A high-end brothel network servicing &#8220;wealthy and well-connected clientele&#8221; in apartment complexes in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/massachusetts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massachusetts</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/virginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia</a> was uncovered by federal investigators, leading to the arrest of three men allegedly connected to the commercial sex ring.
&#8220;This commercial sex ring was built on secrecy and exclusivity, catering to wealthy and well-connected clientele,&#8221; acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua Levy <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/massachusetts-virginia-brothel-prostitution-commercial-sex-ring-arrests/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a news conference in Boston.
Authorities said in a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/three-arrested-operating-high-end-brothel-network" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a> the commercial sex buyers included elected officials, high-tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors who possess security clearances, professors, attorneys, scientists, and accountants, among others.
&#8220;Pick a profession; they&#8217;re probably represented in this case,&#8221; Levy said.
Levy said the identities of the commercial sex buyers were not shared, but indicated that could change as the investigation is ongoing and far from over.
The three individuals charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice to travel to engage in illegal sex activity included James Lee, 68, of Torrance, California, Han Lee, 41, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Junmyung Lee, 30, of Dedham, Massachusetts.
According to the court documents, the three men operated an interstate prostitution network in multiple brothels in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, as well as in Fairfax and Tysons, Virginia, from at least July 2020.
Authorities said the men allegedly enticed primarily Asian women to travel to Massachusetts and Virginia to engage in prostitution in rented high-end apartment complexes as brothel locations that were furnished and regularly maintained.
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The three men accused allegedly ran two websites that advertised nude Asian models for professional photography at upscale studios as a front for prostitution offered through appointments with women listed on their websites.
Levy said clients would first have to fill out a form with personal information, including their names, work information, email addresses, phone numbers, and a reference, before booking an appointment, costing up to $600 an hour.
The clients were then given a &#8220;menu&#8221; of options and paid the women in cash.
&#8220;Business is booming, until today,&#8221; Levy told reporters.
If convicted, the charged individuals face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.
&#8220;It&#8217;s through these investigative efforts that we shine a light on sexual trafficking as a global issue,&#8221; Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/feds-to-announce-sophisticated-high-end-brothel-network-bust-in-mass-va/3184748/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> said at the news conference.

Businessman in car giving money to prostitute, illegal sex trade, female escort

Three Men Arrested In Connection To Sex Trafficking Ring Servicing ‘Wealthy And Well-Connected Clientele’

Sex Trafficking Network Involving 'Wealthy And Well-Connected Clientele' Busted By Authorities, 3 Men Arrested

Crime

Department of Justice

Human Trafficking

Prostitution

Sex Trafficking

U.S.

A suspected <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/human-trafficking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">human smuggler</a> drove a car full of people from Honduras into an SUV in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas</a>, killing eight people across both vehicles, state authorities said on Wednesday.
The crash happened on U.S. Highway 57 near Batesville, which is about an 83-mile drive southwest from San Antonio, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said post to X.
According to DPS, the operator of a Honda passenger car from Houston suspected of human smuggling passed an 18-wheeler in a no-passing zone while evading the Zavala County Sheriff&#8217;s Office.
&#8220;The driver drove head-on with a Chevy SUV, causing the vehicle to burst into flames, killing the driver &amp; passenger from Georgia,&#8221; the DPS spokesperson said.
&#8220;As a result, five passengers, including the suspected smuggler of the Honda, were killed. Troopers confirmed several of the deceased are from Honduras,&#8221; the DPS representative added.
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NEW: 11/8, <a href="https://twitter.com/TxDPS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TxDPS</a> is investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash on US 57 near Batesville. The driver in a Honda passenger car from Houston suspected of human smuggling was evading from Zavala COSO when the driver passed an 18-wheeler in a no-passing zone. The driver drove head-on… <a href="https://t.co/KdxZ7wmvkk">pic.twitter.com/KdxZ7wmvkk</a>
&mdash; Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) <a href="https://twitter.com/LtChrisOlivarez/status/1722318807857815631?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The DPS spokesperson, Lt. Christopher Olivarez, posted images from the scene, showing the wreckage of both vehicles.
He provided an update identifying the occupants of the Chevy SUV as Jose Lerma, 67, and Isabel Lerma, 65, of Dalton, Georgia, in WhitField County and reporting that their family had been notified.
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CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/08/us/texas-deadly-crash-suspected-smuggler/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Olivarez later told the cable news network that six passengers in the Honda had died, making for at least eight total deceased victims.
Fox News reporter Bill Melugin <a href="https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/1722334087434608897" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> DPS is investigating the legal status of the suspected human smuggler and noted the passengers of the Honda were illegal immigrants.
Elected officials and others took note of the deadly incident by calling attention to President Joe Biden&#8217;s struggles with border security.
&#8220;President Biden’s open borders policies have invited 7M illegal aliens into our country — with deadly consequences,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTedCruz/status/1722368500306530634" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in a post to X.
&#8220;Innocent Americans are dead after a vehicle full of illegal immigrants crashed head on while trying to get away from police,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/VoteMarsha/status/1722349366218735985" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). &#8220;Another tragic consequence of Biden&#8217;s open border.&#8221;
Former Trump White House adviser Stephen Miller <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/1722342641357017167" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, &#8220;Biden’s immigration policies are evil. And there is not nearly enough outrage in Washington. Not even close.&#8221;
The crash took place less than a year and a half after a deadly smuggling incident in which the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/immigration/mass-fatalities-police-find-migrants-truck-san-antonio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bodies of dozens of migrants</a> were found in the back of a tractor-trailer around San Antonio. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/three-people-taken-into-custody-after-deadliest-smuggling-incident-in-american-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Multiple</a> people have been arrested and charged in connection to that tragedy.

