Prostitutes Anoka
A St. Paul woman involved in prostitution was killed. The suspect is expected to face charges. Trafficking and exploitation are serious, year-round problems in Anoka County and beyond. Local resources exist to help. Information is often available on community websites, like lists on the right side of some pages.
Law Enforcement Response
This issue is significant enough to warrant public forums. The Columbia Heights Police Department and its Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee held a virtual forum specifically highlighting the problem of human sex trafficking. Their message was clear: human trafficking is occurring in Anoka County. Law enforcement has been active. Anoka County reports successful arrests and prosecutions for trafficking crimes. Authorities state they will continue to aggressively pursue these cases. One recent operation resulted in a sex trafficking bust, with arrests also linked to fentanyl. A specific sex trafficking suspect was arrested in Anoka County in 2021.
Recent Arrests and Legal Context
Individuals like Napoleon Long, Jr., have been charged with crimes like enticing others for interstate travel to engage in prostitution. Fridley police conducted a sting netting 19 men and 4 women. Another prostitution arrest occurred in Sioux Falls this week. A Hopkins man was arrested in a Blaine prostitution sting. Shakopee police accused a couple of running a prostitution operation. Even a former police chief pleaded guilty to prostitution charges. Prostitution itself is illegal in Minnesota, except in limited areas of Nevada. Penalties can be harsh, including jail time, for soliciting, engaging in, or promoting prostitution.
Victim Support and Awareness
Victims of trafficking need support. Helplines and crisis numbers are available. Riverwind provides short-term mental health residential crisis services in Anoka County for adults experiencing symptoms due to trauma, including trafficking. The S.A.F.E. organization also works in this area. Public awareness is crucial. It’s easy to think human sex trafficking only happens in big cities. But it’s not. It happens right here in Anoka County.
*TAGS* – Anoka County sex trafficking, prostitution sting operations, trafficking victim support
