Illicit Massage Parlors See New Form Of Crackdown
In the last few years, the difficulty of dispelling massage parlor prostitution through traditional police methods has prompted some cities to experiment with a new enforcement approach.
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In the last few years, the difficulty of dispelling massage parlor prostitution through traditional police methods has prompted some cities to experiment with a new enforcement approach.
Two Iowa residents have pleaded guilty in a federal sex trafficking case in Virginia. Laura Sorensen and Aldair Hodza entered the pleas Friday in federal court in Richmond to sex trafficking and transporting a person across state lines for prostitution.
A 36-year-old Blaine, Minnesota, man has been found guilty of sex trafficking for prostituting an 18-year-old woman in a Duluth, Minnesota, motel room.
Two men are accused of having sex with a runaway 17-year-old girl for money, in connection with a St. Paul prostitution sting earlier this year.
Police arreseted the fifth suspect in a multi-state sex trafficking ring investigation Thursday, according to Ramsey County Jail records. Arrested records indicate 19-year-old Suwan Dominique Cross of West St. Paul is charged with four counts of sex trafficking and three counts of underage sex trafficking.
Five Twin Cities residents were charged Tuesday in connection to a multi-state sex trafficking ring, according to the Ramsey County Attorney's office. Four of the five defendants are from St. Paul: 21-year-old Ishmael Jamaine Williams, 25-year-old Thomas William Evans, 28-year-old Yolanda Katrice Foster and 38-year-old Doris Marie Keller.
A Belle Fourche man convicted of trying to pay for sex with underage girls at the 2013 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
North Dakota lawmakers are considering several measures aimed at combating sex trafficking in the state.
wo Democratic U.S. senators from Minnesota and North Dakota are reintroducing bipartisan legislation in an effort to crack down on sex trafficking across the county. The Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act is modeled after Minnesota's "Safe Harbor" law, which protects sex trafficking victims from being prosecuted as defendants.
As awareness of America's sex-trafficking industry increases, state after state has enacted new laws to combat it. But while a few have backed those get-tough laws with significant funding to support trafficking victims, many have not.
A St. Paul man and woman have been found guilty of engaging in sex trafficking of a 15-year-old girl. According to the Ramsey County Attorney's Office, Jonathan Edwards, 25, and Kauser Yusuf, 22, were found guilty of one count each of first-degree sex trafficking of a minor.
Moorhead police say they arrested a 32-year-old man in connection with a sex trafficking investigation Tuesday evening. According to police, a sex trafficking investigation led Moorhead detectives to an adult female victim. A suspect was then identified, located and arrested in south Moorhead at around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Minnesota is one of the worst states for sex-trafficking of women and underage girls in the country.
Authorities say nine people have been arrested in a child sex trafficking sting in the Eau Claire area.
A 25-year-old St. Paul man pleaded guilty Friday to one count of sex trafficking a minor. Dontre McHenry is accused of recruiting and trafficking teenage girls throughout Minnesota, according to U.S. Attorney Andrew Lugar. McHenry is suspected of coercing at least three girls under the age of 18 between January 2013 and March 2014.
The Minnesota Public Safety Department says sex-trafficking convictions have doubled in the past year. The state report released Wednesday says convictions for solicitation and promotion of prostitution and sex trafficking rose to 63 in 2013 from 31 in 2012.
A man and woman from Minneapolis have pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges. U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson says 31-year-old David Nance and 26-year-old Ashley Crayton are charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion.
It's an ugly business. A new study by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Women's Foundation reveals local victims of sex trafficking are recruited in places we like to think are safe havens.
A 25-year-old St. Paul man faces serious charges in connection with a "sophisticated, ongoing criminal sex trafficking business" he allegedly operated, according to the United States Attorney's Office.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar is using Minnesota's sex trafficking laws as a way to improve safety across the country and the world. The state's "Safe Harbor" laws ensure children who are sold for sex are treated as victims, not prosecuted as criminals.