Texas police

8 Killed In Texas Crash Involving Suspected Human Smuggler

Border Crisis

Texas

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ted-cruz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ted Cruz</a> (R-TX) shared this week what he saw at the U.S. border during his most recent visit to an area in his home state that has turned into a catastrophe zone because of Biden administration policies.
Cruz made the remarks during an episode of his &#8220;Verdict&#8221; podcast with co-host Ben Ferguson while talking about his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border late last week with Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE).
&#8220;One of the things we learned, which I had never heard, which is in the past year, the Biden administration has put out new guidelines for pursuit of illegal aliens,&#8221; Cruz said. &#8220;This is illegal aliens that are running, that are trying to get away. And the guidelines, you&#8217;d have to effectively call them guidelines for non-pursuit, because they are told you cannot pursue illegal aliens if there is anything that could potentially endanger someone&#8217;s safety.&#8221;
Cruz noted that for example, this meant that if there were four people in the back of a vehicle and there were only three seatbelts, agents could not pursue them because if there was an accident, a person would get hurt. He said that the policy has actually encouraged traffickers to do dangerous things because they know that agents won&#8217;t pursue because of Biden&#8217;s policy.
He said that during a midnight patrol, he saw a disturbing situation where there was a group of a couple dozen people, mostly women and children, and there were cues from things that the children said that officials believed was a sign that they were being trafficked.
&#8220;The one that was haunting for me was in the back there was this man, a grown man, maybe 35 years old,&#8221; Cruz said. &#8220;And he was with a little girl who was 10. And he said she was his daughter. She said he was her dad. It was obvious to everyone he was not her father.&#8221;
&#8220;He had his arm around her. And it was like locked tight, like he was holding her, almost so she wouldn&#8217;t run away,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And the look of terror in that little girl&#8217;s face. She was so frightened of this large, sweaty man who had his arm around her and was saying he was her father. And there&#8217;s a frustration and helplessness that there&#8217;s nothing we can do, that nothing the Border Patrol can do. Because when they take them in, the Biden administration instructs them &#8216;release them.'&#8221;
Cruz said that Biden canceled DNA testing at the border so it was now much harder, if not impossible, to determine if children were coming into the country with their actual parents or if they were being trafficked.
&#8220;Biden canceled the DNA tests,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Like, you want to talk about one of the great scandals, these Democrats who prance around and say they&#8217;re so compassionate, they no longer test to find out if father and alleged daughter or father and alleged son are related because they don&#8217;t want to know, they don&#8217;t care. They are perfectly happy just leaving a pedophile with a little girl or a little boy who&#8217;s being abused.&#8221;
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He said that the little girl that he saw would likely be forced into prostitution for the next several years and that there was nothing any of the senators could do to stop Biden&#8217;s policies.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Border Madness: Traffickers, Terrorists, &amp; Tragedy | Verdict Ep.186" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZcWcI2_958g?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Republican Senators Hold Capitol Hill News Conference To Discuss The Southern Border

