

“The last few weeks I’ve been demanding some answers on Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes, and trying to get these flight records,” said Blackburn. “I’ve offered amendments to the subpoena. I’ve kind of been stonewalled on it but I think having transparency around Jeffrey Epstein’s conduct and this massive sex trafficking ring is important. And of course you’ve had the Chairman, Sen. [Mazie] Hirono, Sen. [Jon] Ossoff, all who have mentioned our concerns with what is happening with sex trafficking.”

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Commentary: Combating Adult and Child Sex Trafficking in Tennessee

Known for its warm hospitality, cultural heritage, and mountainous landscapes, Tennessee is confronted with the nationwide crisis that challenges the very essence of our values. It’s time to strip away the veneer of normalcy and address the stark truth: individuals, including children, are being subjected to unspeakable horrors. Their lives are manipulated and controlled, their dignity shattered, and their futures stolen. The reality of sex-trafficking is not confined to a single corner of our state; it is an issue that transcends geographical boundaries, urban and rural areas alike.

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Minnesota GOP Donor Anton Lazzaro Sentenced to 21 Years for Sex Trafficking Minor Girls

Former Republican donor Anton “Tony” Lazzaro was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison Wednesday for sex trafficking multiple minor girls.

“Anton Lazzaro was a predator who hid in plain sight. He was a sex trafficker who camouflaged his true nature with his wealth and privilege. Today, his crimes were laid bare, and justice was served,” prosecutors said in a statement following Lazzaro’s sentencing.

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TBI Busts Alleged Human Traffickers in Blount County

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) busted seven men in connection with human trafficking, according to the agency’s website. 

“Over a two-day period beginning August 4th, as part of an undercover investigation aimed at addressing human trafficking in East Tennessee, authorities placed several decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex cases,” according to TBI. “The focus of the operation was to identify individuals seeking to engage in commercial sex acts with minors. As a result of the operation, authorities arrested seven men.”

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Tennessee Department of Health Engages in Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign

The Tennessee Department of Health (TDOH) will work with local leaders to support the Red Sand Project between July 25 and 31.

‘’Human trafficking is a hidden crime in our state and across the country because victims rarely come forward to receive help or services,’’ said Tennessee Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado, MD, FACP. ‘’It’s up to all of us to bring an end to the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. The Red Sand Project reminds us how crucial it is for communities, both urban and rural, to engage in awareness and education activities that support survivors of human trafficking and strengthen our prevention efforts.”

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Angel Studios’ ‘Sound of Freedom’ Child Trafficking Exposé Becomes America’s Top Movie on July 4 Opening Day

Fans of Sound of Freedom, the true-life thriller that exposes the sinister world of child trafficking, have propelled the film to the top spot at the box office on its July 4 opening in America.

The film, distributed by Angel Studios (The Chosen), is based on the true story of former government agent Tim Ballard, played by The Passion of the Christ’s Jim Caviezel, who quit his job to rescue a little girl from sex traffickers in the jungles of Colombia, and ended up saving many more children and adults.

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Report: Prosecutors Recommend Not Charging Gaetz in Sex-Trafficking Case, Citing Witness Credibility

Career federal prosecutors have reportedly recommended against charging GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz is a sex-trafficking investigation, telling Justice Department superiors that a conviction is unlikely.

The recommendation is in part because of credibility issues with the case’s two key witnesses, people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post, which on Friday reported on the status of the roughly 2-year-old investigation.

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Bill to Mandate Human Trafficking Awareness Training in Lodging Introduced in Pennsylvania

State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-PA-Reading) announced on Monday she will introduce a bill mandating that Pennsylvania hotel and motel businesses train their workers in human-trafficking awareness. 

Human trafficking, an industry the International Labour Office believes to generate $150 billion each year, is a form of slavery whereby human beings are defrauded or coerced into servitude that is often sexual in nature. The U.S. Department of State estimates that about 25 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking. Of those, nearly a third are children or teenagers and roughly half are women. 

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TBI Sting Nets a Dozen Alleged Human Traffickers in Chattanooga

Eleven men were arrested in Chattanooga this week for seeking illicit sex from minors, and one woman was charged with promoting prostitution.

The arrests were made during a two-day undercover Human Trafficking Operation run by Chattanooga Police, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tennessee Human Trafficking Task Force.

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DHS Insider Blows Whistle on Biden Policies that Allow Sex and Drug Traffickers to Operate in U.S.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employee has gone public to expose U.S. immigration policies that help sex traffickers and drug cartels operate in the United States.