A suburban St. Louis man has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for transporting five female victims for prostitution purposes between Missouri and five other states. Federal prosecutors say 45-year-old Barry Wimberly of Hazelwood, Mo., pleaded guilty in December to one felony count of transportation for purposes of prostitution.
A 30-year-old St. Paul man received the longest sentence ever imposed on anyone found guilty of sex-trafficking in Minnesota history. Otis Deno Washington was found guilty of first- and second-degree solicitation to practice prostitution (one involving a minor), two counts of promotion of prostitution, and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
A Chicago man was sentenced Friday to more than 26 years in prison for the sex trafficking of a teenage girl – which may be the longest sentence ever given in Minnesota for such a crime. According to the Ramsey County Attorney's office, Arteco Marvell Rhodes, 38, was found guilty on Nov. 1 on one count of engaging in sex trafficking in the first degree and possession of child pornography. Rhodes met the defendant, a 15-year-old girl, in Chicago in March, and asked her if she "wanted to make money and be part of the family." Within weeks, Rhodes drove the teen and a 19-year-old woman from Chicago to the Twin Cities in a conversion van.
For victims of sex trafficking in Minnesota, there are currently only two beds for shelter in the entire state. Now, a new shelter in St. Paul will change that.
Four family members have now been convicted for participating in a sex trafficking ring that last about two years, extended to multiple Minnesota communities and victimized many vulnerable women. On Wednesday, the Ramsey County Attorney's Office announced that 30-year-old Otis Deno Washington, of St. Paul, was found guilty in Ramsey County District Court on multiple sex trafficking counts. According to a press release, they are: two counts of promotion of prostitution; two counts of solicitation, one involving a minor; and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
Olympic gold medal wrestler Gable Steveson is seeking to trade the mat for the gridiron by signing a standard undrafted rookie free agent contract with the Buffalo Bills.
Showers from overnight will continue to exit east on Saturday morning.
Pablo López pitched seven strong innings and Trevor Larnach hit a two-run homer to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 6-1 win over the Houston Astros.
The Minnesota Wild announced they have relieved assistant coach Darby Hendrickson of his coaching duties after 14 seasons.
Former President Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts in a case stemming from a "hush money" payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
After backing into the playoffs and losing seven straight, PWHL Minnesota had one choice in the semifinal round.
As the community mourns the loss of Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell who was killed in the line of duty Thursday, there are ways Minnesotans can support his family.
The civilian who was shot and killed in a mass shooting in Minneapolis on Thursday evening was identified as Osman Said Jimale.
"It was a career that he wanted to pursue, and he chose that," said his stepfather, Dennis Edwards. "Like they say, he never turned away from people, helping people, or being there to serve with people."
Flags are flying at half-staff across Minnesota to mark the death of Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell, who was fatally shot in a mass shooting on Thursday afternoon.
A group of World War II veterans flew out of Wisconsin this week on their way Normandy, France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The body of one of the two canoeists who went missing in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was recovered on Friday during a search near Curtain Falls.
Elizabeth Burton, who goes by Lizzie, was last seen leaving her home in Baytown Township on Tuesday, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
The United States Coast Guard says hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel spilled into Lake Superior on Wednesday morning.
A young boy who went missing in southwestern Minnesota Wednesday afternoon was later found unresponsive in a river and died at a hospital, police said.
A group of World War II veterans flew out of Wisconsin this week on their way Normandy, France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Two groups of investigative journalists have filed a lawsuit in the hopes of forcing the Wisconsin Department of Justice to divulge names, birth dates and disciplinary records of every police officer in the state.
A law that drew massive protests and made Wisconsin the center of a national fight over union rights has returned to court, facing a new challenge from teachers and public workers brought after the state's Supreme Court flipped to liberal control.
Robert Atwell says he won't step down when his term ends this month. Atwell said in his email that he hoped that his "temporary continuation" as a regent will support communication between legislators and the regents.