Ted Cruz Shares Horrifying Account Of What He Saw At U.S. Border

Biden Administration

Illegal Immigration

Ted Cruz

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> lawmakers sent a high-profile bill to classify child sex trafficking as a serious felony to Governor Gavin Newsom&#8217;s desk on Wednesday after the legislature unanimously approved the once-divisive measure.
The California legislature passed SB 14 in its final vote of approval in the State Senate to increase penalties for child traffickers, which allows state authorities to pursue life sentences under its &#8220;three strikes&#8221; law in some cases.
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BREAKING: The California legislature passes bill to classify child sex trafficking as serious felony, which would keep repeat traffickers in prison longer.
The bill now heads to Gov. Newsom’s desk after a final, unanimous vote of approval in the State Senate. The vote: <a href="https://t.co/ryc5zey8ZN">pic.twitter.com/ryc5zey8ZN</a>
&mdash; Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZavalaA/status/1702075579061924223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;SB 14 will serve to protect future generations by stopping people from engaging in this horrific crime,&#8221; Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove of Bakersfield, who wrote the bill, said, according to the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-09-13/california-child-sex-trafficking-gavin-newsom-shannon-grove-crime-three-strikes-prison-justice-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles Times</a>. &#8220;SB 14 will send a direct message to those committing this horrific crime of selling our children for sex in the state of California that we will no longer stand by and tolerate this, and you will serve a lengthy prison sentence.&#8221;
Democrat state Senator Susan Rubio of Baldwin Park reportedly <a href="https://www.kcra.com/article/california-legislature-approves-billl-child-sex-trafficking-felony/45127369" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the passage of the bill sends a message to victims that California lawmakers &#8220;see you . . . hear you . . . [and] are here to help you.&#8221;
State Senators had unanimously passed the bill earlier this year, but it became controversial among State Assembly Democrats over the summer when the left-wing members of the Public Safety Committee took issue with certain language in the legislation that could potentially prosecute victims forced to help traffickers.
Grove reportedly said in response to the criticism from Democrat lawmakers that she changed the bill several times to reconcile the concerns.
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&#8220;We don&#8217;t want anyone who is a victim of violent crime like human trafficking to be charged or put in prison for that,&#8221; Grove said. &#8220;That is not my intent — that is not what the bill says.&#8221;
After facing heavy backlash nationally, including from Governor Newsom, the Assembly Public Safety Committee reversed course and approved the measure in a forced emergency hearing days after initially blocking it.
&#8220;When proposed policies punish more individuals than intended, the collateral damage to specific communities can cause a domino effect of irreparable injustice,&#8221; Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) said during an Assembly debate before he voted for SB 14 in July.
Newsom and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) reportedly weighed in on the matter and encouraged the committee members to approve the measure.
&#8220;Good to see. Thank you, @RobertRivas_CA for your leadership,&#8221; Newsom wrote in an X-post after the Assembly passed SB 14.
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Good to see.
Thank you, <a href="https://twitter.com/RobertRivas_CA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RobertRivas_CA</a> for your leadership. <a href="https://t.co/usNArT5bK1">https://t.co/usNArT5bK1</a>
&mdash; Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) <a href="https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom/status/1701428507056939051?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Newsom <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article277288433.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> reporters in July that he had contacted Senator Grove in appreciation of her “efforts on this and wanted to make sure she knew that today,” adding that the issue is one “I care deeply about. Have since my time as (San Francisco) mayor, as a supervisor, working then with District Attorney Kamala Harris.”
The California governor, who signaled his support for the legisaltion, has an October 14 deadline to sign or veto SB 14 and hundreds of other bills.

(EDITORS NOTE: Image taken with drone)Flags of the United

Child Sex Trafficking Bill Classifying Crime As Serious Felony Passes CA State Legislature

California State Legislature Passes Bill Classifying Child Sex Trafficking As Serious Felony

California

Child Sex Abuse

Gavin Newsom

&#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-dominates-box-office-in-florida-texas-and-arizona" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sound of Freedom</a>&#8221; screenings at the military&#8217;s U.S. Southern Command have been pulled following a prior announcement that military members and their families would be able to watch the film, which deals with the horrors of human trafficking.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/actor-jim-caviezel-sends-message-to-fans-as-sound-of-freedom-surpasses-150-million-mark" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jim Caviezel</a>-led film was initially going to be shown at its headquarters &#8220;in support of SOUTHCOM&#8217;s mission to promote respect for human rights and combating trafficking in persons in Central and South America and the Caribbean,&#8221; according to material from U.S. Army Garrison-Miami manager Joanne B. Fitzgerald obtained by <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoints/extremism-disinformation/2023/09/05/qanon-embraced-film-pulled-from-screening-on-base-at-southcom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Military Times</a>.
The bottom of the material read, &#8220;the showing of this film does not imply or constitute endorsement by the U.S. Army nor SOUTHCOM,&#8221; the outlet noted. The free screenings were initially to be available on August 28 and then again on October 19.
Military Times noted that after it reached out about the initial screenings, SOUTHCOM canceled them and explained in an email to those on the base that free screenings were canceled until further notice in order to &#8220;prevent the appearance of copyright infringement.&#8221;
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SoundOfFreedomFilm?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SoundOfFreedomFilm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/soundoffeeedom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#soundoffeeedom</a> <a href="https://t.co/NOOfPm4CJP">pic.twitter.com/NOOfPm4CJP</a>
&mdash; Sound Of Freedom – Full Movie 2023 (@jimcaviezelfilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimcaviezelfilm/status/1689244034198626304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The email included a message that said, &#8220;the film is currently available to view at local theaters, and personnel and their families who would like to see the film are encouraged to do so,&#8221; the outlet noted.
&#8220;The movie’s central theme and its connection to SOUTHCOM’s AOR and our Human Rights Office (HRO) Combatting Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) program are inescapable and will serve to raise awareness of the prevalence of trafficking in human persons and sexual abuse and exploitation within our area of responsibility,&#8221; the release added.
SOUTHCOM spokesman Jose Ruiz initially told the outlet that the &#8220;subject of the movie is something that&#8217;s of great concern to the command, in that it follows as part of its mission of countering transnational criminal organizations.&#8221;
&#8220;Because of the way these transnational criminal organizations exploit migrants — the hopes of migrants — in ways that end up being serious violations to their human rights, and unfortunately in some cases lead to the deaths of the migrants,&#8221; he added.
&#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-adds-more-international-dates-amid-films-success" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sound of Freedom</a>&#8221; comes from Angel Studios, the same company responsible for the popular faith-based television series, &#8220;The Chosen.&#8221;
In the movie — which is based on a true story — Caviezel portrays Tim Ballard, a federal agent who quits his job and embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue a young girl from sex slavery in South America.

