ND Mulls Several Measures Aimed At Curbing Sex Trafficking
North Dakota lawmakers are considering several measures aimed at combating sex trafficking in the state.
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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.
A Ramsey County jury found a 27-year-old Brooklyn Park man guilty on Friday in connection with a human sex trafficking operation that involved numerous victims -- including women who were mentally slow or vulnerable -- across multiple Minnesota communities.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar has announced new legislation to combat sex trafficking. The announcement was made at the Breaking Free" breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Minneapolis. The breakfast was to benefit local sex trafficking victims.
A Ramsey County jury found a Chicago man guilty in the sex trafficking of a 15-year-old girl in St. Paul in April 2013. Arteco Marvell Rhodes, 38, was found guilty of possession of child pornography and he will be sentenced at 9 a.m. on Dec. 13.
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt's office says in a release that a Logan County jury on Thursday convicted Preston Sanders, of St. Paul, Minn., of transporting a person under 18 knowing that person would be used for sex.
After five days of deliberation, a jury could not come to a unanimous decision in the case of a St. Paul sex trafficking ring that targeted vulnerable teenage girls, according to the Ramsey County Attorney. A trial date has now been set for early September, according to the attorney, in the case that prosecutes two brothers and their two uncles for sex trafficking at least 10 known victims.
A Twin Cities community is searching for solutions to a growing and disturbing problem - the sex trafficking of young girls. Faith leaders, law enforcement and survivors attended a community meeting in Oak Park Heights Saturday. Earlier this month, the FBI ranked Minnesota 13th in the nation for sex trafficking.
It's a story being written in the halls of schools across the Twin Cities -- girls as young as 12 are being recruited as sex workers. The FBI ranks Minnesota 13th in the nation for highest incidence of sex trafficking.
She has won four races for U.S. Senate by double digits, and now Sen. Amy Klobuchar is campaigning to become Minnesota's next governor.
Barrel Theory co-owner Tim Johnson told WCCO that plans are in place for a light opening by late September, with a full opening by the first week of October.
Angel Reese broke a WNBA record with her 29th double-double this season, Allisha Gray made six 3-pointers and finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds, and the Atlanta Dream beat the league-leading Minnesota Lynx 89-81 in their last game before the FIBA World Cup break.
The White Sox will move to begin a four-game series in Houston on Monday.
Authorities in the southeastern Twin Cities are investigating after three people were found dead inside a residence Sunday.
Barrel Theory co-owner Tim Johnson told WCCO that plans are in place for a light opening by late September, with a full opening by the first week of October.
Authorities in the southeastern Twin Cities are investigating after three people were found dead inside a residence Sunday.
Officers were called to the 4200 block of Portland Avenue at approximately 6:45 a.m. on a report of a man down in a yard.
With screams and giggles, Minnesota fairgoers are taking delight in the magic of the Tilt-A-Whirl ride as it turns 100 years old.
Louis Lee came to Minnesota decades ago from Hong Kong to become a student at the University of Minnesota. He says listening to comedy helped him learn English.
A major merger between Minnesota-based North Memorial Health and South Dakota-based Sanford Health was announced Friday morning, and is set to close in a matter of days.
Jena Hanson, a 20-year-old from Owatonna, will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for the Minnesota dairy industry and families for the next year.
A Minnesota college professor has been sentenced to three years' probation for stealing gun parts and ammunition from a Twin Cities store, according to court records.
Minnesota is facing its worst drought conditions in five years, experts say. About 88% of the state is either experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions.
Minnesota's Iron Range has a history of iron ore mining dating back to the 1880s. But renewed conversations about copper-nickel mining in the area are fueling debate up north and beyond. Neighbors in the Ely area are navigating the divisive issue while staying largely united.
An 18-year-old man has pleaded guilty to killing 10-year-old Lily Peters in Wisconsin four years ago. He was then given a life sentence with the possibility of extended supervision after 25 years.
A Wisconsin prosecutor says he will not file election bribery charges against billionaire Elon Musk even though the state's bipartisan elections commission said he likely broke state law.
A Wisconsin high school football player has died from injuries sustained during a game on Thursday night.
