News : HUMAN TRAFFICKING/CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN PRESENTATION SET FOR SEPT. 18

A total of 65 Iowans have been reported missing in the month of July, a startling, troubling statistic that has law enforcement officers, parents and those whose job it is to help children safe pondering the reasons for the increase, and how to stop it. That total is more than twice as much as the 30 who were reported missing from Jan. 1 through March 31 of this year. None of the people reported missing this month is from Benton County, according to the Missing Person Information Clearinghouse. A previously-scheduled meeting in Vinton is getting more attention because of the news about missing persons in Iowa. On Tuesday, Sept. 18, the Benton-Iowa Decat and Community Partnership for Protecting Children board will host a community presentation on human trafficking and internet crimes against children.  The presentation will be from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at the Vinton-Shellsburg High School. The speaker will be Mike Ferjak, a 40 year veteran of law enforcement and investigative work.  From 1998 – 2016, Mike worked exclusively on child sexual exploitation cases.  He was assigned to the Iowa Department of Justice and to the Federal Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and was a member of the Iowa DCI Cyber Crime Unit.  Organizers also invited local law enforcement and representatives from organizations that serve victims of human trafficking. The Iowa Department of Public Safety, however, says that overall, the number of missing persons in the U.S., including juveniles, is remaining at a consistent national average. Last week, the IDPS issued this statement on its web site: “In light of the missing person investigation of Mollie Tibbetts, concerns have come to light about the number of juveniles reported missing in Iowa in recent weeks.  In FY 2017 4,311 juveniles were reported missing to The Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.  This is an average of approximately 12 juveniles a day.  The vast majority of which are found or returned home within 24 hours. Typically these cases are runaway situations. The number of missing juveniles reported in recent weeks is in line with historical numbers.” Despite this statement from the IDPS, many in Iowa are concerned about what they’ve read in the news, as well as the stories parents have shared on social media. In June, the US Attorney’s office charged several people with human trafficking, particularly in the sex trade. See that press release HERE. Vinton parent Crystal Coder shared a story on the Parents of Teens Facebook page about how two men seemed to be stalking her teenage daughter while they were shopping in Cedar Rapids. See that post HERE. For additional information on missing persons in Iowa, please visit the Department of Public Safety’s website at: http://www.iowaonline.state.ia.us/mpic/ See the Vinton event flyer here: Human Trafficking & Internet Crimes Against Children Flyer