Sound of Freedom

‘Sound Of Freedom’ Screenings At U.S. Southern Command Pulled

Celebrities

Entertainment

Hollywood

Jim Caviezel

Military Bases

Movies

Sound of freedom

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cuba">Cuba</a>&#8216;s government claims to have uncovered a Russian operation to enlist its citizens to fight in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war">war in Ukraine</a>, but not everyone is convinced Havana is being honest.
A release from the Caribbean nation said criminal proceedings are underway in an effort to dismantle the human trafficking network for military recruiting purposes.
The announcement from the country&#8217;s Foreign Ministry said the operation targeted Cuban citizens living in Russia as well as in Cuba.
&#8220;Cuba plays no role in the war in Ukraine,&#8221; the statement said, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/09/05/1197617372/cuba-dismantles-human-trafficking-ring-recruiting-for-russias-war-in-ukraine">according to NPR</a>.
&#8220;It is acting and will act vigorously against whoever, from the national territory, participates in any form of human trafficking for the purposes of recruitment of mercenaries so that Cuban citizens use weapons against any country,&#8221; it added.
Russia&#8217;s government did not appear to immediately issue a reaction to Cuba&#8217;s statement.
But Yaroslav Trofimov, the chief foreign affairs correspondent of The Wall Street Journal, <a href="https://twitter.com/yarotrof/status/1698997433890435119">pointed out on X</a> that a Russian news article from Ryazan said &#8220;several Cubans signed up to join the Russian armed forces in May, some of them in hopes of acquiring Russian citizenship.&#8221;
The journalist also <a href="https://twitter.com/yarotrof/status/1698997433890435119">reacted</a> to Cuba&#8217;s announcement by calling it an &#8220;unusual step to go so public against Moscow.&#8221;
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), <a href="https://gimenez.house.gov/about">a Cuban-American</a>, expressed skepticism about the statement during a Tuesday appearance on CNN.
&#8220;I&#8217;m a little bit cynical about it, because there&#8217;s also reports that the Cuban government actually signed some kind of deal with the Russian government to send Cuban soldiers over to Russia to fight in Ukraine,&#8221; the congressman said.
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🚨On <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CNN</a>: The Communist regime in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cuba?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cuba</a>🇨🇺 has continued to prop-up &amp; support Putin’s murderous war against the people of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a>🇺🇦.
Communist <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cuba?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cuba</a> has been sending mercenaries to Putin’s Russia for months— Havana isn’t fooling anyone with their latest stunt! <a href="https://t.co/mDgpBRBKbt">pic.twitter.com/mDgpBRBKbt</a>
&mdash; Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepCarlos/status/1699116215942144041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;And just like they did with — are they doing with their doctors, they&#8217;re going to pocket about 80 percent to 90 percent of the money, it&#8217;s like $2,000 a month per soldier, so that it helps the Cuban government,&#8221; Gimenez added. &#8220;And so, yea, I&#8217;m a little bit cynical about the announcement. It is the first of its kind though I have ever heard of it, but I sincerely doubt that they&#8217;re sincere.&#8221;
There have been Western intelligence and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-targets-neighbour-kazakhstan-with-army-recruitment-ads-2023-08-03/">media reports</a> in the past about how Russia has been recruiting foreigners and migrants for its war in Ukraine that has lasted now for more than a year and a half.
&#8220;Russia likely wishes to avoid further unpopular domestic mobilization measures in the run up to the 2024 Presidential elections,&#8221; the corporate news channel of the United Kingdom&#8217;s Ministry of Defence <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1698212159715459238">said</a> in a recent intelligence update.
On Monday, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kim-jong-un-expected-to-meet-with-putin-for-weapons-talks-reports">word got out</a> that U.S. officials believe North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may soon meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for negotiations on weapons that could impact the Ukraine conflict.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday that North Korea &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/YWNReporter/status/1699116077936959514">will pay a price</a>&#8221; if it provides arms to Russia.