Dozens of cases of E. coli and salmonella in multiple states are linked to an alfalfa grower in Minnesota, health officials say.
The Franklin County Coroner's Office says Jack Pugh died March 30 from acute bronchopneumonia caused by cardiomyopathy, a disease that weakens the heart's ability to pump blood.
Lt. Ryan Kelly, the first Minneapolis officer to arrive at Church of the Annunciation on Aug. 27, 2025, described walking in to find dozens of children hiding in the pews — and locating 2 who had already died.
After the Annunciation Catholic Church mass shooting in Minneapolis, there were loud calls for action on guns.
Crews in St. Paul, Minnesota, are clearing out the city's largest encampment on Wednesday.
After officials in Minnesota's capital city announced they would shut down encampments for those experiencing homelessness, the City Council approved more than $1 million to expand capacity at local shelters.
The city of St. Paul, Minnesota, is taking a stand and closing encampments amid growing concerns.
She has won four races for U.S. Senate by double digits, and now Sen. Amy Klobuchar is campaigning to become Minnesota's next governor.
DFL nominee for Minnesota governor Amy Klobuchar talks about the race with WCCO's Esme Murphy live at the State Fair.
Minnesota's highest court on Saturday denied Mike Lindell's request for a recount in the Aug. 11 Republican primary for governor after the MyPillow founder said he would personally pay for a hand recount and audit of every paper ballot cast in the race.
The Minnesota Supreme Court has ended Mike Lindell's fight for the governor's office.
The judge delivered a victory for Stanford University's student newspaper, which said some international students were afraid to speak out because of the deportation threat.
The 2026 Minnesota State Fair is rolling out more than three dozen new food items this year, on top of all the returning favorites — which makes putting together a game plan for your visit no small task.
President Trump said Friday that the U.S. will waive higher tariffs on ground beef imports, which he says will reduce beef prices by 25%. Some cattle ranchers, including those in Minnesota and Wisconsin, worry the plan will hurt them financially.
An outbreak of E. coli and salmonella is linked to an alfalfa grower in Minnesota, health officials say. WCCO speaks with a food safety expert about the risks associated with alfalfa sprouts.
Dozens of cases of E. coli and salmonella in multiple states are linked to an alfalfa grower in Minnesota, health officials say.
Twin Metals says a copper-nickel mine near the Boundary Waters would bring hundreds of union jobs and 1,400 additional positions. Still, opponents say the environmental risks to the watershed are not worth the trade-offs.
Officers were called to the 4200 block of Portland Avenue at approximately 6:45 a.m. on a report of a man down in a yard.
Minnesota GOP State Rep. Elliott Engen has pleaded guilty to DWI in connection with a March traffic incident that led to his arrest, according to court records filed on Thursday.
Police say the statue of Olympic champion and Minnesota native Suni Lee has been recovered more than a year after it was stolen.
A teenager and two children were detained early Tuesday morning in connection to vehicle break-ins in south Minneapolis, according to police.
Minnesota officials say Christian Castro, charged in a January Minneapolis shooting, could cross into Mexico now that Texas has released him without honoring the state's extradition request.
Juul plans to market the new device under the brand name Juul2, along with updated versions of its tobacco- and menthol-flavored cartridges.
A major merger between Minnesota-based North Memorial Health and South Dakota-based Sanford Health was announced Friday morning, and is set to close in a matter of days.
Minnesota joined 23 states in suing the Trump administration Thursday, trying to stop new rules that could cut off federal funding for birth control clinics and other family planning services.
Minnesota will receive between $214 million to $307 million after tech giant Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, settled a landmark social media addiction lawsuit Wednesday.
While our summer has been dry, many can't say the same for their nose or eyes. Ragweed allergies are picking up steam.
Louis Lee came to Minnesota decades ago from Hong Kong to become a student at the University of Minnesota. He says listening to comedy helped him learn English.
The vault is open. Recordings no one's ever heard, spanning 40 years of Prince's musical career, are now available on a new album called "Timeless."
The community is mourning the loss of Charles Dillon, also known as Chaz Millionaire, a longtime voice on the Twin Cities airwaves.
