Annual Report FY 2022-2023

County Intelligence Assessment Center (OCIAC) coordinated the first-of-its-kind operation in February 2021, which led to the arrest of 56 suspects and 16 victims recovered across Orange County. Intelligence Analyst Corrine St. Thomas-Stowers worked with 11 law enforcement agencies to devise a multi-jurisdictional plan to investigate human trafficking during the days leading up to and after the Super Bowl, an event known to draw human trafficking activity to the area. Our Human Trafficking and Vice Unit made 35 arrests and contacted eight victims, including one missing juvenile. The partnership between the Human Trafficking and Vice Unit and OCIAC positions the department as a leader in the region for addressing human trafficking. We remain dedicated to getting victims the help they need and delivering justice on their behalf.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

WHY I SERVE

What is human trafficking?

Human trafficking is the use of force, fraud or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Traffickers may use violence, manipulation, false promises or romantic relationships to exploit their victims. Victims often have a difficult time identifying themselves as a victim and may not reach out for help. Let’s chat Online applications with chat features are today’s modern marketplace for human traffickers. This includes social media, gaming apps and messaging apps. Traffickers begin by building trust and identify a potential victim. They build a relationship over time and eventually use methods that may include threats or manipulation to convince their victims to participate in exploitive activities. It is important to talk to your children early and often about online safety and ensure you have age-appropriate safeguards in place on your child’s devices.

“As an athlete growing up, I learned early on that my love for what I do will impact my goals. With the work that I do in the county, I see so many parallels. I wake up every day loving my work and knowing, if I positively impact one case, one victim, assisting in the protection of people that may never know I exist, that my work has true purpose and that is an incredible privilege.” — Corrine St. Thomas-Stowers Intelligence Analyst

annual report fiscal year 2022-2023

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