Cuba. Havana. Theatre Detail

Cuba Says It Busted Russian Op To Recruit For War In Ukraine; Not Everyone Is Convinced

Cuba

Russia

Ukraine-Russia War

World

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A group of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> Republicans declared their intention to eradicate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/human-trafficking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">human trafficking</a> in the state at a Tuesday press conference during a hotly contested special session that has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gun-control-protesters-show-up-in-tennessee-as-public-safety-special-session-begins" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received national attention</a>.
The press conference, put on by the Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition, a conservative advocacy group, featured over a dozen Tennessee Republicans from both the state House and Senate and took place in the state’s old Supreme Court chamber in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nashville" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nashville</a>. The conference came as Left-leaning protesters showed up at the capitol this week to push for gun control.
The conference was held to discuss a bill dealing with mandating an annual report from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and putting more awareness on the issue of human trafficking in the state.
“One of the things we have not done enough of, is drag this issue out into the light,” House Majority Leader William Lamberth said. “Have the TBI and law enforcement work together with the legislature to identify every single community where this is happening and then allocate needs towards that.”
The bill, SB 7088, has the support of Lamberth and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson. Unlike many of the other bills that have been filed during the special session, it made it through the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
“If you’re engaging in child and human sex trafficking in Tennessee, we’re coming after you. We’re going to war with you,” Johnson said.
Congressman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/freshman-republican-lawmaker-files-to-impeach-biden-over-illicit-family-business-dealings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andy Ogles</a> (R-TN) was also present and said that lawmakers had a biblical mandate to fight against trafficking.
According to a <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB7088" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summary</a> of the bill, it &#8220;requires the bureau to submit a report on child and human trafficking crimes and trends in this state, based upon data available to the bureau, as well as current programs and activities of the bureau&#8217;s human trafficking unit.”
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“Human trafficking is the scourge of our time. It happens in our communities. It happens a mile from where we live. It happens even closer than that on certain occasions. We are dedicated to saving women and children and eradicating this scourge,” said Aaron Gulbransen, the executive director of the Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition.
According to TBI, <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/nearly-600-kids-go-missing-in-tn-each-month-how-the-public-plays-a-role-in-their-safe-recovery/">there are</a> up to 600 kids who go missing in Tennessee each month. Some of these are runaways or children in remarkably complex situations; others are trafficked.
The issue of human trafficking has come to forefront <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-creators-say-movie-is-not-in-the-least-political" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with the success</a> of “Sound of Freedom,” the story of Tim Ballard (played by Jim Caviezel), a federal agent who quits his job to rescue a young girl from sex slavery in South America.
TBI previously told The Daily Wire that most children trafficked in Tennessee are not foreign nationals, but kids who were born and raised in the state.

Drug addict young woman with syringe in action, Stop drug addiction concept, Do not interfere with drugs, International Day against Drug Abuse.

Tennessee Republicans Declare ‘War’ On Human Trafficking Amid Special Session

Tennessee Republicans Declare 'War' On Human Trafficking Amid Special Session

Nashville

Tennessee

“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sound of Freedom</a>” director Alejandro Monteverde and co-writer Rod Barr are speaking up about their intentions for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">film</a> as it continues to surpass expectations at the box office.
The surprise hit film documents the horrors of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/human-trafficking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">human trafficking</a> by telling the story of Tim Ballard (played by Jim Caviezel), a federal agent who quits his job to rescue a young girl from sex slavery in South America. “Sound of Freedom” has brought in more than $160 million since its July 4 release on a budget of just $14.5 million.
Monteverde and Barr wrote a <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/sound-of-freedom-guest-column-1235565034/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guest column</a> for The Hollywood Reporter explaining they intended for the film to be apolitical from the start. 
“Way back in 2015, when we began researching and writing this project, we told each other many times, &#8216;If there’s one issue that can unite everyone, it’s ending child trafficking.&#8217; We still believe that. Child trafficking is not a conservative or a liberal issue. It is a fundamental human rights issue, one that strikes at our very core as human beings,” they write.
The “Sound of Freedom” creators go on to say that viewers see “the movie itself is not in the least political,” but is instead recounting what happened, with some minor creative adjustments due to the project being based on a true story and not a documentary.
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“In the development, research, and writing of the story, we don’t recall a single conversation with Tim about politics. Why? Because personal politics should be irrelevant when you are rescuing children from human trafficking,” Monteverde and Barr write.
The authors go on to reject the notion that “Sound of Freedom” was influenced by “conspiracy theories&#8221; and say that it should be uniting people and not dividing them. 
“We understand that everyone, including those of us who made the movie, have different perspectives on many issues. We made &#8216;Sound of Freedom&#8217; in a sincere effort to unite people around a fundamental human rights issue,” the director and co-writer conclude. “No single interest group owns the issue of trafficking. We all own it, because it is happening in the world we all share.”

