Human traffickers are turning children’s hunger, desperation and need for affection into tools of exploitation, a Colorado city police sergeant warned after his dedicated unit’s first year brought dozens of survivors to safety. The Aurora Police Department (APD) Human Trafficking Unit opened 53 investigations, arrested 28 suspects and recovered 29 survivors, including 15 minors, in its first year. APD Sgt. Joseph Sullivan told Fox News Digital the work is exposing abuse that residents may never suspect is happening around them. [snip] During an interview, she asked a detective to find those responsible. “‘I really hope that you can find the people that are doing this, because it really hurts what I’m having to do just to survive,'” Sullivan recalled her saying. The girl died of an overdose a few months later, he said. Her words stayed with him. [snip] That is part of why having dedicated detectives matters. Created in September 2025, the trafficking unit has three detectives and a supervising sergeant. Sullivan said its focus is sex trafficking involving people 21 and younger, allowing the small team to concentrate its efforts. The investigations demand time to gather evidence, build cases and help victims feel comfortable enough to testify. “Having a dedicated unit helps lower their overall caseload and allows them to apply the time and effort that these cases deserve,” Sullivan said. [snip] Among those arrested is Marshae Wheelock, 24, of Aurora, whom police linked to multiple cases allegedly involving the exploitation of children over several years. “Marshae Wheelock represents the type of offender the Human Trafficking Unit was created to investigate; someone who repeatedly preys on vulnerable children,” APD Deputy Chief Mark Hildebrand said in the release. The department also detailed a February undercover operation in which investigators recovered a 16-year-old girl and later identified three suspects accused of sexually exploiting her for financial gain. [snip] The APD works with human services officials, nonprofit organizations and victim advocates. Sullivan pointed to a local group, From Silence to Saved, which helps victims from the beginning of an investigation through court proceedings and afterward. He also credited support from police leadership and organizations that provide tools to help detectives identify victims online. Sullivan oversees Aurora’s Internet Crimes Against Children team, as well as its trafficking detectives. The teams investigate distinct crimes, including sextortion, but their work can overlap. [snip] Sullivan described another high school student who came from a wealthier background but became vulnerable after her mother suffered a disabling medical crisis and her father was absent. The girl became addicted to drugs and was exploited by someone else, he said. “There really is no boundary on where we see victims,” Sullivan said. Investigators regularly work with other agencies, including when victims travel between states. [snip] Some investigations remain stalled while detectives await additional information, Sullivan said. Survivors may not be ready to come forward or may not recognize themselves as victims, making it harder to advance a case. As the unit enters its second year, its priorities remain identifying victims and building cases against those exploiting them. [snip] For the detectives, the mission continues beyond an arrest: working with partners to meet the needs traffickers used to gain control in the first place. “Using a group of people to help identify those needs and provide those needs is kind of the goal and the key to us being successful,” Sullivan said. (*) Full article: https://www.foxnews.com/us/colorado-police-sergeant-reveals-human-traffickers-target-vulnerable-children-happening-backyard Post navigation What Happens When the Demand for Racism Exceeds the Supply When your desperation becomes part of the price
