NEWARK, NJ—The FBI, working with its state and local partners during two weeks in August, identified and located 84 minor victims of child sex trafficking and child sexual exploitation offenses and located 37 actively missing children during a nationwide enforcement campaign, dubbed “Operation Cross Country.” The FBI-led nationwide initiative focused on identifying and locating victims of sex trafficking and investigating and arresting individuals and criminal enterprises involved in both child sex trafficking and human trafficking.

In addition to the identification and location of adolescent victims, the FBI and its partners located 141 adult victims of human trafficking. Agents and investigators also identified or arrested 85 suspects with child sexual exploitation and human trafficking offenses. Those suspects identified will be subject to additional investigation for potential charges. The average age of victims located during this year’s Operation Cross Country was 15.5, while the youngest victim discovered was 11 years old.

Locally, FBI agents from the Newark Division worked with law enforcement partners from New Jersey State Police, Newark Police Department, Jersey City Police Department, Morris Township Police Department, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, and Bloomfield Police Department in identifying and/or locating five adolescent victims during operations that ran from August 4-7, as well as August 11-14.

“Victims of trafficking are treated like imprisoned servants. They lose their freedom, their dignity, their identity, and often, their sense of self,” said Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy. “The FBI is dedicated to rescuing children and adults who have fallen victim to human traffickers. We value and recognize the critical work of our law enforcement partners. As with many crimes we investigate, we cannot do it without collaboration from the law enforcement community and the public. If you are a victim or if you think you have information about trafficking activities, reach out to your local police department or to the Newark Field Office at 1-800-CALL-FBI.”

“The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to combat the insidious crimes of human trafficking that devastate survivors and their families,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the dedicated professionals of the FBI and our law enforcement partners across the country for their tireless work to rescue trafficking survivors, including exploited children, to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of trafficking crimes, and to provide the services and support that survivors need and deserve.”

“Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes the FBI encounters,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Unfortunately, such crimes—against both adults and children—are far more common than most people realize. As we did in this operation, the FBI and our partners will continue to find and arrest traffickers, identify and help victims, and raise awareness of the exploitation of our most vulnerable populations.”

As part of Operation Cross Country XII, FBI special agents, intelligence analysts, victim specialists, and child adolescent forensic Interviewers working in conjunction with over 200 state, local, and federal partners and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) conducted 391 operations over the two-week period.

“The success of Operation Cross County reinforces what NCMEC sees every day. Children are being bought and sold for sex in communities across the country by traffickers, gangs, and even family members,” said Michelle DeLaune, President and CEO National Center for Missing & Exploited Children “We’re proud to support the FBI’s efforts to prioritize the safety of children. This national operation highlights the need for all child serving professionals to continue to focus on the wellbeing of children and youth to prevent them from being targeted in the first place.”

In addition to our law enforcement partners, SAC Dennehy also thanked Jennifer Amaya, Director of Outreach for Visions and Pathways; Danika Ali, MS, LCSW, In Community Counselor for Family First Counseling Services; and David B. Halperin, LSW, Assistant Director of Psychiatry for Trinitas Regional Medical Center for their work assistance.

Victim specialists provide a “bridge” for victims who are wary of the system, help the victim establish positive relationships with law enforcement, and ensure the human trafficking victim population receives any appropriate resources available to them. Victim specialists also provide services based on the individual needs of human trafficking victims, to include crisis intervention, emergency food and clothing, transportation to receive emergency services, and locating shelter or housing. The task forces in the recent operation included federal, state, local and tribal partners, with efforts in every state and even a few U.S. territories.

Resources:

• Victim Services Division
• Crimes Against Children
• Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
• Operation Cross Country 2022

Editor’s note: b-roll from Operation Cross Country XII operations can be found/downloaded here: Operation Cross Country 2022 B-Roll — FBI