‘Sound Of Freedom’ Creators Say Movie Is ‘Not In The Least Political’

'Sound Of Freedom' Creators Insist Movie Is 'Not In The Least Political'

Alleged members of a human trafficking ring in Texas who are accused of smuggling hundreds of migrants in squalid conditions were charged with money laundering on Friday.
The group hid their payments for smuggling illegal migrants across the border by disguising them as compensation for fake construction jobs, federal prosecutors said.
The new charges were filed against Erminia Serrano Piedra, 32, also known as Irma or &#8220;Boss Lady,&#8221; and three men.
&#8220;Boss Lady&#8221; and the other three alleged traffickers &#8220;conspired to engage in financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of ill-gotten proceeds of illicit human smuggling and the unlawful harboring and transportation of undocumented aliens,&#8221; <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/four-indicted-money-laundering-prolific-human-smuggling-network-takedown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the superseding indictment from a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Texas.
The four suspects, who allegedly led the trafficking ring, are accused of recruiting and using &#8220;straw persons&#8221; to accept human smuggling payments into their bank accounts and then transfer the payments to the leaders as “work” payments for construction.
They also allegedly recruited people to accept human smuggling payments as cash and then transfer the payments as checks from their business bank accounts.
The indictment also mentions the criminal forfeiture of three properties worth about $2.3 million, $515,000, and $344,000, as well as about $2,945,027 in money judgments.
Three of the four defendants were previously charged with human smuggling in a September indictment.
The September indictment <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/eight-indicted-joint-task-force-alpha-investigation-and-arrested-part-takedown-prolific-human" target="_blank" rel="noopener">included</a> photos of migrants crammed in wooden crates, in the back of tractor-trailers, and trapped in the bed cover of a pickup truck.
Last year&#8217;s indictment was the result of a large operation that <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/texas-human-trafficking-ring-accused-smuggling-hundreds-migrants-squalid-conditions-faces-new-charges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested 14</a> alleged human smugglers led by &#8220;Boss Lady&#8221; that &#8220;facilitated the unlawful transportation and movement of migrants within the United States in deplorable conditions for profit,&#8221; the Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/eight-indicted-joint-task-force-alpha-investigation-and-arrested-part-takedown-prolific-human" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Smugglers have used a plethora of creative means to get their human cargo past border authorities and into the country.
This month, smugglers were caught using a fake U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) truck to try to sneak migrants over the U.S. border in California on Saturday.
Border authorities warn that it is extremely dangerous for migrants to depend on smugglers to help them make the trek up through Central America and over the U.S. border illegally.
Last year in June, 53 migrants died in an 18-wheeler that was <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/06/29/human-traffickers-at-border-are-experts-at-disguising-vehicles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decked out</a> to look like a legally registered truck. The truck made it past a Texas border checkpoint and arrived in San Antonio, where it started having mechanical problems and was abandoned by its driver.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has allowed hundreds of thousands of new illegal migrants into the country.
Overall, during the last two years, the administration <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/immigration-parole-migrants-us-expansion-biden/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has allowed</a> at least 541,000 migrants into the country through the parole authority, which allows the federal government to let in migrants without visas.
Exacerbating the issue is the end of Title 42, a COVID emergency rule that allowed authorities to deport migrants quickly back to Mexico.
Title 42 expired on May 11 after several previous attempts by the Biden administration to end it.

US-DIPLOMACY-LATAM-SUMMIT-MIGRATION

Texas Human Trafficking Ring That Allegedly Smuggled Hundreds Of Migrants Hit With Money Laundering Charges

Border

Immigration

One avenue in New York City is reportedly overrun by brothels doing business in broad daylight, frustrating residents who say the aggressive prostitutes loiter outside, and sometimes even proposition children.
Nearly a dozen brothels now operate on one street in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, luring in clients on Roosevelt Avenue near Junction Boulevard, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/29/nyc-neighborhood-overrun-by-broad-daylight-brothels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The operations are not confined to night life on the weekends, either.
One &#8220;sex worker&#8221; offered a “happy ending” massage for $40 and another offered “full-body massages” for $80, the Post reported.
Drunk men looking for sex from prostitutes also hang around the area, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/30/residents-shops-fume-over-nycs-seedy-market-of-sweethearts-red-light-district/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to residents.
The open illegal sex trade has caused consternation for moms in the neighborhood, who say the prostitutes recruit local children to hand out their X-rated business cards, some of which include photos of scantily clad women.
A group of about 20 moms has formed the Community of Young Values and Principles in Corona to combat the sex trade&#8217;s targeting of their children.
“The police do nothing — nothing!” <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/30/residents-shops-fume-over-nycs-seedy-market-of-sweethearts-red-light-district/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> one woman who works at a cell phone store on the avenue. “Drugs, prostitution, alcohol — it’s terrible.”
“I have younger kids,” said a local mom of six. “One is 14, one is 8, and one is 5. And these girls, they try to pull them in and sell them their services. Even the kids! They’re really forceful about it.”
Meanwhile, the NYPD has <a href="https://pix11.com/news/local-news/prostitution-busts-drop-sharply-as-nypd-sends-targeted-messages-to-johns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backed off</a> arresting prostitutes in recent years, instead cracking down on &#8220;johns,&#8221; or those who buy sex.
In 2020, only 96 prostitutes were <a href="https://pix11.com/news/local-news/prostitution-busts-drop-sharply-as-nypd-sends-targeted-messages-to-johns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> in New York City, a dramatic drop from the 1,790 who were arrested in 2014, and a world away from the <a href="https://gothamist.com/news/there-used-to-be-tens-of-thousands-of-prostitution-arrests-in-nyc-now-about-100" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nearly</a> 20,000 prostitution arrests New York made in 1985.
Some advocates worry that Central American and Asian women are particularly at risk for sex trafficking.
&#8220;There are trafficking cartels from Mexico and Central America who ship women into Queens and parts of Brooklyn,&#8221; <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/29/nyc-neighborhood-overrun-by-broad-daylight-brothels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Taina Bien-Aime, executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women.
Some of the brothels even advertise on YouTube in Spanish with videos showing the women soliciting men on the sidewalk of Roosevelt Avenue and naming their price for sexual services.
One video on the channel Comunidad Latina En Usa, which has more than 20,000 YouTube subscribers, called the avenue the &#8220;Market of Sweethearts.&#8221;
“How much, for example, does it cost for a happy ending?” two men ask one of the women.
“Two hundred dollars,” the woman says.
The Queens district attorney managed to shut down at least six alleged brothels since June through nuisance laws, the Post reported, which means they can be hit with large fines and closed for a year.
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However, residents say many brothels are still operating in the borough and that the police <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/30/residents-shops-fume-over-nycs-seedy-market-of-sweethearts-red-light-district/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bother</a> street vendors selling food more than the prostitutes openly selling sex.
“The NYPD has proactively shifted the work of vice enforcement in recent years, reflecting our ongoing efforts to focus with precision on those who would purchase sex or promote its sale,&#8221; the NYPD <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/30/residents-shops-fume-over-nycs-seedy-market-of-sweethearts-red-light-district/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement.
“We have significantly reduced the number of arrests for prostitution itself as we work in every case to connect the victims of human trafficking with the services they need,” the police department said. “We have also worked to proactively deter individual buyers of sex. Yet prostitution in all forms remains prohibited by law.”
New York is also struggling with <a href="https://gothamist.com/news/street-homelessness-on-the-rise-in-nyc-despite-sweeps-survey-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a rise</a> in homelessness and some forms of violent crime, including car thefts and felony assault. There have been <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/pdf/crime_statistics/cs-en-us-city.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over 1,300</a> more car thefts so far this year than by this time last year, and about 800 more felony assaults. Murder, rape, and robbery are down this year, however.

