Not just a metro problem — money sought to target central Minnesota sex traffickers

Sex trafficking was barely on the radar of Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall five years ago. Now, successful prosecutions are resulting in lengthy prison sentences — up to 27 years — for such crimes.

“(Ramsey County Attorney John Choi) told us that we were the largest demand outside the metro area,” she told the House Public Safety and Security Policy and Finance Committee Wednesday.

Waite Park Police Chief Dave Bentrud said more than 150 women have been identified who’ve been trafficked in the area in the past five years — some as young as age 14 — and more than 100 “johns” have been arrested for soliciting prostitution, including sex with minors. Many victims are from the immediate St. Cloud area, but Bentrud said others come from smaller communities, including Brooten and Paynesville.

Both officials say more needs to be done.

Rep. Tama Theis

Sponsored by Rep. Tama Theis (R-St. Cloud), HF1932 would appropriate $600,000 in the 2018-19 biennium to expand enforcement and victim advocacy services of the Central Minnesota Sex Trafficking Task Force. It was held over for possible omnibus bill inclusion. A companion, SF1667, sponsored by Sen. Jerry Relph (R-St. Cloud), awaits action by the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee.

“We know we have women being sold in our town right now in every hotel and motel,” Kendall said. “Now it’s out into the apartment buildings, now it’s out into the private dwellings, now it’s out into other places. We need the resources to find that. We’re looking for a chance to do a pilot project and report back directly to this committee and say, ‘Here’s what works, here’s what doesn’t work.’”

A report would be due the Legislature by Feb. 1, 2018, describing services offered to sex crime victims, investigation time, the scope and demand for commercial sex services as a result of enforcement and intervention, and results of criminal prosecutions stemming from increased investigations. 

Current efforts have largely been done on an informal, part-time basis. Law enforcement officials have worked with prosecutors and victim advocates to develop a multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional response to combat the issue.

In addition to educational efforts, advocates have been sent out with law enforcement personnel — as is done in domestic violence situations — because a victim may be more willing to talk with someone other than a cop. There’s also a Legal Aid attorney that works with victims.

Bentrud said federal grants have been looked at and applied for. However, many restrict how funds must be used.

“If we could get this funded and show the results that we’ve had working informally, this is something that could be replicated,” he said. “We could be a model for other parts of the state. To me, that’s a better way to go than trying to fit a program into grant parameters.”