1 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 1: When you were at the top of your game and 2 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: you still continue to give selflessly, magic will happen. Maurice T. 3 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 1: Edwards is pure magic. Honey, Let me give you a 4 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: few career highlights. He has investigated over fifteen hundred cases, 5 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: eight hundred and forty nine led to an arrest. He 6 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: has conducted over two hundred and eighty seven missing and 7 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:47,599 Speaker 1: endangered juvenile cases, leading to numerous recoveries. He has saved 8 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 1: children's lives multiple times. He has worked over one hundred 9 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: and seventy human trafficking investigations and y'all listen to me 10 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: achieved one hundred percent conviction rate. He's been a deputy sheriff, 11 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: a detective Special Deputy US Marshall with the FBI. He 12 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: has earned the Polaris Star Award for Law Enforcement Investigation 13 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: in human trafficking cases, the Florida Intelligence Law Enforcement Officer 14 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: of the Year. He has been recognized by not one 15 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: but two Governors, Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis. He received 16 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: the Frederick Douglas Human Trafficking Award, and in twenty twenty three, 17 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: I had the honor of sitting with him while we 18 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 1: were inducted into the National Law Enforcement Officer Hall of 19 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: Fame and Marris One for Distinguished Service. Mister Marris T. Edwards, 20 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to Zonne seven. 21 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 2: Well, thank you, thank you for having me. I'm looking 22 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 2: forward to this. I'm excited to be here and to 23 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 2: share some of my career goals and also the achievement 24 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 2: that just me but my team have done. And also, 25 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 2: you know, I just appreciate you and everything that you 26 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 2: continue to do to highlight all of us at all 27 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 2: of our hard work that we continue to do and 28 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 2: have done. So I appreciate you having. 29 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:24,920 Speaker 1: Are you kidding and y'all that ain't everything. He's currently 30 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: a supervisor with the Child sex Trafficking team at the 31 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: National Center for Missing Explored Children. I mean, I'm telling you, 32 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: top of his game and all he does is give 33 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: back the credit to the team, the team, the team. 34 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: And if any young detective, a rookie officer is listening 35 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: to me, if you can't take your ego out of it, 36 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: I promise you will not achieve what you could. I 37 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: promise you listen to this man today. So you know, 38 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: there's so much that we could talk about and you 39 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: done so much, but you're just unwavering commitment to justice. 40 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: It knocks me out, Maurice, seriously, because it's not nine to. 41 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 2: Five with you. 42 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 1: It's all the time. Y'all. Y'all don't know this, but 43 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell you. We were supposed to talk before. 44 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: But his job, you know, it took precedent as it should, 45 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: but things come up, emergencies happen. He wants to jump 46 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: right in the middle of it and help rescue children 47 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: and solve problems, and that's what he did. So, you know, 48 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: we put this on the back burner. So he wasn't 49 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: more interested in, Hey, let Mac brag about me. He 50 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 1: didn't want to do that. He thought there's a child 51 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: out there that I could possibly save, and that's what 52 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: I'm going to do. So just the first question I 53 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: have for you, Maurice, what inspires you not just to 54 00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: pursue law enforcement, but human trafficking? What got you into that? 55 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 2: So that, un question resonates deeply with me. And the 56 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: reason why There's several things that that led me to that. 57 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 2: The first thing was the spiritual part in my belief. 58 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 2: When you talk about before I became a cop, I 59 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 2: was applying for different agencies, and I was applying for 60 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 2: multiple agencies and I just was fresh out of the 61 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 2: academy and I wasn't getting called back for certain agencies. 62 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 2: And I went to church, like Bible study church. I 63 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,359 Speaker 2: went to church, and I'm sitting in the back all 64 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 2: the way in the battle, I always sit on in 65 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 2: the back and then get the word. And my pastor 66 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 2: she literally stopped in the mind of her sermon and 67 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 2: she said, Hey, Maurice, can you come up here in 68 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 2: front of the whole entire church right And I'm like, okay, 69 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 2: And then I walk up there and she just smiled 70 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 2: at me. She just smiled and she just looked at me, 71 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 2: and she said, can I pray for you? I said, yes, 72 00:04:57,640 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 2: past you're conting me and she put her hands on me. 73 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 2: She's and she said, you've been looking for employment. And 74 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 2: God just wanted me to stop right now and tell 75 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 2: you that He's gonna put you in a place where 76 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 2: you make a difference in people lives. And that's what's 77 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 2: taking it so long. Now. Keep in mind, knowing knew 78 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 2: I was looking for a job. Nobody knew that, right, 79 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 2: and for her to stop writing him and her sermon 80 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 2: just to tell me that you could tell And she 81 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 2: told me and she said he gon put in a 82 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 2: place where he get the glory and when you make 83 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,600 Speaker 2: a difference. Of course I didn't know. I'd tell like, wow, 84 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 2: thank you God for telling me that you didn't have 85 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 2: to reveal yourself, you know. But at the same time, 86 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 2: I didn't know where it would lead until I became 87 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 2: a cop and got hired. When I got hired, I 88 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 2: was working cases, and then I became ready to detective 89 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 2: for missing cases. And within the detected for missing cases, 90 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 2: I found a passion about recovering children, missing children, it 91 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:54,279 Speaker 2: was in danger. And then from there I recovered the 92 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 2: same I was covering the same missing child in a 93 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 2: location where commercial texts sex take place, continue commercial sex, 94 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 2: commercial sex. Right. I was like, well, this is not right, 95 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 2: something not right with this this And this was years ago, 96 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,479 Speaker 2: right before we put a title human trafficking. And so 97 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 2: I reached out to a prosecutor, you know, great fun 98 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 2: of Mona Lisaba, and she said, I believe it's human trafficking. 