Crime opens trafficking dialogue

Two men have been arrested after a Hettinger County deputy found a missing teenager in a Mott apartment, and the Hettinger County Sheriff’s Office shares some tips for local communities to recognize when a child is being trafficked.
On Sept. 18, the Hettinger County Sheriff’s Office received information from the Everett Police Department that a missing 15-year-old girl from Everett, Washington, had a phone location in Mott, based on a Washington detective’s tracking device.
Authorities located the teenage girl at a Mott apartment and she was taken into secured custody.
Kyle Birch, 27, and Julian Lucero, 25, were arrested and both are being charged with a Class C felony of corruption or solicitation of a minor and a Class A misdemeanor of harboring a runaway minor. Lucero is also being charged with a Class C felony of luring minors by computer or other electronic means, and Birch is also being charged with a Class A misdemeanor of sexual assault.
Court records list Birch as having the Mott address where the girl was found. Some records indicate Lucero as having the same address, while Hettinger County Sheriff Sarah Warner said Lucero is believed to have been visiting Birch.
According to court documents, the girl was missing since Sept. 2 and had allegedly been in constant communication via SnapChat with Lucero, who was enticing her to leave her aunt’s home in Everett, Washington, to travel to Dickinson. Court documents state Lucero allegedly purchased a bus ticket for the teenager to Dickinson and the two men met her at the bus depot in Dickinson, then brought her to the apartment in Mott. During an in-custody interview, “each admitted to having sexual relations with the juvenile at the apartment,” court records state. They also allegedly admitted to using marijuana with her and providing her with alcoholic beverages.
The case remains under investigation by the Hettinger County Sheriff’s Office, N.D. Bureau of Criminal Investigation, along with federal and state law enforcement in Washington.
Warner indicated other charges may be added once the investigation is complete.
A preliminary hearing has been set for Nov. 5 in Southwest Judicial District Court.

What to know
“As we have seen, trafficking can happen in communities of all sizes. Trafficking doesn’t always look like a person being forcibly taken or held captive. In many cases, traffickers use manipulation, threats, gifts, money or emotional relationships to control a person,” Hettinger County Sheriff Sarah Warner shares.
Citizens can play an important role by knowing the signs of a child being trafficked, paying attention to changes in a child’s behavior and reporting concerns to law enforcement.
Child trafficking involves the exploitation of a person under 18 years old for purposes such as commercial sex or forced labor. A child does not have to be physically restrained or transported across a border for trafficking to occur, Warner says.
Traffickers may be someone the child knows, including an acquaintance, romantic partner, family member or another trusted adult.
 
WARNING SIGNS CITIZENS MAY NOTICE
One sign by itself does not necessarily mean a child is being trafficked. However, several concerning signs together may warrant attention, Warner says.
A child who is being exploited may become unusually withdrawn, fearful, anxious or secretive. A child may suddenly become disconnected from family and friends. They may become unusually fearful of a particular person. They may also stop participating in activities they previously enjoyed. A child may show signs of depression, stress or exhaustion. They may become reluctant to talk about where they have been or who they have been with.
Be aware of sudden changes in a child’s possessions or finances, particularly when there is no reasonable explanation.
Be aware of an unusual relationship with an older person. A concern may arise when an adult or significantly older individual appears to have an unusually controlling or secretive relationship with a child.
A trafficked child may be under someone else’s control if they show signs they seem afraid to leave or speak freely, the child doesn’t know where they are staying, does not have control over their identification or personal belongings, is constantly monitored by another person, appears to be coached about what to say or seems frightened about what will happen if they disobey someone.
Many times, youth meet people online who they don’t know. Traffickers are increasingly using social media, messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and SnapChat, gaming platforms, such as Minecraft, Roblox and Fortnite, and other online services to contact and manipulate young people. Parents and other adults should be alert to sudden secretive online relationships, an older person communicating privately with a child, or requests for private and inappropriate photos. Watch for a child suddenly communicating with people they refuse to identify, and social media accounts or online activity that appear inconsistent with the child’s normal behavior, Warner shares.
Watch for warning signs of physical indicators, such as unexplained injuries, signs of physical abuse, poor hygiene or inadequate clothing, lack of adequate food or sleep, untreated medical needs or signs the child is being neglected or deprived. These signs can have many explanations and they should be viewed as reasons to pay attention, not only as proof of trafficking, Warner says.
If you believe a child may be in immediate danger, call 911 or contact your local law enforcement agency.
If the situation does not appear to be an immediate emergency, you can report your concerns to local law enforcement or a child protection agency. 
Citizens should not confront, follow or threaten a suspected trafficker or attempt to rescue a child themselves. Instead, document what you safely observed and contact law enforcement.
“Most importantly, don’t ignore your concern. You do not have to be certain that trafficking is occurring before reporting a legitimate concern,” Warner says. The Hettinger County Sheriff’s Office or law enforcement in your area are trained to evaluate information and determine what action is appropriate.
A citizen’s observation may provide an important piece of information that helps protect a child.
If anyone has any questions, contact your local law enforcement agency. For more information, go online to Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program or report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children tip line.