Pussycat Cinema

NYC Avenue Reportedly Overrun With Prostitutes Soliciting In Broad Daylight, Propositioning Kids: ‘Police Do Nothing’

New York Avenue Reportedly Overrun With Prostitutes Soliciting In Broad Daylight, Propositioning Kids: 'Police Do Nothing'

New York

New York City

&#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-estimated-to-hit-100-million-mark" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sound of Freedom</a>&#8221; has scored another victory after it was announced that the hit film will be adding several hundred additional screens in theaters across the country in the film&#8217;s fourth week out &#8212; after soaring pass the $100 million mark at the box office.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jim-caviezel-thanks-supporters-for-not-letting-the-media-silence-sound-of-freedom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jim Caviezel</a>-led <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-dominates-box-office-in-florida-texas-and-arizona" target="_blank" rel="noopener">film</a>, which deals with the horrors of human trafficking, continues to grow. Angel Studios announced for a fourth consecutive weekend that the film is adding additional screens, going from its July 4 opening weekend with 2,634 theaters to 3,411 theaters as of July 28 and &#8220;crossing the total booking threshold of over 4,000 screens,&#8221; a press release read.
The film has surpassed $130 million in box office revenue, the release added. <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl4254237441/?ref_=bo_hm_rd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Box Office Mojo</a> noted that the film, as of July 26, has earned $133,994,647.
&#8220;Sound of Freedom&#8221; comes from the same studio responsible for the popular faith-based television series &#8220;The Chosen.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
See the inspiring message of Sound of Freedom in theaters today! Get showtimes at <a href="https://t.co/lX4EkIrok5">https://t.co/lX4EkIrok5</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SoundofFreedomMovie?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SoundofFreedomMovie</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AngelStudios?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AngelStudios</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/basedonatruestory?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#basedonatruestory</a> <a href="https://t.co/ITNU4CBikN">pic.twitter.com/ITNU4CBikN</a>
&mdash; Sound of Freedom | Movie (@SOFMovie2023) <a href="https://twitter.com/SOFMovie2023/status/1683499306244866049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Everyone in the industry knows that films are generally supposed to lose screens week-over-week, not add them,&#8221; Brandon Purdie, Angel Studios Head of Theatrical, said.
&#8220;And yet, the incredible word-of-mouth driving &#8216;SOUND OF FREEDOM&#8217; continues to spread,&#8221; he added. &#8220;In response, we are continuing to expand our offering in theaters this weekend. Our theatrical partners have stepped up in a huge way to allow for more people to see the film.&#8221;
In the movie, which is based on a true story, Caviezel portrays Tim Ballard, a federal agent who quits his job and embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue a young girl from sex slavery in South America.
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Earlier this week, the studio announced that the hit film will soon be released globally, appearing in theaters in South Africa, Australia/New Zealand, Latin American countries, the U.K., and Ireland between August and October, a release read. More countries are being added weekly, it added.
&#8220;Since &#8216;SOUND OF FREEDOM&#8217; launched in the US, demand has been building around the world in dozens of regions and languages,&#8221; Jared Geesey, Senior Vice President of Global Distribution for Angel Studios, said. &#8220;Child trafficking is a global issue, and we hope to build on the incredible momentum here in the states and share the film&#8217;s powerful message worldwide.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-estimated-to-hit-100-million-mark" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8216;Sound of Freedom&#8217; Estimated To Hit $100 Million Mark</a>