99 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 2: To reach out to your FBI counterparts, and I did, 100 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 2: and I reached out to it and said, yeah, it 101 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 2: could be human trau based on the elements that you have, 102 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 2: but you know, it could be let's work it, and 103 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 2: we worked that first case and we got a conviction 104 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: that first case. We recovered three other girls based on 105 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 2: that one case. We arrested two suspects and all was 106 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:40,119 Speaker 2: convicted generally. And that was the first case. 107 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: So let me get this straight. There was a child 108 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: that was missing. But when you found the child, you 109 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: knew that it was in a known prostitution area, and 110 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: you knew that didn't fit. This child was too young, 111 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: this child was not somebody that should be in prostitution. 112 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 1: So then you took it to the next level and 113 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 1: recovered two other children and then got the conviction on 114 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 1: your first human trafficking case. 115 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 2: Yes, that's the absolutely right, unbelievable and that was through 116 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 2: the collaboration of me and our you know, the team there, 117 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 2: and then from that first case, we generated our Human 118 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 2: Trafficking Task Force, a similar acount human traffic task Force. 119 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 2: We knew we had something there and we wanted it 120 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 2: to grow, and through that collaboration, we wanted that task 121 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 2: force to be a collaboration of all state, local, and 122 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 2: federal agencies along with survivors, victim advocates. Because we're going 123 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 2: to talk more about this on what that means to us, 124 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 2: But the survivors is our first priority, right the victims 125 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 2: that sawt there is our first priority. And we wanted 126 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 2: to build a task force to have those wrap around 127 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 2: services and also those law enforcement communities who to educate 128 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 2: them so they can be able to investigate these cases 129 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 2: and so we can be able to not just get 130 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 2: the bad guys, but the recovery of those who've been victims. 131 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 2: And we and then and then I became chair of 132 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 2: that task worth the having become chair of that task force. 133 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 2: So I ran that task force for seven years. 134 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: I hope the rookies are listening because what a landmark 135 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 1: that led to stepping stones. But I want to go 136 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: back a second, because tell me if I'm wrong. But 137 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: the first thing you did was you called a friend 138 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: a friend in the DA's office. You already had groundwork 139 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: where you knew a prosecutor that you trusted. And y'all 140 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 1: listen to me, that's key that you trust to tell 141 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: you the law, to tell you the truth, to tell you, hey, 142 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: what should be the next step. Once you did that 143 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: and got to your FBI counterpart, I mean, that's that's 144 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 1: powerful for people to understand those friendships. I will openly admit, 145 00:08:57,480 --> 00:08:59,719 Speaker 1: my friends have gotten me where I am in my 146 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 1: career period. 147 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 2: And you know it's so important about what you just said, 148 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 2: and that people should hear in all law enforcement should 149 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 2: hear this is that is that the reason why our 150 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 2: cases was one hundred percent successful. We never lost a 151 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 2: human trafficking investigation. The ones that I presented to the 152 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 2: prosecutors all been prosecuted successfully, right, And so the reason 153 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 2: why we never lost one because we included those prosecutors 154 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 2: from the beginning of our investigations. So we knew right 155 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 2: then that we had to brain them in and be 156 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 2: partners with them. And also the key ones when we 157 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,719 Speaker 2: mess up on something and they till we mess up, 158 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 2: probably go out the window. You say, okay, I'm so yeah, 159 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 2: I should have collected that evidence. I should have done this. 160 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 2: I didn't, man, I missed that. Now, yes, you messed up, 161 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 2: and remember they have to prosecute your cases, that's right, right, 162 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 2: So but I brought them from the beginning, we involved them. 163 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:57,559 Speaker 2: My call at three o'clock in the morning about a 164 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 2: human trafficking case. The first call was to the victim 165 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 2: advocate and say, hey, I mean need you out here, 166 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 2: and they say, okay, on my way. And then the 167 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:10,199 Speaker 2: second call was to the prosecutors. They said, Hey, we're 168 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 2: going out here. In this case, we going to the hotel, 169 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 2: We're going to a house. This is what we got. 170 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 2: I'm just letting you know. I may call you just 171 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 2: to keep you in the loop. And they like, thank you. 172 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 2: And we get to the scene. We make sure we 173 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 2: gathered everything, We interviewed everybody, We did all this stuff. 174 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 2: We collect all evidence, and I've run it by then 175 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 2: while I'm on scene, they're like, Yep, you did this, 176 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 2: but make sure you don't forget to do this. May 177 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 2: sure you ride a subpoena for this? May you do it? 178 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 2: Want for this? Think you think it's not that I'm incompetent. 