WASHINGTON — The FBI Washington Field Office and our law enforcement partners recently recovered two victims of sex trafficking and identified one suspected trafficker during a nationwide campaign called Operation Cross Country.

The FBI-led initiative, in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, focuses on identifying and locating victims of sex trafficking and investigating and arresting human traffickers.

“Human trafficking is a devastating crime that exploits vulnerable members of communities nationwide, including those in Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia,” Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg said. “Operation Cross Country is an example of the work our office and our partners do every day. We will continue to focus on rescuing victims in our area, investigating and prosecuting traffickers, and supporting survivors.”

Numerous FBI field offices participated in Operation Cross Country this year. The FBI, working with its state and local partners, identified and located 200 victims of sex trafficking and identified or arrested 126 suspects of child sexual exploitation and human trafficking offenses. The suspects identified will be subject to additional investigation for potential charges.

Locally, FBI agents from FBI WFO’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force worked with law enforcement partners to recover one adolescent victim and one adult victim of sex trafficking. They also identified one suspected trafficker, who has since been arrested. The operation is a result of continued cooperation among CEHTTF members, including the Metropolitan Police Department, Arlington County Police Department, Alexandria Police Department, Fairfax County Police Department, and Loudoun County Police Department.

The FBI remains committed to combating child exploitation and human trafficking. Operation Cross Country is just one facet of the FBI’s ongoing efforts to protect the most vulnerable members of society. The FBI encourages continued vigilance, cooperation, and reporting from the public to help identify and recover victims and bring perpetrators to justice.

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233722. The NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline with specialists available to answer calls 24/7. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.

Resources:

• Victim Services Division
• Crimes Against Children
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
• NCMEC’s 24/7 call center number: 1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678)