September 2015
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Ann Dugger: Violent Crime Affects All . .2 Hats Off: Chief Tom Hackney . .9 FUGITIVES Protect and Serve . .3 Unsolved Murders/Missing Persons . .10-11 CAPTURED SAVE THE DATE 2798 Family Support Services Missing Children . 4 JSO Most Wanted . .13 State Attorney Corey: Unforgettable Case . .5 Champions for Justice Busted; Clay Most Wanted . .14 MISSING In the Spotlight: Dan Hodges . .5 Awards Dinner Baker, Bradford, Nassau, PERSONS We Need Your Help . .7 St Johns Most Wanted . .15 FOUND 181 9-1-1 Information . .8 November 5 Special Thanks . .16 AVAILABLE ONLINE 24/7 S EPTE MBER 201 5 WWW.JUSTICECOALITION.ORG Volume 23 • Number 18 • FREE Human Trafficking: Is it a problem in Jacksonville? Survivor says, “If they only knew…” A young woman who calls her - She was forced to resort to the very ing – until one day she became a self a survivor – not a victim – tells thing she swore she never would. trafficked victim. about the time she was held captive Crack cocaine is what led to the She said, “I had previously by a man who trafficked her when prostitution. Too ashamed to return hung out with the sweetest guy she was only 15 years old. Her home, not knowing where else to ever. He was so nice; I thought he compelling story, including her es - turn and now addicted to the drug, wanted to take care of me. He was cape and subsequent testimony she tried to fit in with the group older – 28, and I was 15, but he When most of us hear about teens being ex - that put the man in prison for life, who had become her new world. gave me crack and… wanted to ploited as sex slaves in the United States, we en - should be required reading for Young and naïve, Susan still had no Trafficking vision children brought in from another country every teen. idea where her actions were lead - (Continued on page 4) or poor, underprivileged This lovely, petite young kids in our own – and we woman – we’ll call her Susan – also think parents, teach - moved to Jacksonville with her ers or friends should no - family when she was 11 years old. tice something amiss and She said, “If you had asked me intervene. But that think - back then if I would ever be a vic - ing is probably wrong – tim, be smoking crack or prostitut - as evidenced by Theresa ing, I’d have looked at you as if you Flores . were crazy.” Although she lived in She grew up as an a loving home environment, she All-American girl in a re - ran away after being punished for ligious upper-middle inappropriate behavior. class family. Her father Gravitating toward “friends” was an executive whose job required the family who introduced her to drugs, she to frequently relocate. When she was 15, a boy in found herself indebted to the sup - her Detroit area school on whom she had a crush pliers. She was given an ultima - offered her a ride and she accepted, but instead tum: either you prostitute or leave. of taking her home, he took her to his house where he drugged and raped her. As devastating and traumatic as that experience was, it was just the beginning. The next day he told her his New Laws – Recording Child Abuse cousins had taped the act and that she would have to “work” the pictures off. It was sexual blackmail and the beginning of two years of the pre-recorded messages on telephone calls to By Jay Howell heinous sexual exploitation. commercial entities where the declaration is made The men told her they would kill her and her that “this call may be monitored or recorded for family if she said anything. She had a private Florida’s wiretapping law training purposes.” That disclosure is necessary if phone in her room so her parents didn’t know makes it a crime to intercept or the company intends to record the conversation. when she was called in the middle of the night record an oral or electronic com - Another exception is that the police and law and told to come outside. The boy and his munication unless all parties to enforcement agencies may make recorded phone cousins would take her to a converted basement the communication consent. This calls without obtaining the permission of the per - where she would be sold to upwards of 20 men. means that recording, disclosing, son called. Law enforcement officers sometimes She would be pulled out of class and even the or attempting to disclose the have individuals who may be victims of crimes teachers, who feared the perpetrators, didn’t in - contents of any such communication is a crime un - make phone calls to suspects in order to secure a tervene. Only when her father was relocated less the interception is a first offense committed confession or an admission of guilt from them, once again did the nightmare end. without any illegal purpose, and not for commer - while the phone call is being recorded and the vic - After long years of inner pain, nightmares cial gain. tim is being prompted with what to say by the law and flashbacks, she found God’s love that began There are exceptions. Under our Florida enforcement agents. Our Florida Statutes have de - a healing process. She recounted her ordeal in a Statutes, consent is not required for the taping of a clared that this type of admission or confession is book titled “The Slave Across the Street” and non-electronic communication by a person who admissible in court and, of course, can be extremely keeps a website, www.traffickfree.com. She does not have what the law calls “a reasonable ex - critical evidence to convict the guilty. I used this eventually started a ministry – S.O.A.P (Save pectation of privacy” in that communication. There kind of evidence in court when I was a prosecutor. Our Adolescents from Prostitution) – to reach are various circumstances that our Florida courts The 2015 Florida Legislature has created a new girls who are trafficked in motels. Bathrooms are have considered in deciding whether or not the exception to the prohibition on recording oral com - probably the only place they are alone, and soap person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. munications. Florida Statute §934.03 was recently bars there are wrapped in labels that feature the For instance, in one case the appellate court amended in a manner that makes it lawful for a National Human Trafficking Hotline Number held that the members of a company’s management child under 18 years of age to intercept and record (888-373-7888). The wrapper asks: “Are you committee did not have a reasonable expectation of an oral communication if the child is a party to th e being forced to do anything you do not want to privacy with respect to telephone conference calls communication and has reasonable grounds to be - do?’’ S.O.A.P. with other committee members to discuss the fi - New Laws (Continued on page 7) nancing of the corporation. Many of us have heard (Continued on page 6) The views, opinions and positions The Justice Coalition is a grass roots, non-profit (501(c)3), non-partisan organization that operates on contributions, expressed in articles submitted by monthly and/or periodic proceeds from fundraising events and newspaper advertisements, etc. Please help us continue our advocacy for contributors to the Victims' Advocate newspaper do not innocent victims of violent crime in NE Florida. Visit our website at www.justicecoalition.org or call (904)783-6312 to necessarily reflect the views of the Justice Coalition see how you can be a part of this vital service. Violent crime affects all of us shootings, many gang-related, that on his beat. Williams said when he you’ll question strange or unusual ac - By Ann Dugger, Executive Director kill or injure their peers almost on a was on a recent Neighborhood Walk tivity. Attend Neighborhood Watch or Justice Coalition daily basis. Robberies occur in every everyone he asked knew the name of subdivision association meetings; part of the city. One of my staff re - Officer John Day. voice your concerns and be a part of Another vio - cently walked in on a robbery that So I want to encourage readers of solving whatever adverse situations lent crime occurred had just occurred near our office. Per - my column to make it a point to know exist. today! There’s so haps the awful scourge of drug addic - the officers whose job is to protect you School is now back in session, much going on tion is responsible; certainly and your family and friends. Attend which may lead to anxiety for some these days it’s hard godlessness and ShAdCo meetings students, especially if they’re in a new to keep track of the lack of a that are held or different environment. Bullying everything. Media moral compass I just want to say thanks throughout the city. continues to be a serious problem, and reporters are kept to guide their for all the love and prayers Take time to visit children may form alliances they busy running from lives are factors. your Zone substa - wouldn’t otherwise in an effort to be one end of Jack - Many pas - during my husband’s illness tions. Ask for the included in cliques or gangs. Not sonville to the tors and other names of officers on wanting to feel alone or unaccepted, other as they fol - leaders in the and for the many kind expres - patrol.