179 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 2: I know how to investigate the cases, but we want 180 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 2: to make sure that we don't mess up on this 181 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 2: case because we want to make sure we get a 182 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 2: good case. We make sure we get a prosecution for 183 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 2: those who victimize our children. 184 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: I mean, I've told this story many times, but the 185 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: first time I ever met Nancy Grace was own an 186 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 1: active crime scene where there was a house and a 187 00:10:53,200 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 1: detached garage. We would have never gotten a second search warrant. 188 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 1: We would have never thought we needed one because the 189 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:09,439 Speaker 1: garage was detached. She saved the whole case. So to me, 190 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: you want a team where everybody has strengths. The law 191 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: ain't supposed to be our strength. That's why they're there. 192 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 1: That's why they should be part of the team. You 193 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: should have the chaplain, you should have everybody you need 194 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 1: at your disposal. And when you said your pride goes 195 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: out the window, that's the ticket right there. So Drew, 196 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: and you know the other brilliant thing you have said 197 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: so often that your experience as a special federal prosecutor 198 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 1: shaped the way you approach investigations. Tell everybody how. 199 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 2: So what happened was the reason why I got one 200 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 2: on That is because when I was running the task 201 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 2: force and we noticed that our cases are are specialized cases, 202 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 2: human trafficking cases. We know that those cases do not 203 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 2: just stay in one area. We know that the traffickers 204 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 2: move girls throughout the state or outside of the state. Right. 205 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 2: And so the reason why I was jepitized is because 206 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:10,079 Speaker 2: when I'm working in human trafficking investigation, I need to 207 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 2: go through cross your addition, right, Uh, they just don't 208 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 2: stay locally. So I was able to stay on those cases, 209 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 2: continue on investing in those cases and working with the 210 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 2: state wide prosecutors and also the federal prosecutors in order 211 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 2: to get these convictions right. But the main goal when 212 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 2: it comes to human I want to want I want 213 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 2: to push this. The main goal that the Federal Department, 214 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 2: who I worked with FBI and US marshalls and also 215 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 2: the state and local and anybody who working human trafficking cases, 216 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 2: The main goal when working human traffick cases is the survivors. 217 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:44,200 Speaker 2: The main goal is recovering them and also working with 218 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 2: them for rehabilitation because the hell they they've been through 219 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 2: and continue to go through. And then and then we 220 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 2: work on the traffickers and those who didimize. That's different 221 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 2: for law enforcement. Law enforcement want to just go out 222 00:12:57,559 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 2: to the bad guys. We're going to get them right. 223 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 2: But but these boys and girls and victimized and raked 224 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,720 Speaker 2: every day and bought and sold and they are beating 225 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 2: down when we recover them, and so as our main 226 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 2: goal is to make sure that they're safe and they 227 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 2: are being rehabilitated and got the services that they need 228 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,680 Speaker 2: and working with our victim afficts to make sure that happens. 229 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 2: And then we get the bad guys. We building the case, 230 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 2: why we're doing it the entire time, we build in 231 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 2: the case. But at the same time, I'm keeping my 232 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 2: word with survivors. I'm going to see them at different 233 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 2: locations where they are, I'm checking on them with my 234 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:33,679 Speaker 2: victim affocate. We always there with them because that's our 235 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 2: main goal. So that's the different way it comes to 236 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 2: human traffling investigation. 237 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 1: I hope y'all are hearing this. This is the way 238 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: it should be. But you know, there's a lot of 239 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 1: misconceptions out there. Maris, would you tell us a couple 240 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 1: of that People really don't know when it comes to 241 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 1: human trafficking. 242 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 2: Oh, a tons of misconceptions, but I keep it very broad. 243 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 2: So one of the main misconceptions is that they are 244 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 2: prostitutes and horrors. I fought with my agency, I fought 245 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 2: with other law enforcement to make them understand that nobody 246 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 2: chooses lifestyle. 247 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:06,599 Speaker 1: No. 248 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 2: Rather, if they think so, are not a people or 249 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:11,760 Speaker 2: the society think they choose this lifestyle. No one agreed 250 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 2: to sleep with twenty to thirty guys a day. Random 251 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:19,239 Speaker 2: guys is not There's no beauty behind. It's not glorious 252 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 2: like intoinmy intimacy supposed to be. It's nothing like that. 253 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 2: It's them laying with different guys, and then when their 254 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 2: children is even worse, right, and so no one chooses 255 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 2: that life. So the misconception is that commercial sex and 256 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 2: the commercial sex is not a crime to anybody, right, 257 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 2: But that's so that's so wrong, it's so mistruthful. And 258 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 2: the fact that another misconception, that is it happened overseas 259 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 2: or someone being kidnapped or abducted, and that's what human 260 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 2: trafficking is. That it's not what human trafficking is. It's 261 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 2: a form of human trafficking. However, domestically right or not, 262 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 2: knows this when we go to hotels, when we travel 263 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 2: all different places happened right of my noses, I mean 264 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 2: the youth and the survivors that I recovered, a lot 265 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 2: of them stayed home. They weren't missing, they weren't being inducted, 266 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 2: they were still going back home to their parents, but 267 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 2: yet being sold on weekends or when they got out 268 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 2: of school to various the guys and adults, and so 269 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 2: being controlled, manipulated by the traffickers, and the misconception on 270 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 2: what it looked like, and my my main goal in 271 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 2: my career and my thought my life is to make 272 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 2: sure that the community and law enforcement continue to educate 273 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 2: themselves on what to look for when it comes to 274 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 2: human traffickers. 