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Illicit Massage Parlors See New Form Of Crackdown
In the last few years, the difficulty of dispelling massage parlor prostitution through traditional police methods has prompted some cities to experiment with a new enforcement approach.
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In the last few years, the difficulty of dispelling massage parlor prostitution through traditional police methods has prompted some cities to experiment with a new enforcement approach.
Two Iowa residents have pleaded guilty in a federal sex trafficking case in Virginia. Laura Sorensen and Aldair Hodza entered the pleas Friday in federal court in Richmond to sex trafficking and transporting a person across state lines for prostitution.
A 36-year-old Blaine, Minnesota, man has been found guilty of sex trafficking for prostituting an 18-year-old woman in a Duluth, Minnesota, motel room.
Two men are accused of having sex with a runaway 17-year-old girl for money, in connection with a St. Paul prostitution sting earlier this year.
Police arreseted the fifth suspect in a multi-state sex trafficking ring investigation Thursday, according to Ramsey County Jail records. Arrested records indicate 19-year-old Suwan Dominique Cross of West St. Paul is charged with four counts of sex trafficking and three counts of underage sex trafficking.
Five Twin Cities residents were charged Tuesday in connection to a multi-state sex trafficking ring, according to the Ramsey County Attorney's office. Four of the five defendants are from St. Paul: 21-year-old Ishmael Jamaine Williams, 25-year-old Thomas William Evans, 28-year-old Yolanda Katrice Foster and 38-year-old Doris Marie Keller.
A Belle Fourche man convicted of trying to pay for sex with underage girls at the 2013 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
North Dakota lawmakers are considering several measures aimed at combating sex trafficking in the state.
wo Democratic U.S. senators from Minnesota and North Dakota are reintroducing bipartisan legislation in an effort to crack down on sex trafficking across the county. The Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act is modeled after Minnesota's "Safe Harbor" law, which protects sex trafficking victims from being prosecuted as defendants.
As awareness of America's sex-trafficking industry increases, state after state has enacted new laws to combat it. But while a few have backed those get-tough laws with significant funding to support trafficking victims, many have not.
A St. Paul man and woman have been found guilty of engaging in sex trafficking of a 15-year-old girl. According to the Ramsey County Attorney's Office, Jonathan Edwards, 25, and Kauser Yusuf, 22, were found guilty of one count each of first-degree sex trafficking of a minor.
Moorhead police say they arrested a 32-year-old man in connection with a sex trafficking investigation Tuesday evening. According to police, a sex trafficking investigation led Moorhead detectives to an adult female victim. A suspect was then identified, located and arrested in south Moorhead at around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Minnesota is one of the worst states for sex-trafficking of women and underage girls in the country.
Authorities say nine people have been arrested in a child sex trafficking sting in the Eau Claire area.
A 25-year-old St. Paul man pleaded guilty Friday to one count of sex trafficking a minor. Dontre McHenry is accused of recruiting and trafficking teenage girls throughout Minnesota, according to U.S. Attorney Andrew Lugar. McHenry is suspected of coercing at least three girls under the age of 18 between January 2013 and March 2014.
The Minnesota Public Safety Department says sex-trafficking convictions have doubled in the past year. The state report released Wednesday says convictions for solicitation and promotion of prostitution and sex trafficking rose to 63 in 2013 from 31 in 2012.
A man and woman from Minneapolis have pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges. U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson says 31-year-old David Nance and 26-year-old Ashley Crayton are charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion.
It's an ugly business. A new study by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Women's Foundation reveals local victims of sex trafficking are recruited in places we like to think are safe havens.
A 25-year-old St. Paul man faces serious charges in connection with a "sophisticated, ongoing criminal sex trafficking business" he allegedly operated, according to the United States Attorney's Office.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar is using Minnesota's sex trafficking laws as a way to improve safety across the country and the world. The state's "Safe Harbor" laws ensure children who are sold for sex are treated as victims, not prosecuted as criminals.
A suburban St. Louis man has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for transporting five female victims for prostitution purposes between Missouri and five other states. Federal prosecutors say 45-year-old Barry Wimberly of Hazelwood, Mo., pleaded guilty in December to one felony count of transportation for purposes of prostitution.