A Wisconsin judge has sentenced a man to almost 20 years in prison in connection with a 2016 firebombing incident.
All four Minnesota competing in the quarterfinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee have been eliminated.
A retired firefighter who needed a double lung transplant to survive is making big strides.
In 2018, quadriplegia changed Linda Hood's body, but her will is the same — especially after she realized the basic task of using a public restroom was now alarmingly complicated.
Jessie Wong creates flavors and authentic Szechuan cooking in the heart of downtown Minneapolis
A familiar sound was missing at one high school graduation ceremony on Friday evening.
Former President Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts in a case stemming from a "hush money" payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
A South Dakota man is accused of pushing a police officer during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, and the Justice Department says he was among those who shoved a large metal "Trump" sign into a police line.
Former President Donald Trump, now a convicted felon, insists he did nothing wrong the morning after a New York jury found him guilty of all the charges in his so-called "Hush Money" trial.
President Biden said the "American principle that no one is above the law was reaffirmed" after Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
Former President Donald Trump was found guilty on all counts in his "hush money" trial in New York, becoming the first former president to be convicted of a crime.
Last year, state lawmakers signed off on what was billed as a nation-leading child tax credit program for low- and middle-income Minnesota families aimed at cutting child poverty by one-third.
Dozens of businesses in downtown's North Loop neighborhood are hoping customers will help them celebrate women.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill into law on Tuesday morning that boosts the pay of rideshare drivers while keeping Uber and Lyft operating in the state.
A strike could begin in early to mid-June. If it does happen, crossing through the border could take more than 10 hours.
Boating creates $6.9 billion a year for the state's economy, supporting nearly 26,000 jobs and more than 700 businesses. Every year in Minnesota, more than $1 billion is spent on new boats, engines, trailers, and accessories.
As the community mourns the loss of Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell who was killed in the line of duty Thursday, there are ways Minnesotans can support his family.
The civilian who was shot and killed in a mass shooting in Minneapolis on Thursday evening was identified as Osman Said Jimale.
A South Dakota man is accused of pushing a police officer during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, and the Justice Department says he was among those who shoved a large metal "Trump" sign into a police line.
Flags are flying at half-staff across Minnesota to mark the death of Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell, who was fatally shot in a mass shooting on Thursday afternoon.
A second man who was charged in a deadly shooting at the Mall of America in 2022 pleaded guilty Friday, a day after his accomplice received a 30-year sentence.
Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday announced a new way to help low income families with school-aged kids buy food during the summer school break.
A new research center just broke ground to help improve the lives of our nation's heroes.
Technically speaking, Elliot Butay is a lobbyist, but they don't love that the term comes with stigma attached.
A major change in the medical world is helping make kidney transplants more racially equitable.
If it weren't for all the warm sunshine, you might mistake all of the drifting cottonwood in Minnesota for snowflakes.
The Minnesota Timberwolves avoided the sweep with a Game 4 win over the Mavericks in Dallas Tuesday, giving fans a thrill and the "Inside the NBA" crew the chills.
Albert S. Ruddy, who won Oscars for "The Godfather" and "Million-Dollar Baby" and helped create TV's "Hogan's Heroes," died Saturday.
Wactor was shot and killed when he interrupted three suspects in the midst of a catalytic converter theft in downtown LA early Saturday morning, according to family members.
Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar nominee who focused on food and American diets, has died of cancer at age 53.
It's a great time to be a Timberwolves content creator, specifically podcasts. The content medium was barely in its infancy the last time the team was in the Western Conference finals.
Olympic gold medal wrestler Gable Steveson is seeking to trade the mat for the gridiron by signing a standard undrafted rookie free agent contract with the Buffalo Bills.
Pablo López pitched seven strong innings and Trevor Larnach hit a two-run homer to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 6-1 win over the Houston Astros.
