Five Juveniles Recovered in Joint Operation to Combat Human Trafficking in the Metroplex

The FBI Dallas Child Exploitation Task Force, in partnership last week with 18 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, recovered five juveniles during an enforcement action focused on commercial child sex trafficking throughout the Metroplex. Additionally, the enforcement operation resulted in the arrests of four pimps, 18 johns, and three preferential offenders who solicited children for sex trafficking via the Internet.
“Collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement is crucial to identify and interrupt child prostitution operations,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Diego Rodriguez. “The FBI and our partners are committed to providing care to the victims of child exploitation and bringing justice to those who try to profit from these criminal activities.”
“These operations with our partner law enforcement agencies help us identify minors who may have been trafficked into the sex industry,” said David M. Marwell, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Dallas. “Homeland Security Investigations takes an extremely active role in rescuing these children and pursuing prosecution against their traffickers.”
Dallas Police Chief David Brown explained, “The Dallas Police Department Crimes Against Children Unit and its High Risk Victims Squad, has developed a victim centered model for finding children who are enticed into sex trafficking. The Dallas Police Department worked with our federal, state, and local partners over the last four days to find these victims and find the offenders who are responsible for trafficking them.”
The minors recovered during the four-day operation ranged in age from 16 to 17 years old and included children who had run away from home. Over the course of the operation, more than 65 women and children were offered services such as food, clothing, and referrals to health care facilities, shelters, and other programs.
This law enforcement action was part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative, established in 2003 by the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, in partnership with the Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, to address the growing problem of child prostitution. To learn more about the Innocence Lost National Initiative, please visit http://www.fbi.gov.
The Dallas FBI worked closely with the Dallas Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations in executing this operation and would like to thank the following federal, state, and local enforcement partners who participated in the enforcement effort:

• Arlington Police Department
• Dallas County District Attorney’s Office
• Dallas Police Department
• Denton County District Attorney’s Office
• Denton County Sheriff’s Office
• Denton Police Department
• Fort Worth Police Department
• Grand Prairie Police Department
• Homeland Security Investigations
• Irving Police Department
• Lewisville Police Department
• Richardson Police Department
• Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office
• Texas Attorney General’s Office
• Texas Department of Public Safety
• U.S. Attorney’s Office - Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. Attorney’s Office - Northern District of Texas
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Avon Lake Woman Pleads Guilty to Human Trafficking and Drug Charges

An Avon Lake woman pleaded guilty today to human trafficking and drug trafficking crimes after forcing four women, including two teens, to have sex for money, law enforcement officials said.
Ashley Onysko, 23, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking and drug trafficking. She is scheduled to be sentenced January 14, 2014
“This woman helped force teens to have sex for money,” said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. “These activities happen all around us, and it’s the responsibility of the community and law enforcement to work together to end these crimes.”
“The defendants in this case used narcotics to gain control over their victims and forced them to engage in sex acts while lining their own pockets with money,” said Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will utilize all necessary resources to bring to justice those that victimize our youth.”
“This is an example of local police and federal law enforcement working together to make our community safer,” said Elyria Police Chief Duane Whitely.
Onysko’s co-defendant, Jeremy Mack, 37, of Elyria, is awaiting trial.
Between December 2012 and April 9, 2013, Mack and Onysko conspired together to provide heroin to four victims with drugs, including heroin and cocaine, and then, after the victims incurred drug debts, used force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion to compel them to engage in commercial sex acts.
They did this in part by posting photographs the victims on backpage.com on a user account that Mack and Onysko created on December 25, 2012, according to the indictment.
At various times, Mack told and caused others to tell the victims that they needed to engage in commercial sex acts to repay the drug debts. The victims did, after which she turned over all proceeds to Mack and/or Onysko, according to the indictment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Bridget M. Brennan and Carole Skutnik following an investigation by the FBI and Elyria Police Department.