Aaron Stevenson, an intelligence research specialist for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), told Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe that he came forward because the Biden administration is dangerously overhauling America’s immigration policies with zero oversight.

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Joel Greenberg, Matt Gaetz ‘Wingman’, Pleads Guilty in Sex Trafficking Case

Matt Gaetz and Joel Greenberg

As expected, Joel Greenberg, the former elected tax collector in Seminole County (near Orlando) and friend and ally of Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, plead guilty on Monday to federal charges. The charges included sex trafficking a minor, ID theft, stalking and fraud. Greenberg reached a deal with federal officials which cut the original 33 charges to six, but is still facing the mandatory minimum prison sentence of 12 years.  Greenberg has agreed to “cooperate fully” with federal prosecutors.

Now the focus will turn to Gaetz.

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Report: Feds Expect Plea Deal from Matt Gaetz ‘Wingman’ in Sex Trafficking Case

Joel Greenberg

Citing “multiple people familiar with the situation,” POLITICO reported that Joel Greenberg, a close associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01), will plead guilty in an Orlando federal court Monday to charges related to the sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl, in exchange for a lenient sentence. 

Greenberg, a friend of Gaetz whom the congressman described as his “wingman,” could provide evidence to federal investigators in a separate case against Gaetz, according to the report. 

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Tennessee General Assembly Eliminates Sentence Reductions for Sex Trafficking, Rape, Molestation, Child Abuse and More

The Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill eliminating sentence reductions for 31 sexually-related offenses. These offenses were largely related to rape, assault, sex trafficking, and a variety of crimes against children. The Senate hastened to pass the bill on Wednesday after the House passed it on Tuesday. The General Assembly voted unanimously in favor of the bill. 

As amended, the bill established that there would be no release eligibility for the following offenses: female genital mutilation, felony domestic assault, sex trafficking, advertising minor sexual abuse, rape, aggravated and non-aggravated sexual battery, aggravated statutory rape, felony indecent exposure, patronizing or promoting prostitution, public indecency, continuous child molestation, sexual battery by an authority figure, felony solicitation of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, statutory rape by an authority figure, promoting travel for prostitution, unlawful photography of a child under 13, observation without consent, incest, aggravated and non-aggravated child abuse or child neglect and endangerment, child pornography, sale and distribution of child-like sex dolls, and aggravated and especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor. It would also ensure no release eligibility for conspiracy, criminal attempt, or solicitation of any of the above offenses.

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Former Democratic Oregon House Speaker Arrested in Sex Trafficking Sting

Dave Hunt

Former Democratic Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt is facing charges after being arrested in an April sex trafficking sting, the Portland Tribune reported.

Dave Hunt and seven other men were arrested after clicking on decoy advertisements, which Portland police posted on popular human trafficking websites, the Portland Tribune reported. The men were charged with commercial sexual solicitation after contacting undercover police officers to pay for sexual acts.

Hunt voted in favor of legislation that made commercial sexual solicitation illegal in 2011, according to the Portland Tribune. He sponsored a separate bill that was designed to combat sex trafficking in 2007.

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Current Status of the Political Scandal Surrounding Matt Gaetz

For the last month, U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL-02) has been embroiled in investigation and public scrutiny since a New York Times story broke detailing an alleged illicit relationship Gaetz had with a 17-year-old girl and being a part of sex trafficking.

Immediately, Gaetz went public about the accusation by appearing on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson and flatly denied the entirety of The Times’ report and claimed the allegations are part of an extortion plot.

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Representative Candice Keller Targeted by Activists at Save Our Children Rally

Counter-protesters wearing black activism gear targeted Representative Candice Keller (R-OH-53) after her speech this past weekend at a Save Our Children Rally in Columbus. Keller is an avid pro-life legislator and creator of the Ohio Heartbeat Bill.

Keller and her husband Kent – a write-in candidate for the Ohio Senate – attended the rally. In interviews with The Ohio Star, Keller states that she and her husband were walking back to their cars when they noticed people recording and following them. Every time the couple looked back, the group stopped and stared – but continued taping.

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Legacy Media Outlet Brushes Aside Dozens of Rescued Children to Politicize ‘Save the Children’ Event

The Columbus Dispatch published an article casting a local “Save the Children” event as a Trojan Horse for “QAnon” beliefs. Before the event even takes place, the article depicts it as mobilization for potential violence by conspiracy theory supporters.

It is the latest in a growing trend with media to downplay or dismiss child sex-trafficking awareness events as covers for other, darker political intentions. QAnon is a conspiracy theory that President Trump is secretly battling powerful and wealthy Satan-worshipping pedophiles.

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