Police are investigating a large Somali gang human trafficking ring that is based in Minnesota and has a Tennessee connection, according to a search warrant affidavit.
A Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent applied for the warrant and a St. Paul police officer is the lead detective. Both departments referred inquiries today to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, which is based in Nashville. Assistant U.S. Attorney Van Vincent said he couldn't "confirm or deny the investigation at this time."
The warrant was filed in Ramsey County District Court Friday and KSTP-TV obtained a copy of it Monday. The warrant has since been sealed and is no longer available.
KSTP was first to air a story Tuesday night about the investigation and provided a copy of the warrant to the Pioneer Press today.
BCA Special Agent Ann Quinn, who is a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement taskforce member, wrote the affidavit in support of the warrant. Her "primary area of responsibility is in the investigation of human trafficking cases, both domestic and international trafficking of persons," she wrote.
St. Paul Police Sgt. John Bandemer contacted Quinn in July and asked for assistance "in locating a juvenile material witness who was needed in federal court in Nashville ... in connection to the human trafficking investigation," Quinn wrote.
Quinn was given a copy of a material witness warrant for a 15-year-old girl. Bandemer reported
that the girl "had a long history of being a runaway and was being victimized by a group of Somalian males who were promoting her into prostitution," the affidavit said.
The BCA agent also spoke with St. Paul Police Officer Heather Weyker, who she described as the lead detective for the investigation. Weyker said she had interviewed the girl in July 2009 in connection with a Richfield robbery.
At the time, the girl "lied to Detective Weyker regarding her identity and her involvement in prostitution," the affidavit said. "Since that time Detective Weyker has interviewed with other witnesses of this human trafficking ring and has learned" that the girl "was being controlled by the Somalian gangs and was being promoted into prostitution," Quinn wrote.
With the cooperation of the girl's family, St. Paul Police and the FBI found the girl and took her into custody on the material witness warrant on July 23. She was escorted to Tennessee for testimony on July 28. After testimony, the girl returned home and was reported to Minneapolis as a runaway on Aug. 2, the affidavit said.
"Since that time" the girl "has been implicated in assaults in Rochester, Minn., and was arrested as an adult (she lied about her identity) for auto theft in Olmsted County," Quinn wrote. The girl was cited for tampering with an auto and transported to Ramsey County and then Hennepin County for outstanding warrants. She was in custody as of Sept. 13, the day Quinn applied for the warrant.
"Through training and experience, your affiant is aware the victims of prostitution are often beaten, threatened and used to promote illegal activity," Quinn wrote. "Persons who promote juveniles into prostitution will often become the 'family' of the victim, which leads the victim into total isolation, distrust of their own family, law enforcement and total involvement in the prostitution culture."
The warrant, which was granted, was to search the girl's cell phone. Because the girl "does not have a permanent home and often stayed with various members of this prostitution gang," Quinn wrote that she believed the phone was the girl's main way of communicating with others members of the organization, including prostitution customers.
Quinn wrote that she was also looking for photos on the phone that could "reveal the identity of suspects, witnesses and additional victims." The inventory receipt does not describe what was found on the phone.
Regarding the warrant's availability, BCA spokeswoman Jill Oliveira said today: "My understanding is it was filed and they made the decision to seal, but before it was sealed it was accessed by some media." She said she didn't know if the warrant was supposed to be sealed from the beginning.
Source: www.twincities.com
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