‘Sound Of Freedom’ To Be Played On Hundreds Of Additional Screens In 4th Week Of Release

'Sound Of Freedom' To Be Played On Hundreds Of Additional Screens In 4th Week Of Release

During a hearing on Wednesday, one Republican lawmaker confronted a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration">Biden administration</a> Cabinet secretary with a jar filled with colorful contents.
It was not full of &#8220;candies or snacks,&#8221; as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/health-and-human-services">Health and Human Services</a> (HHS) Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/xavier-becerra">Xavier Becerra</a> had guessed. Rather, as Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kat-cammack">Kat Cammack</a> (R-FL) explained while holding the jar, what it contained represented a far more &#8220;grim&#8221; reality.
&#8220;These are wristbands that the cartels force people to wear when they cross the border, and if you&#8217;re not wearing one and you cross the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/border-crisis">border</a>, the cartels will take a limb or an appendage,&#8221; Cammack said.
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Rep. Cammack: Do you see this jar? 
Sec. Becerra: It looks like candies or snacks. 
Rep. Cammack: These are wristbands the cartels force people to wear when they cross the border. If you&#39;re not wearing one when you cross, the cartels will take a limb, like an arm or leg. <a href="https://t.co/QSB5dFyAf7">pic.twitter.com/QSB5dFyAf7</a>
&mdash; Rep. Cammack Press Office (@RepKatCammack) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepKatCammack/status/1684241692474454041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;This is what these people are forced to wear and it dictates what cartel they belong to, how much they have paid and they are absolutely a part of the horrors of trafficking and smuggling that occurs at our Southwest border,&#8221; Cammack added. &#8220;And I have to point this out because I want to tell the journey because this has really been laid out in bits and pieces along the way by my colleagues and we&#8217;re here to talk about these kids.&#8221;
The jar moment went viral on social media, with comments from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and others.
&#8220;Astonishing — but not at all a surprise,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTedCruz/status/1684261974647926784">Cruz said on the X platform</a>. &#8220;Earlier this year during a Senate Judiciary hearing, DHS Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas denied knowing about the cartel wristbands found at the border. This is the latest example of the Biden administration turning a blind eye to the human trafficking crisis taking place at our southern border.&#8221;
<a href="https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/07_26_23_Becerra_Testimony_E_and_C_Oversight_Hearing_c76ba8ed58.pdf">In his testimony</a> for a House subcommittee <a href="https://energycommerce.house.gov/events/oversight-and-investigations-subcommittee-hearing-stopping-the-exploitation-of-migrant-children-oversight-of-hhs-office-of-refugee-resettlement">hearing</a> on “Stopping the Exploitation of Migrant Children: Oversight of HHS&#8217; Office of Refugee Resettlement,&#8221; Becerra talked about what happens when young people who are transferred to <a href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/programs/uc">HHS care</a> from the Department of Homeland Security or any other federal entity are then released to a sponsor. Becerra stressed that the sponsors of unaccompanied minors are &#8220;thoroughly vetted,&#8221; but conceded the children &#8220;may find themselves in unsafe situations.&#8221;
Challenging the secretary to define what &#8220;thoroughly vetted&#8221; means, Cammack shared the story of a young migrant girl she encountered who was &#8220;terrified&#8221; of the man holding her, as seen in a photo the congresswoman showed. That man, Cammack said, later confessed under threat of a DNA test to &#8220;renting&#8221; the child in a process called &#8220;recycling&#8221; and turned out to be a convicted sex offender.
Cammack said many migrant children end up having the same phone number written on their arm in sharpie and dozens of them &#8220;magically&#8221; end up with the same sponsor. HHS releases these children, she added, to sponsors who are in the country illegally.
When given a chance to respond, Becerra pushed back, saying the congresswoman shared &#8220;misinformation&#8221; and insisted that officials run a &#8220;series of tests and assessments of a child when we get them.&#8221;
To Cammack, the secretary&#8217;s response appeared to be insufficient as she figures such as DNA tests only being conducted in 9% of cases and background checks in 23% of cases. &#8220;I think this is disgusting that 85,000 children are missing, and it&#8217;s on your watch,&#8221; she added as her time to speak expired.

Rep. Kat Cammack

GOP Lawmaker Confronts Biden Official With Jar Of Wristbands Showing ‘Grim’ Reality At Border

GOP Lawmaker Confronts Biden Official With Jar Of Wristbands Showing 'Grim' Reality At Border

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Kat Cammack

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