The FBI’s Innocence Lost Initiative and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children had a busy weekend rescuing children and taking down predators who were pimping kids out for money. Operation Cross Country V was a successful three day sweep saving 69 children who were victims and arresting 99 alleged predator pimps. According to a press release by the FBI, 885 others were arrested on state and local charges as well. In this sting the youngest child rescued was 12 and the oldest 17. I had the opportunity to meet with members of this specific team and the work they do for the children is stellar. The agents hearts and souls are in it for serving justice.
Archive for the ‘rape’ Category
Operation Cross Country Rescues Children From Child Prostitution
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
Unique Opportunity For Crime Victims In Maryland
Thursday, October 21st, 2010
To all of the crime victims in Maryland, I received an advisory today about a special Town Hall meeting that will be held in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. This will be an open forum for concerned community members to voice their opinions and provide input about crime victimization to state and government representatives.
Information:
Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Center at Veterans Plaza: 8525 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Information from the actual advisory:
“The Montgomery County Police Department supports this effort by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. This “Town Hall Meeting” format will allow victims of crime, their families, and other concerned citizens to voice opinions, suggestions, and concerns. Participants will have five minutes to speak to panel members composed of state and local criminal justice officials who work directly and indirectly with crime victims. The agencies represented include: Police, the State’s Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, MD Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, Department of Juvenile Services, Division of Correction, Division of Parole and Probation, Sex Offender Registry, and the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention. MCPD Assistant Police Chief and Director of the Investigative Services Bureau Drew Tracy will serve as a panel member. Community members wishing to speak are encouraged to sign up in advance by contacting:”
Jury Selection Begins Today In Chandra Levy Murder
Monday, October 18th, 2010
- Ingmar Guandique (mugshot)
Jury selection will begin today in the Chandra Levy murder case. Ingmar Guandique, the man charged with killing Chandra, is on trial. Opening statements may be heard as early as this Thursday. The 28-year-old illegal alien from El Salvador pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges.
Guandique was already serving a ten-year sentence in California for attacks on two other women in Rock Creek Park. In 2002, Chandra’s remains were found in the same park where the attacks occured. Investigators believe Chandra was murdered on May 1, 2001. At the time of her death, Chandra was interning at the Federal Bureau of Prisons and was having an alleged affair with Congressman Gary Condit (D-Calif). Condit was never named a suspect.
MORGAN HARRINGTON’S MURDER LINKED TO A SEXUAL ASSAULT
Friday, July 2nd, 2010
Police sketch
Investigators say the same man who may have killed Morgan Harrington could be the same suspect that committed a sexual assault against a female in 2005. Virginia State Police officials confirm there is a forensic evidence link between the 2005 assault and the murder. Both cases are unsolved, but at least now authorities have a sketch to release to the public. Virginia State Police spokesperson Corinne Geller told me today that the Virginia Department of Forensic Science processes and analyzes all of the evidence and lab work for every department. They notified the Virginia State Police of the link in the cases. The authorities from the state police in turn contacted Fairfax City Police and compared notes. Geller said, “It’s one of those things, you never know what the next phone call is going to bring.” She added, “We know he (the man in the sketch) had contact with her (Morgan) the night of her disappearance, but they don’t know if he is responsible for her death. We are looking to identify and question him, and put the next pieces of the puzzle together.” Within 24 hours of releasing the sketch, the state police had 50 leads. Right now their time is spent eliminating duplicates between the departments and prioritizing the tips.
GANG RAPE: Another suspect turns himself into police
Monday, May 17th, 2010
Balmoris Argueta - CAPTURED
March 16, 2010 was a life changing day for a woman in Virginia we will call “Melanie.” Investigators from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office were called to a home in Waldorf, Maryland to assist a Hispanic female who was gang raped. When they arrived at the scene, they found a distraught woman who had been attacked.
A fun night out turned into a nightmare when she was taken inside the house off Country Lane. Once inside, Detective Austin says an unknown Hispanic male later identified as Jose Maria Echebarria told her to strip down naked or she would be killed.
Juan Francisco Orellana - WANTED
Melanie, scared to death, complied and was forced to stand naked surrounded by men she didn’t know. Austin says she was ordered to have sex with the men there, and if she didn’t they would kill her. Echebarria allegedly ordered her to perform oral and vaginal sex with him, and investigators say as this was happening the men were standing around throwing up their gang signs and taunting her.
