Alexandria Police, FBI Arrest 6 Suspected Prostitutes

Alexandria Police arrest six suspected prostitutes in a round up coordinated across the nation by the FBI.  (Top row, from left to right) 22-year-old Teisha Booker of Alexandria, 25-year-old Emilie Cook of Natchitoches Parish, 32-year-old Crystal Robertson of Arkansas, (bottom row, from left to right) 27-year-old Jessica Stelly of Centerpoint, 25-year-old Kayla Suggs of Ashtown, and 26-year-old Rita Trahan of Elton.  They are all currently in custody.

These arrests were part of a nationwide effort called Operation Cross Country.  Operation Cross Country is part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative that was established in 2003 by the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, in partnership with the Department of Justice and NCMEC, to address the growing problem of child prostitution.

“Operation Cross Country demonstrates just how many of America’s children are being sold for sex every day, many on the Internet,” said John Ryan, CEO of NCMEC. “We’re honored and proud to partner with the FBI, which has taken the lead in tackling this escalating problem.”

To date, the FBI and its task force partners have recovered more than 2,700 children from the streets. The investigations and subsequent 1,350 convictions have resulted in lengthy sentences, including 10 life terms and the seizure of more than $3.1 million in assets.

Task force operations usually begin as local enforcement actions that target truck stops, casinos, street “tracks,” and websites that advertise dating or escort services, based on intelligence gathered by officers working in their respective jurisdictions. Initial arrests are often violations of local and state laws relating to prostitution or solicitation. Information gleaned from those arrested frequently uncovers organized efforts to prostitute women and children across many states. FBI agents further develop this evidence in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section so that prosecutors can help bring federal charges in those cities where child prostitution occurs.

The following list denotes FBI divisions, not necessarily actual cities, where juveniles were recovered and pimps were arrested:

To learn more about Operation Cross Country and the Innocence Lost National Initiative, visit www.fbi.gov, www.justice.gov, or www.ncmec.org.

KLAX ABC 31 News 7/30/13