275 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:43,880 Speaker 1: Well, you know, one of your most gifted skills, You're 276 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: just natural the way you just have this ability to 277 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: work with other people, whether it's local, state, or federal, 278 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 1: you move within those levels effortlessly. To me, that's the 279 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: magic I was talking about. So how does that skill 280 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: play in to your investigations? Now? I know how, but 281 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: I want people to hear from you how that helps you. 282 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, So it's not about me, Like nothing I do 283 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 2: is about me. You mentioned some of the highlights of 284 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 2: my career are not you know, some of the achievements, 285 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 2: all the awards that was given to me, right, and 286 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 2: I'm thankful of that and that a lot of those 287 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,160 Speaker 2: came from survivors, a lot of those came from prosecutors 288 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 2: who looked out for me, a lot of those came 289 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 2: from the community. Those awards that you mentioned came from them. 290 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 2: So how impactful that is that that because of those 291 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 2: people who you work with means a lot and doing 292 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 2: to do that. However, when I say it's not about 293 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 2: me I have given. I have been thankful for other people. 294 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 2: I've given way more awards and acknowledgement to those way 295 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 2: way more than I achieved because I understood that those 296 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 2: who I work with and it took a family and 297 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 2: take a community in order to be successful. And the 298 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:09,119 Speaker 2: reason why it's you know, with human drafting or investigation, 299 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 2: you first have to understand everything that you do when 300 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 2: it comes to this, it's not about it's not for you. 301 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 2: It's for what we're doing and for those out there 302 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 2: who being victimized and what we sworn to do right. 303 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,160 Speaker 2: And I said, it's kind of you know, some people 304 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 2: may hear me talking like, oh, that's too you know, 305 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 2: that's just you know, but no, I mean, it's just 306 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,160 Speaker 2: like I found my you know, I found my gift 307 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:34,159 Speaker 2: and I just ran with it. It may be a 308 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 2: calling from God for what God gave me, but but 309 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:40,360 Speaker 2: I found something that I've started putting people over myself 310 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 2: when it comes to these investigations and also working with you, 311 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:45,919 Speaker 2: the twols and the ability and the people you have 312 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 2: you have to be in law enforcement is so hard 313 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 2: on themselves when it comes to this. There's no pride. 314 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 2: You have to be able to work with everybody else 315 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 2: around you, like my case in my draft based cases, like, 316 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 2: I'll start on the case and work in the case 317 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 2: for six months and then I'm like, maybe I should 318 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 2: share this case with somebody else because it happened in 319 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 2: the area. And I reached out to them. I literally 320 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 2: would hand over my entire case to them. I said, 321 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:11,439 Speaker 2: oh my god, here you go. You guys got it. 322 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:12,919 Speaker 2: You guys can find this right. Let me know if 323 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:14,200 Speaker 2: you need anything else. You know, I wrote it in 324 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 2: a third person. Here you go again, all the evidence 325 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 2: I had so they can work it. And I had 326 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 2: no problem sharing my case and giving it up and 327 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,679 Speaker 2: working with people because the main goal is to recover 328 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 2: and the succession recover of the survivors and also to 329 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 2: get the bad guys. So you have to be able, 330 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 2: have to be able to really care and work with people. 331 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:38,359 Speaker 1: Share, share, share, share, That is the answer, you know. 332 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:42,679 Speaker 1: But everything has it not been super easy. Everything hasn't 333 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: always resulted in a conviction or an award. What's the 334 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: toughest case you have worked? 335 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 2: Oh, several We handled some death cases where through trafficking 336 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 2: on the child was killed. And so you know, working 337 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 2: cases when you have dead uh, you know deceased children 338 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:10,679 Speaker 2: who were being trafficked. And so what that looked like 339 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 2: on that end where where the younger, the fifteen year 340 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,920 Speaker 2: old sorry, the fourteen year old child was being trafficked 341 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,399 Speaker 2: by over five people. She had the main trafficker and 342 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 2: he had the bottom person. The bottom person if you really, 343 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:29,880 Speaker 2: the person who assists the trafficker, right, usually like adult 344 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 2: female or another male or so, but they call them 345 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 2: the bottom and so they use the system. So those 346 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 2: two was trafficking a fourteen year old girl. When I 347 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 2: got the call, they had a fourteen year old deceased 348 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 2: child who had uh overdose, And so we investigated this 349 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 2: case and what happened was it led