After backing into the playoffs and losing seven straight, PWHL Minnesota had one choice in the semifinal round.
Luka Doncic had a 20-point first quarter on his way to 36 points for his high this postseason, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-103 to breeze through the Western Conference finals in five games.
Ryan Jeffers homered twice and Carlos Correa added a two-out, bases-clearing triple in the sixth inning and the Minnesota Twins rallied from a four-run deficit for a 7-6 win over the Kansas City Royals.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Minnesota is the fifth worst state for tick-borne illnesses. But after the mild winter the state just saw, ticks could get much worse than usual.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Minnesota is the fifth worst state for tick-borne illnesses. But after the mild winter the state just saw, ticks could get much worse than usual. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Janet Jarnefeld, who specializes in tick vector services for the Metro Mosquito Control District.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Minnesota is the fifth worst state for tick-borne illnesses. But after the mild winter the state just saw, ticks could get much worse than usual. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with M Health Fairview's Dr. Maggie Kappelman about tick bites and tick-borne illnesses.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Minnesota is the fifth worst state for tick-borne illnesses. But after the mild winter the state just saw, ticks could get much worse than usual. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Dr. Jennifer Granick, with the University of Minnesota Veterinary School, about how ticks can harm your pets.
Each time the Midwest is hit with severe weather, the damage adds up and so do the insurance costs. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy explores how insurance companies are looking at how they can make up for all those payouts.
Native Americans, Swedish immigrants and even cattle thieves have all taken shelter in a little spot along the St. Croix River.
Claws, scales, teeth and tails: There's a place in Medford where alligators and snakes have taken over.
It's a rite of spring in the town of Atwater. When the weather gets warm, the racers get racing. But at this track, the vehicle of choice is a go-kart and most of the competition is too young for a driver's license.
Minnesotans like to explore, and now they'll have a chance to step into caves that haven't been explored in half a century.
John Lauritsen looks at how a Breezy Point barn went from housing buffalo and cattle to hosting customers and wedding parties.
The summer travel season is now in full swing. And while the average cost of a flight is down compared to last year, there are still ways to save.
Boating creates $6.9 billion a year for the state's economy, supporting nearly 26,000 jobs and more than 700 businesses. Every year in Minnesota, more than $1 billion is spent on new boats, engines, trailers, and accessories.
With the Wolves' playoff run, people want to know — does a good defense really win championships?
On this week's Good Question, WCCO's Jeff Wagner discovers whether or not we can improve our attention spans for the better.
From Seattle in the Northwest, to across the world in Spain, and right back in Minnesota, the human collective looked north for a few nights as a massive light show performed for one of its largest audiences ever.
Minnesotans were delighted by an otherworldly light show Friday night that was on a level the state hadn't seen in nearly two decades.
Many Minnesotans were treated to a stunning double rainbow on Thursday.
Nicolae Miu, a 54-year-old man from Prior, Lake, Minnesota was found guilty of six criminal charges, including first-degree reckless homicide. Miu's trial lasted eight days in a Hudson, Wisconsin courtroom.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday, March 26 after a column was struck by a container ship that reportedly lost power, sending vehicles and people into the Patapsco River.
An early spring snowstorm made for many beautiful sights across the state of Minnesota over the weekend.
Showers from overnight will continue to exit east on Saturday morning.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Showers are exiting the state Saturday and the clouds will clear, bringing temps into the 80s.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows says more rain is moving through Minnesota and showers will continue into Saturday morning.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows has your latest forecast and she says she doesn't foresee severe storms but that heavy rain could produce some localized flooding. A rainfall total of 1-2" is possible.
Here are four things you can do today.
Morgan Baum with Clay Coyote has some gift ideas for grilling season and father’s day.
This year, the theme is “Metamorphosis,” and more than 250 national and local fine artists are displaying their work.
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Showers are exiting the state Saturday and the clouds will clear, bringing temps into the 80s.