A national sex trafficking operation has recovered 20 women locally, according to the Racine Police Department.
Racine police Sgt. Jessie Metoyer issued a press release Wednesday night detailing how local law enforcement assisted the FBI in a week-long operation that recovered 149 women and girls and resulted in the arrest of more than 150 pimps and other people involved in the victims’ exploitation.
More than 500 officers in 135 cities participated in the operation. The youngest recovered victim was 12 years old, a statement from the FBI reads.
The women recovered locally were all adults, Metoyer confirmed, and officers here were involved from Oct. 7 through Oct. 9.
Representatives from the Racine Coalition Against Human Trafficking and victim advocates from the Women’s Resource Center are providing immediate services to the victims.
“This operation was successful due to the outstanding partnerships we have with local state and federal law enforcement agencies. The support we receive from local and international businesses is also key to our success. As a task force we continue to focus on recovering sex trafficking victims and providing them with advocacy and services that they may need as well as bringing those that exploit them to justice.” said RAPD Investigator Neal Lofy in the statement.
The following agencies assisted in the operation:
- Racine Police Department
- Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Sturtevant Police Department
- Caledonia Police Department
- Federal Bureau of Investigations
- Homeland Security Investigations
- Racine County Sherriff’s Department
- Pleasant Prairie Police Department
- Kenosha Police Department
- Kenosha County Sherriff’s Department
- Racine County District Attorney’s Office
- FBI Victim Specialists
- Wisconsin Department of Corrections
- WI DOC – Division of Community Corrections
- Racine Coalition Against Human Trafficking
- Women’s Resource Center