Williams’ victims are now free to move on and recover from the things they experienced, and that is the best reward for the case’s investigators.

“These victims went through horrific things,” Miller said. “It’s extremely rewarding to know that they’re going to be more secure knowing the man who did this to them will no longer be on the streets. We’ve also been able to see the victims rebuild their lives.”

Two of Williams’ known victims that the FBI and Racine non-profit organizations provided assistance to are getting their lives back on track. Both are working, and one is going to school.

“In these cases, you see the physical violence, the beatings, the punches to the women’s faces. They are visual reminders of how dangerous these guys are, and the mental coercion is a really sick part of it as well,” Lofy said. “To see a woman who a year and a half ago was being beaten, held against her will, and forced to have sex with strangers and give up all the money—now she’s in school, working, earning her own money, and living her own life. There’s a satisfaction in that. That’s a true turnaround.”

Racine also takes what Lofy calls a “victim-centered approach.” Human trafficking victims often need counseling, drug treatment, job training, and housing assistance to truly escape their traffickers. Lofy is the co-founder of a non-profit organization, Fight to End Exploitation, that works to advocate for victims, connect them with services, and educate the community on human trafficking.

Lofy said when he first began investigating human trafficking cases and worked with the FBI on a previous operation, he saw the human toll and the amount of support the victims needed to get their lives back on track.

“We’re not looking to arrest the women in these situations—we’re looking to help them change their lives,” he said.