FBI Arrests Two Sex Traffickers and Recovers Six Minors During 2015 National Western Stock Show

By: Brittany Bevis

The Denver, Colorado-based division of the FBI announced this week that it partnered with local law enforcement to target a sex trafficking operation in Colorado during the 2015 National Western Stock Show. The sting resulted in the arrest of two traffickers and the recovery of six minors.

According to The Denver Post, a special agent with the FBI confirmed on Wednesday that none of the arrests took place on the Stock Show grounds and did not involve anyone affiliated with the Show. The recovery operation simply took place in Colorado during the week before the Stock Show and throughout the show’s duration.

“Major events, such as the National Western Stock Show, bring many positives to our community,” says Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle. “Unfortunately, these events can also attract those who attempt to capitalize through criminal activity, including juvenile sex trafficking. This will not be tolerated, and law enforcement will continue to use any such event as an opportunity to identify and rescue trafficked minors, prosecute those who exploit these children, and increase the public’s awareness of commercial sexual exploitation involving children.”

The FBI Denver Innocence Lost Task Force, alongside Colorado law enforcement, has had similar success recovering minors from commercial sexual exploitation in the past. In 2014, 94 minors were recovered; that’s an increase of 54% from 2013 when 61 minors were recovered.

Working with the FBI Denver Rocky Mountain Innocence Lost Tack Force were the Denver Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Springs Police Department, Greeley Police Department, and Larimer County Sheriff’s Office as part of the National Innocence Lost Initiative.