Human trafficking sting: Pinellas men arrested for trying to meet child with disabilities
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - This weekend, while thousands were focused on Gasparilla and Royal Rumble, St. Petersburg police detectives worked behind the scenes to target predators in the shadows of the community.
A human trafficking task force launched an undercover operation and arrested three men who thought they were meeting up with a child with disabilities, according to an arrest affidavit.
Clara Reynolds, the president and CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, said human trafficking often increases around these big events and is grateful to see police invest in this type of operation.
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"I think when law enforcement participates in organized activities like this to really take these perpetrators off the street, I think it goes a long way in helping those victims also be able to find justice," she said.
Arrest affidavits show detectives placed an online ad. Those who responded to that ad thought they would meet a 13-year-old girl, described as autistic and non-verbal.
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During that operation, police arrested Anh-Viet Doanvo, Mohammad Al Rashdan, Rondale Nixon, all of Pinellas County. All three are charged with human trafficking.
"Somebody in our community that actually wanted to buy a child who has a disability. For, you know, for rape, essentially, it just makes me so angry," said Reynolds.
The affidavit says one of the men paid a detective $200 for sex with a child with disabilities. Detectives said when he was arrested they found a rope, pocket knife and gun on him.
"God, it just makes me throw up a little bit in my mouth to hear, you know, that," said Reynolds. "I think it really does dispel this myth out there of who is being trafficked. And that I think this is a great opportunity for all of us in our community to remember that human trafficking happens in our backyards."
Reynolds said most of the victims they are seeing right now are being trafficked by their own family members, because of economic concerns and reminds people, if they see something, say something.