to so it 350 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 2: led to uh, they fed up. So they have to 351 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:52,399 Speaker 2: feed you drugs for a lot of them to be 352 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:54,880 Speaker 2: able to complete these acts. Right, remember only fourteen years 353 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 2: old and you got to go in this room or 354 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:58,119 Speaker 2: they take you to a house and you got to 355 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 2: sleep with some random guy. So they feed them drugs, 356 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:03,919 Speaker 2: feedom drugs, and they gave her too much and she 357 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:08,160 Speaker 2: overdose on that. They took off ended up finding them 358 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:12,640 Speaker 2: and then we rested those two with help of our 359 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 2: Georgia law enforcement, and remember everybody worked together. You just 360 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 2: got a call right in the US muscles and so 361 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 2: with the help of them, but also we rest three 362 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 2: other people who also was involved. There's who helped and 363 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:29,639 Speaker 2: assist and so so when I say that that was 364 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 2: one of the hardest cases, was one of the hardest cases. 365 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 2: But to answer your question on a broad so every 366 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 2: death case I had where I was not able to 367 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:49,919 Speaker 2: uh help those children reashabilitate and get back to a 368 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 2: life to where they can live happily after right, that 369 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,639 Speaker 2: we that we thrive for these children to do a 370 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:00,120 Speaker 2: more productive life and get back in society. That was 371 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 2: those deaficases. All of my hardest cases. 372 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: You know, homicide and drug running and major theft rings. 373 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: That's not a part of our daily life, Like that's 374 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: not something I'm exposed to. But romantic relationships, I'll say, 375 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:25,920 Speaker 1: you know, that's something we're all doing. But you have 376 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: to see things and hear things that most people don't 377 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: when it comes to sex crimes. So how do you 378 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: balance your work life with your real life. 379 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:43,680 Speaker 2: So one of the cases I had was a girl, 380 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,119 Speaker 2: a young girl who was fourteen years old, and my 381 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 2: daughter was fourteen at the time, and I'm working this 382 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 2: case and she we recovered up from the house. The 383 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:58,360 Speaker 2: short version of it was that she had been trafficed. 384 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 2: She was extremely gifted. Her parents. The dad was a doctor, 385 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:09,879 Speaker 2: mom was in college and they had a perfect structure househome. 386 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 2: And so she got called into falling in love with 387 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:19,440 Speaker 2: a guy. And she was from Minnesota. She came down 388 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 2: to Florida. She didn't know anything about the lifestyle or whatever, 389 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 2: and she met this guy and she ended up ended 390 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 2: up tapping her and so, but he told her that 391 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:31,360 Speaker 2: there was a part of the gag. So she thought 392 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:33,199 Speaker 2: she was part of the gang, the Blood Gangs, and 393 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 2: she just you know, just living, you know, like I 394 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:37,400 Speaker 2: think she was a part of this gang. And so 395 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 2: when we ended up getting the recovery of her, she 396 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:41,920 Speaker 2: was home with her mom. Mom saw something in the 397 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 2: phone wasn't right, called us out. We looked at it. 398 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,119 Speaker 2: We saw she was involved in commercial sex. And so 399 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 2: when I went to interview her, she wouldn't talk to me. 400 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:50,880 Speaker 2: She shut down. She said, I'm a part of the gang. 401 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:52,720 Speaker 2: I'm not going to tell you. I'm not going to 402 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 2: tell you this. I'm not going to tell you that 403 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 2: I won't do whatever I want to do. I'm not 404 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 2: going to tell you who my boyfriend is. That's my boyfriend. 405 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,400 Speaker 2: That's it. And so I said, well you she said 406 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,680 Speaker 2: she she liked molly and she liked doing drugs. And said, okay, 407 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:07,399 Speaker 2: well I want to put you in I'm gonna take 408 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 2: you to a treatment. Me and the victim epics gonna 409 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 2: take you to a treatment so you can get some services. 410 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 2: But in the meantime, I'm want to be trying. In 411 00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 2: the meantime, I'm going to be working this case because 412 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 2: I care about you. I don't want you to end 413 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 2: up dead. And she hated me. She was so mad, 414 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 2: and I dropped off at the facility, said I'm saving 415 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 2: your life, trust me, And I dropped off victim Mafficks 416 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 2: and I and from there we were twenty four hours 417 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 2: straight investigating this case. When we end up we end 418 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 2: up arresting the suspect another person and we went through 419 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 2: the door. There was a fifteen year old girl in 420 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 2: there with nothing on, thinking that we were the buyers 421 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 2: right like we were the guys going to buy her, 422 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 2: but we was the undercovers. We walked through the door, 423 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 2: she identified the suspect, so we got her. I slept 424 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 2: for two hours, and then I went to go see 425 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 2: the girl who I was telling you about, and I 426 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 2: sat down in front of her and I smiled, and 427 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,879 Speaker 2: I said, hey, this is We found out who the 428 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,199 Speaker 2: guy is and told his name, and he snitched. He 429 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:05,919 Speaker 2: told us everything. She said, No, he wouldn't do that. 430 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 2: We're part of a game. He won't tell it, and 431 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 2: he won't tell us that. I said, yep, he told 432 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 2: me everything I started. You know, I knew what the 433 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 2: trap house was. I told her everything. I told her 434 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:15,639 Speaker 2: about the other girl he had in there, who she knew, 435 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 2: another child, and she was so disappointed that he told 436 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 