The legendary Minneapolis duo looks back on the Fair, a friendship that began as teenagers, the origin of "Jimmy Jam," and the challenge of turning more than 500 recordings into one homecoming show.
Tim Curry was known for his iconic performances in cult classics like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and the original screen adaptation of Stephen King's "It."
Angel Reese broke a WNBA record with her 29th double-double this season, Allisha Gray made six 3-pointers and finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds, and the Atlanta Dream beat the league-leading Minnesota Lynx 89-81 in their last game before the FIBA World Cup break.
The White Sox will move to begin a four-game series in Houston on Monday.
Tyrese Spicer scored three minutes into second-half stoppage time and Orlando City salvaged a 3-3 draw with Minnesota United after blowing a two-goal lead.
The Minnesota Twins placed outfielder Byron Buxton on the 10-day injured list with a right hip impingement, a lingering injury that has affected the All-Star for much of the season.
Andrew Benintendi had all three of his team's hits with his sixth-inning home run being the difference as the Chicago White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 3-2.
She has won four races for U.S. Senate by double digits, and now Sen. Amy Klobuchar is campaigning to become Minnesota's next governor.
The DFL primary in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District was supposed to be close, but it wasn't. Former Lakeville Mayor and state Sen. Matt Little beat two well-known opponents by double digits.
Democrat Jake Johnson, a high school math teacher, is running a competitive race against Republican Rep. Brad Finstad, prompting analysts to downgrade Finstad's reelection outlook.
In the aftermath of the primary, Republicans in Minnesota are more optimistic about their November chances than they ever have been.
In the aftermath of the primary, Republicans in Minnesota are more optimistic about their November chances than they ever have been.
It is one of the most uniquely shaped buildings at the Minnesota State Fair, and it holds nearly 80 years of history.
For five generations, one family has run the Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours along the St. Croix River.
Keith Richardson is a home brewer and beer memorabilia collector. His collection got so big that, two years ago, he moved everything into an old toy store near downtown Lanesboro and opened the Hammarama Museum and Gift Shop.
Passing trains and scenic bluffs are a big part of Buffalo County, Wisconsin, but in the middle of it all is a garden where creativity and flowers grow together, all courtesy of a man named Herman Rusch.
Thousands of pictures of Split Rock Lighthouse are taken each year. And oftentimes a little island appears in those photos. Ellingsen Island has developed a following of its own.
There's a buzz at the fairgrounds as vendors, exhibitors and 4-H families get ready to welcome millions of people across a very specific stretch of time. Why is the Minnesota State Fair 12 days? Good Question.
While our summer has been dry, many can't say the same for their nose or eyes. Ragweed allergies are picking up steam.
Maybe you've experienced the "Sunday scaries" which is when you worry about the looming work week or wish you could have accomplished more over the weekend. The "August blues" create similar feelings, one being regret.
As if the constant barrage of political ads wasn't enough, some WCCO viewers are particularly bothered by the language candidates are using.
There's a certain elegance to the common loon. Its black and white plumage carries a gentle sheen of green as though dressed for a formal affair. Subtle colors that allow its piercing red eyes to steal your gaze.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new foods for 2026.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows says tomorrow will be hot and humid with a high in the upper 80s and a heat index around 90.
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.
Outside of a stray storm Sunday morning, the heat and humidity are the main story to end the weekend.
WCCO meteorologist Adam Del Rosso has the latest forecast.
The humidity returns, with temps in the 80s and it'll linger into Sunday. Meteorologist Lisa Meadows has more.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows says tomorrow will be hot and humid with a high in the upper 80s and a heat index around 90.
Sunday marks the last day for a longstanding St. Paul brewery, but it wont be the end of beer at the building. Jason Rantala shows us who is setting up shop.
Authorities in the southeastern Twin Cities are investigating after three people were found dead inside a residence Sunday.
The festival is free and family-friendly, with authentic Egyptian food, cultural activities, church tours, kids’ activities, shopping, and more.
A unique golf tournament in the Twin Cities is going to be celebrating five years next month. The Beyond Season Golf Tournament aims to celebrate diversity. Money raised will help support programs that allow more people to access the game.