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>> I THINK THEY WERE SURPRISED WHEN THEY INITIALLY CAME ACROSS WHAT LOOKED LIKE TO BE A HUMAN TRAFFICKING RING. BEAU: AFTER FOLLOWING LEADS AND ISSUING SUBPOENAS, THE DES MOINES POLICE DEPARTMENT LINKED AN ILLEGALLY PARKED CAR AT THE DES MOINES AIRPORT, TO A HUMAN TRAFFICKING RING. >> WE PUSHED THE COMMUNITY TO SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. BEAU: LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE NOT SAYING HOW THE CAR LEAD THEM TO 9 PEOPLE WHO WERE ARRESTED AND CONVICTED. ONE OF THEM, DARREN COLEMAN RECEIVING THE LONGEST SENTENCE 25 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON. ,>> TO THE THREE CASES INVOLVED HOMEGROWN SEX TRAFFICKING OPERATIONS WHERE THE VICTIMS ARE FROM DES MOINES AND WORKING IN DES MOINES. BEAU: KRICKBAUM SAYS IT CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR VICTIMS TO COME FORWARD, WHICH MAKES IT HARD ON THE POLICE AND THE PROSECUTORS. >> THE VICTIMS ARE SO BRAINWASHED AND SO AFRAID OF THESE FOLKS COME THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO MOVE SURELY AND SOMETIMES SLOWLY. BEAU: THE MANIPULATION IS PHYSICAL. >> HE TOLD ONE OF THE VICTIMS IF HE FOUND OUT SHE WAS WORKING AND NOT GETTING PAID, HE WOULD BE HER LIKE A DOG. BEAU: AND EMOTIONAL. >> HE TOLD THEM THEY SHOULD PUT HIM ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE IN THEIR LIVES, INCLUDING THEIR OWN CHILDREN. BEAU: THE PROSECUTORS SAY THAT 9 CONVICTIONS IS A LOT FOR A CITY THE SIZE OF DES MOINES. BUT THEY SAY THE TREND ISN’T BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE ARE COMMITTING THE CRIME. BUT RATHER MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING CA

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An illegally parked car at the Des Moines International Airport led authorities to a sex trafficking ring, according to the Des Moines Police Department.United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa released names Tuesday of nine people involved in sex trafficking case -- seven of which were Des Moines residents.Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek said the illegally parked brought new leads to the police department and eventually led them to the sex trafficking ring."We push to the community the 'see something, say something' (motto), and that's something that our officers follow every time they're out doing their duties,” Parizek said.Stephen Kalu Cobb, who pleaded guilty to sex trafficking, was sentenced to 190 months in prison and ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution.A judge sentenced Julyen Xavier Singleton to 21 months in prison, Ronzell Montez to 36 months in prison, Breeanna Lynae Brown to 50 months in prison and Sarina Ann Williams to 135 months in prison.On Feb. 5, Darren O. Coleman was sentenced to 25 years in prison after previously pleading guilty to sex trafficking. Coleman was found by the court to have trafficked several adult women in Des Moines and Atlanta, Georgia.Coleman’s co-defendant, Mark Phillip Carter II, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor and was sentenced to 175 months in prison.U.S. attorney Marc Krickbaum said the seven people trafficked victims in Des Moines and used violence, threats of violence, manipulation and other means to coerce their victims into commercial sex acts."Two of these 3 cases involve homegrown sex trafficking operations, where the traffickers and the victims are from Des Moines, are working in Des Moines (and) are trafficking in Des Moines,” Krickbaum said.On Jan. 10, Antoinne Lee Washington was sentenced to 327 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for sex trafficking charges. A judge ordered Washington to pay restitution to the victims totaling $29,500.During Washington’s Trial, U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie Rose said the case “involves the defendant’s horrific systemic abuse and torture of in order to force her to prostitute on his behalf for years.”Washington’s case was investigated by the FBI and the Urbandale Police Department.Bree Deontez Wright was sentenced to 151 months in prison on Jan. 2 for sex trafficking a minor and was ordered to pay $20,000.Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.