2: me everything right. And so through my interview I was 437 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 2: talking to her and I said, you know what. She said, So, 438 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:26,160 Speaker 2: what do you want me to tell you? I said, 439 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:28,879 Speaker 2: just tell me everything. And so he asked me about 440 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 2: my personal life. I had this effect that my daughter 441 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 2: was fourteen and this young girl. I remember, I told 442 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 2: you she was gifted. She was extremely intelligent, and so 443 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 2: she remembered every place she was victimized. She remembering detailed 444 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 2: what happened to her. She knew. She she mentioned word 445 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:48,200 Speaker 2: from word with every guy done to her group sex, 446 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 2: what they did to her what they I mean, she 447 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 2: remembered them, She remembered the location, remember the hotel room. 448 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 2: She remembered that stuff, and she described it in a way, 449 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,719 Speaker 2: the vulgarity and how she described it, and I couldn't 450 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,680 Speaker 2: do nothing but just listen to her, Right, I couldn't. Yeah, yeah, 451 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 2: I had to just type a conversation and talk to 452 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:07,879 Speaker 2: her right having this full conversation. I had to keep 453 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 2: a straight face. Right. I said, okay, you're ready to 454 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 2: take a break, and she's like, yeah, I said, I 455 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,479 Speaker 2: get your break. Okay. She said, okay, no problem, and 456 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 2: I went outside and I lost it first time in 457 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 2: my whole career. I couldn't hold it. I walked out 458 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 2: the door and I just kept falling, like I could 459 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,639 Speaker 2: not stop crying. And I couldn't stop crying because she 460 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 2: described her victimization and the vulgarity on how she described 461 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 2: and what they have done to her like it was 462 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 2: normal life. And I just lost it. I pictured my 463 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 2: daughter and because this girl you were never known, you know, 464 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:38,120 Speaker 2: she was just you know, you will see this girl 465 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:40,920 Speaker 2: like y'all perfect, perfect family, everything you'll never know, right, 466 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 2: And so I just lost it. And so how did 467 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:47,920 Speaker 2: I separate the two. And I tell this a law 468 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 2: forms all over like you know, how you do your 469 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 2: job and how you did your job, And I'm like, 470 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 2: it's they out there being hurt. They've been raped. It 471 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 2: so with the stuff she described me didn't happen to me, right, 472 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 2: It didn't happen to my daughter. It happened to her. 473 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 2: So I need to take myself out of that place 474 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,719 Speaker 2: to stop these people from happening to them. Because if 475 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:10,639 Speaker 2: I sit here and dwell on it as it's personally 476 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:15,200 Speaker 2: affect me, then I can't find. There's children out there 477 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:18,400 Speaker 2: that's being raped, as young boys, young girls, and as 478 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 2: adults who being trafficking victimized, you know. And so it's 479 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 2: happening right now while we sit here and say it's 480 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 2: so bad, it's so bad, but what are we doing 481 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 2: to stop it? So I learned to take it off 482 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 2: of me and put it on I need to find 483 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 2: these children who out there who's being raped and victimized, 484 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 2: Use all that injury, use all that frustration and pain 485 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:43,119 Speaker 2: and reflect it towards I need to save them. I 486 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 2: need to locate them, I need to recover them. 487 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: Excellent and let you feel what you feel Maurice, because 488 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: you losing it helps you, and I think there's a 489 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:55,440 Speaker 1: lot of men they want to keep it in, keep 490 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,399 Speaker 1: it in, and keep it in. Look, it's going to 491 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:00,359 Speaker 1: come out one way or the other, so you might 492 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:03,439 Speaker 1: as well let you go through what you need to. 493 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 1: You should lose it. You should have moments where you 494 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: just this is too much for anybody, so. 495 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 2: That don't lose it. Like what do you right? Exactly? 496 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: Right? 497 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 2: Exactly? 498 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:19,400 Speaker 1: So you know when you're at the National Center, you're 499 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 1: going to take those same priorities and just put them 500 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:25,360 Speaker 1: up on a wall. Right, So what are your priorities 501 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 1: right now? 502 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,360 Speaker 2: My priorities right now is you know, at the National 503 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 2: Center of MISTSS Flood Children. You know, my job right 504 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:38,680 Speaker 2: now as a supervisor of our child sex Trafficking team. 505 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:42,360 Speaker 2: We have a team of analysts, and our analysts job 506 00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 2: is to support law enforcement, providing them the analytics they 507 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 2: need in order to recover missing children and those children 508 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:54,440 Speaker 2: who have a nexus of CST Child six trafficking, right, 509 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 2: and so that's their main goal. So my goal is 510 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:59,000 Speaker 2: to make sure that our team is educated on what 511 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 2: they need to do. And my position as the supervisor 512 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:07,400 Speaker 2: there now is to is to educate law enforcement and 513 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 2: to provide, you know, the system that we provide to 514 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 2: law enforcement for operational planning and training, and also provide 515 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,439 Speaker 2: them on awareness of what our team bring. That's what 516 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 2: I do now. It's one of the supervisors theory. 517 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 1: You know. I often say that anything that can be 518 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:31,159 Speaker 1: used can be misused. You can take a lighter and 519 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:34,880 Speaker 1: light some birthday candles and celebrate somebody, or you could 520 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: walk over and burn your neighbors barn down, so you 521 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 1: can misuse that same lighter that should be used as celebration. Technology, Marie, 522 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 1: it has changed our whole world. Let me tell you something. 