SHANIYA SPEAKS ORGANIZATION
Monday, May 17th, 2010
Remembering Shaniya Davis
Shaniya Davis is one of those cases that comes up in conversation frequently. I am often asked how a child could allegedly be sold by her mother as a sex slave to pay off a debt. If Shaniya was never passed off to Mario McNeill like a piece of trash, she may still be alive today. Test results show Shaniya died from asphyxiation, and McNeill is charged with first degree murder and first degree rape. He is being held without bond and is currently behind bars. Shaniya’s mother, Antoniette Davis, is charged with child abuse in the form of prostitution, human trafficking, obstructing an official investigation and filing a false police report. Unfortunately, Davis is out on bond, and has been roaming free since February 21st. She is scheduled to appear in court on June 3, 2010 to face charges.
Bradley Lockhart, Shaniya’s father, is taking a proactive approach to combat child prostitution and crimes against children. This is why he created Shaniya Speaks. The organization says the goal is, “to bring voice to Child Exploitation and Sexual Crimes against Children.” Bradley will tour the country and be the voice for his murdered child. He will use his personal experience to educate the public on these types of horrific crimes against children.
FBI NEEDS YOUR LEADS
Thursday, April 29th, 2010
John Doe (FBI photo)
All crimes against children make my stomach turn. There’s nothing worse than having an innocent child fall prey to a molester. Unfortunately, that seems to be the circumstances surrounding this next case. The FBI needs your help identifying this unknown man, whom they believe is preying on an innocent child. The images of the suspect were cut out to show to the public.
According to the FBI, on February 21, 2004 the agency began its Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP), “a new and aggressive approach to identify unknown individuals involved in the sexual abuse of children and the production of child pornography.”
This system uses the media exposure to feature adults preying on children. You can check out all of the active cases at the FBI website.
According to Supervisory Special Agent Jason Pack with the FBI National Press office, “ECAP is intended to aggressively pursue and thwart individuals who would abuse or harm our nation’s children. Child Exploitation continues to be a significant problem. There is no work more important than protecting America’s children and freeing them from the cycle of victimization. Through our strategic partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies, we are able to make a difference.”
KIDS RAISE MONEY FOR CHELSEA’S FUND, GARDNER APOLOGIZES
Monday, April 26th, 2010Hundreds of young athletes gathered yesterday to help raise money for the Chelsea King Memorial Scholarship fund. Chelsea was raped and murdered as she jogged in San Diego by convicted sex offender John Albert Gardner III. Gardner pleaded guilty earlier this month to her murder, and the murder of 14-year-old Amber Dubois.
Nearly 60 teams played in baseball games around the county and paid entry fees hat raised more than $20,000 for Chelsea’s fund. The money will go to a student at Poway High School where Chelsea would have graduated this year.
Gardner issued a public apology over the weekend. The note was given to CBS News 8 in San Diego by an unnamed source and says, “I’m sorry. I wish I could take it back. I know that it doesn’t mean anything to anybody but I really am sorry for everything. I wish that I was able to get help when I tried to get help. I tried to seek out help and was not able to get any.” News 8 also says just days before Chelsea’s murder Gardner claims he tried to admit himself into a mental hospital, but was denied.
SEX OFFENDER LURKING ON COLLEGE CAMPUS
Monday, April 26th, 2010
Jessie James Spruill
San Diego State University officials are issuing a warning about a registered sex offender lurking around campus. Police say Jessie James Spruill, 34, has been seen on the college grounds, specifically around Villa Alvarado Residence Hall and Love Library. According to the registered California sex offender list, Spruill is guilty of assault with intent to commit rape, sodomy or oral copulation. He has a tattoo on his chest, and a list of aliases that include:
- PALMER, JOSIAH J
- PALMER, JOSIAH JOYL
- SPRUILL, JESSE JAMES
If you have any information on Spruill’s whereabouts, please contact police: (619) 594-1991.
DANGER STILL LURKING IN FAIRMOUNT PARK
Monday, April 19th, 2010I confirmed that investigators and Explorers from the Philadelphia Police department descended on Fairmount Park over the weekend to remind the public that a serial rapist and murderer is still out there. I spoke with Sgt. McEntee this morning and he says, “Every spring there’s a lot of events at the park, and we want to keep it in the forefront of the public’s mind to generate more tips.” More than 100 members of the Philadelphia Police department were distributing fliers at all the locations the suspect has hit since 2003. DNA evidence links the attacker to all the cases. The most recent attack was in August 2007. “This is somebody’s cousin, brother, uncle, we don’t think this is going to be your average guy that has a record, this is someone who flies under the radar,” says McEntee. Police and Explorer’s reminded joggers not to exercise alone, and to be aware of their surroundings.