523 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: My fourth grade teacher texas with me and I thought 524 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 1: she was old in nineteen seventy four, okay, but she 525 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: understands technology. She's unbelievable on the computer. She's all over 526 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 1: social media and like I said, she texas with emojis. 527 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 1: But technology in your world? What are some of the 528 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:14,000 Speaker 1: innovations that are helping you? 529 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 2: Which one? We have so many? So I'm also a 530 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 2: member of the International Association of Human Trafficking Investigations. Jeremy 531 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 2: Lewis is the president of the organization, and we are 532 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 2: an amazing team that provide education to law enforcement and 533 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:36,040 Speaker 2: training to law enforcement, huge conferences not only here in 534 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 2: the States, but also in Canada where we educate thousands 535 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 2: and thousands and thousands of law enforcement all over nationally 536 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 2: and have the best, biggest conferences that you can ever imagine. 537 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 2: If you are a human drafting investigator, a prosecutor, survivor 538 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:55,880 Speaker 2: a victim advocate, you have to attend one of those conferences. 539 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 2: So I had to say that, and I say that 540 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 2: leaning up to the tech part is because through those 541 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:05,480 Speaker 2: conferences and also we have UH tech training for all 542 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 2: the nuances that that we use those tech UH agencies 543 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 2: in order to identify and locate those who be in 544 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 2: trafficked and also utilized to prosecute those suspects. However, some 545 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:22,080 Speaker 2: of the tech that we use and what I have 546 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:25,880 Speaker 2: learned lately and with the nuances with tech is for 547 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:30,080 Speaker 2: the law was passed last year. It's called erner Zach 548 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 2: and what it mandates enforce all ESP's electronic service providers. 549 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:41,480 Speaker 2: It forced them to report anything where it's suspicions of 550 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:49,240 Speaker 2: CSD of child sex trafficking with indicators, So Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Grinder, 551 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 2: uh uh you know, like any of those they by 552 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:59,040 Speaker 2: law have to report anything related to that. And we 553 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:02,600 Speaker 2: use technology technology use it in order to help ciphers 554 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 2: through those millions and millions of information that we get 555 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:10,280 Speaker 2: in and then our analysts and teens have to cipher 556 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 2: and look through that also with auto artificial intelligence AI. 557 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:22,760 Speaker 2: Now right, yes, so you right know how big that 558 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:26,680 Speaker 2: is a lot of so a lot of a lot 559 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 2: of criminals missusing that and also teams use it as well, 560 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 2: meaning the fact that the imaging that they have on 561 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 2: a phone may be created by AI, right, and so 562 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:41,120 Speaker 2: and traffickers are using that in order instead of using uh, 563 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 2: a young child like a seven year old or five 564 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 2: year old child, they create that and say, well it's 565 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:51,080 Speaker 2: not real, I created it, right, And so there's law 566 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 2: has been changed in order to now hold them accountable 567 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 2: for even that, right, And so we use various tools 568 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:01,200 Speaker 2: of technology in order to help us cipher through that 569 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:04,600 Speaker 2: information and also in order to help us through our investigation. 570 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 2: And we have a lot of social media tech companies 571 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 2: do assist us and assist law enforcement when it comes 572 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:18,160 Speaker 2: to those nuances as well. 573 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 1: What can we all do to help you? What can 574 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 1: we all do to combat human trafficking. 575 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. You know, I've been doing it for 576 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:28,480 Speaker 2: so many years, and that question is one of my 577 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:33,120 Speaker 2: favorite ones. You know why because it's the most easiest one, right, 578 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 2: and the most easy ones. Is to educate yourself on 579 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:40,720 Speaker 2: human trafficking and also to care. I mean, you just 580 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 2: people are so blinded by commercial sex and they so blinded, 581 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 2: and they're so blinded by it they don't think it's 582 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 2: hurting anybody. I mean, to educate yourself on what domestic 583 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 2: human trafficking is. Take class. I mean we have. When 584 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,080 Speaker 2: I started, we had no classes on human traffic and 585 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 2: when I started working with him driving cases, right, and. 586 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 1: Like you said, we didn't even call it that. 587 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 2: No, no, not at all. Don't you know that? Does 588 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:13,000 Speaker 2: people still? Law enforcement? Okay, let me ask you this. 589 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:17,320 Speaker 2: You have if law enforcements work in the sex battery 590 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:20,360 Speaker 2: case where they have a ten year old girl that 591 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 2: was raped by uncle, law enforcement do the investigation. They 592 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:27,840 Speaker 2: find out through the investigation that the uncle did indeed 593 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 2: rape his ten year old niece, and they have all 594 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:35,480 Speaker 2: the evidence he physically raped it, right, sexually raped his niece. 595 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 2: Now law enforcement make dis arrest, prosecutors get the prison 596 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 2: get prosecuted where they get twenty five years thirty years 597 00:33:42,280 --> 00:33:45,480 Speaker 2: in prison. Everybody's happy law enforcement like, wow, I made 598 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:49,480 Speaker 2: this arrests, right, everybody happy they made this arrest taint 599 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 2: that same ten year old child. Put that same ten 600 00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:56,440 Speaker 2: year old child in a hotel room. Take that teen 601 00:33:56,520 --> 00:33:58,600 Speaker 2: year old child hotel room and watch over twenty five 602 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 2: guys a day to thirty guys they walk in that 603 00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 2: room and rape that child. Then law enforcement come through 604 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 2: the door and a ten year old child is sitting there, right, 605 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 2: that child's sitting there. Would you arrest this child in 606 00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 2: charge you with prostitution? Would you look at it as 607 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 2: she's a victim of trafficking? Right? That age? That ten 608 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:23,839 Speaker 2: year old age very you know, sar nine. But let's 609 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 2: say like a teenage age. Let's say, you know, let's 610 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:27,960 Speaker 2: take that age and say a fifteen year old girl 611 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:29,759 Speaker 2: and she's in the hotel. Law force going in there 612 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 2: and there arrest this fifteen year old girl in charge 613 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:36,399 Speaker 2: of a prostitution. Yeah, she's been raped all day long, 614 00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:39,920 Speaker 2: and so she's thinking like, oh, they coming through the 615 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:42,360 Speaker 2: doing to save No, No, you're prostituting. I'm arresting you. 616 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:45,120 Speaker 1: Well, let's go back to the first victim you told 617 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:48,640 Speaker 1: us about the fourteen year old. Number one, she was 618 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 1: a runaway. Number two, she joined a gang. Number three 619 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:56,080 Speaker 1: she's using drugs. So that's what they're going to see. 620 00:34:56,320 --> 00:34:59,720 Speaker 1: And unfortunately her parents have reported her as a runaway. 621 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:00,520 Speaker 2: You know. 622 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 1: Other people have said, oh yeah, look at this instagram. 623 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:07,640 Speaker 1: She's now wearing colors. She's associating with known gang members. 624 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:11,560 Speaker 1: I mean, it's they're doing it. Let me just say 625 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 1: this too for everybody listening. I'm in my forty fourth year. 626 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:22,360 Speaker 1: I have never met a street walking prostitute that was 627 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:28,319 Speaker 1: not first a victim. Ever, these are grown women, ever, 628 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 1: they were everyone victims first of incest, of rape, of 629 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:40,400 Speaker 1: other types of physical abuse. They were victims first. And 630 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:44,680 Speaker 1: what Maurice is describing should again be such a wake 631 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:45,200 Speaker 1: up call. 632 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 2: Yep, be absolutely right. So what I tell exactly what 633 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:51,200 Speaker 2: you said a wickle call. So what I want everybody 634 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:54,160 Speaker 2: hear is look at them as a victim, look at 635 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:57,120 Speaker 2: them as a survivor of trafficking, look at them. Just 636 00:35:57,239 --> 00:36:00,520 Speaker 2: got an extra mile, you know, and just just educate 637 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:04,480 Speaker 2: yourself on human trafficking is, you know, and it's other 638 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 2: crimes associated like every type of crime is associated could 639 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:09,759 Speaker 2: be associated with human trafficking. Right, We've got a third 640 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:12,960 Speaker 2: part crime, right, and so we associated human trafficking. And 641 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:15,040 Speaker 2: so you just look at it like a secondary crime 642 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:18,279 Speaker 2: or I mean just when you're investigating your cases, just 643 00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:21,719 Speaker 2: may be something that if you not sure on it, 644 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:24,719 Speaker 2: reach out to your investigator who working in draftkiing if 645 00:36:24,719 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 2: you have one. We don't have one. Reach out to HSI, 646 00:36:29,560 --> 00:36:32,920 Speaker 2: reach out to FBI. They have a team and they 647 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:35,000 Speaker 2: all have teams that work in drafting. You're not sure 648 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:39,960 Speaker 2: on what you have, just just just look outside the box. Please. 649 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 1: Well y'all, y'all have gotten just a little insight to 650 00:36:44,239 --> 00:36:47,640 Speaker 1: why he was inducted into the National Law Enforcement Hall 651 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:51,360 Speaker 1: of Fame. Maurice. Who called you? Was it Megan or 652 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:53,920 Speaker 1: who called you about being inducted? 653 00:36:55,200 --> 00:37:00,480 Speaker 2: Meghan called me Meghan? Yeah, yeah, Megan call me. Yeah, 654 00:37:00,520 --> 00:37:01,120 Speaker 2: that's my girl. 655 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 1: Unbelievable, straight up family. And you know I've said that. 656 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:09,239 Speaker 1: We talked to Tom Smith not too long ago. He's 657 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:13,160 Speaker 1: talked about that, and there's been so many incredible people 658 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 1: and we're going to talk to more of them so 659 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,800 Speaker 1: that y'all are able to hear firsthand from these people. 660 00:37:18,920 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 1: That you know, this Hall of Fame, person after person 661 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:27,960 Speaker 1: after person extraordinary, and they have just done such amazing things. 662 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:32,400 Speaker 1: But I think the class of twenty twenty three, clearly 663 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:34,000 Speaker 1: we're the best class, don't you think. 664 00:37:34,719 --> 00:37:38,640 Speaker 2: Of course, by of course that's it's not. 665 00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:44,320 Speaker 1: I mean, we're smarter, we're more successful, Clearly, we're better looking, 666 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 1: you know. I mean, the other people have done some 667 00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:52,400 Speaker 1: heroic stuff, but I'm just saying we're the whole package. 668 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:55,920 Speaker 2: Baby, right, Yes, thank you for saying that. I appreciate you. 669 00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:59,080 Speaker 1: Listen, I do want to tell you on a serious 670 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:03,800 Speaker 1: note that I appreciate you giving your life's work to 671 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:07,120 Speaker 1: helping other people. And I think your pastor was one 672 00:38:07,239 --> 00:38:10,200 Speaker 1: hundred percent correct that you're going to use your gift 673 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:16,440 Speaker 1: because you have literally saved the life of children, and 674 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:18,560 Speaker 1: I just don't think there's anything better you could do. 675 00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:23,840 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, Thank you so much. And my 676 00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:26,839 Speaker 2: goal is to make sure everybody out there, because I'm 677 00:38:26,920 --> 00:38:29,719 Speaker 2: just me, but everybody can take, you know, just take 678 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:31,640 Speaker 2: some of me and just apply that. Then we have 679 00:38:32,120 --> 00:38:36,040 Speaker 2: saved so many more young women and young boys and 680 00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:38,879 Speaker 2: children out there and adults out there who being victimized 681 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:43,040 Speaker 2: and been forced them to commercial service. So amen, thank 682 00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:43,319 Speaker 2: you all. 683 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:45,759 Speaker 1: I'm going to end Zone seven the way that I 684 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:50,239 Speaker 1: always do with a quote. It's amazing what we can 685 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:56,280 Speaker 1: accomplish when credit is not a concern. President Harry S. Truman. 686 00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:00,520 Speaker 1: I'm Cheryl McCollum, and this is long seven