A 30-year-old St. Paul man received the longest sentence ever imposed on anyone found guilty of sex-trafficking in Minnesota history. Otis Deno Washington was found guilty of first- and second-degree solicitation to practice prostitution (one involving a minor), two counts of promotion of prostitution, and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
A Chicago man was sentenced Friday to more than 26 years in prison for the sex trafficking of a teenage girl – which may be the longest sentence ever given in Minnesota for such a crime. According to the Ramsey County Attorney's office, Arteco Marvell Rhodes, 38, was found guilty on Nov. 1 on one count of engaging in sex trafficking in the first degree and possession of child pornography. Rhodes met the defendant, a 15-year-old girl, in Chicago in March, and asked her if she "wanted to make money and be part of the family." Within weeks, Rhodes drove the teen and a 19-year-old woman from Chicago to the Twin Cities in a conversion van.
For victims of sex trafficking in Minnesota, there are currently only two beds for shelter in the entire state. Now, a new shelter in St. Paul will change that.
Four family members have now been convicted for participating in a sex trafficking ring that last about two years, extended to multiple Minnesota communities and victimized many vulnerable women. On Wednesday, the Ramsey County Attorney's Office announced that 30-year-old Otis Deno Washington, of St. Paul, was found guilty in Ramsey County District Court on multiple sex trafficking counts. According to a press release, they are: two counts of promotion of prostitution; two counts of solicitation, one involving a minor; and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to setting off a bomb in a hair salon.
Metro Transit police responded to the crash near the intersection of University Avenue and Syndicate Street North shortly after 3:30 p.m.
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A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to setting off a bomb in a hair salon.
Metro Transit police responded to the crash near the intersection of University Avenue and Syndicate Street North shortly after 3:30 p.m.
A settlement has been reached between a private Minnesota university and a former professor who alleged religious discrimination.
The police union's complaint, filed with the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board Tuesday, alleged Moriarty and her office "violated several of the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct" in charging Minnesota State Patrol trooper Ryan Londregan.
As Delta Air Lines works to get back on track after it canceled hundreds of flights over the weekend, customers are left wondering how they can get reimbursed if they are left stranded at the airport.
Former President Donald Trump and his running mate in the 2024 election, Sen. JD Vance, are set to visit central Minnesota this weekend.
Gov. Tim Walz spoke to WCCO about the Democratic nominee for president process, if he'd like to be the vice presidential nominee and more.
A scientist warns that the effects of climate change could ultimately drive Minnesota's state bird out of the state entirely.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says that 17-year-old Kaydence Johnson ran away from a residence in Sartell on June 22 with another girl.
County fair season is in full swing in Minnesota, but things are different this year for kids looking to show dairy cows.
A scientist warns that the effects of climate change could ultimately drive Minnesota's state bird out of the state entirely.
The Dunn County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened around 10:46 a.m. at 710th Street and 240th Avenue in Spring Brook.
A group of farmers is changing how they use their land by working with nature to improve their animal's health, along with the soil and water.
A faculty committee has recommended that a former chancellor of the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse be removed from his tenured position over his involvement in adult entertainment.
"I was like, okay we got to do something about this. We have to write a story that actually talks about what it's like to have a disability and that you are just a normal person," said writer Katie Mettner.
City and community leaders in Minneapolis on Monday detailed an ordinance that they hope will reduce the amount of hazardous vacant buildings.
Lisa Ishchenko is in the U.S. for the first time – away from her family, away from her life as a medical student, away from the war that still makes itself known daily in her home country of Ukraine.
The Minnesota Vikings are sponsoring girls flag football leagues across the state in an effort to give everyone a chance to play the game.
Spike Moss spent decades fighting for his community, much of that time along Plymouth Avenue.
Veterans who had been living on the street now have a new home in St. Paul as part of the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans' effort to end homelessness.
An enthusiastic crowd in Milwaukee welcomed Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday afternoon during her first campaign rally as the likely Democratic nominee.
Iowa's strict abortion law will take effect Monday, banning most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant.
Vice President Kamala Harris has already secured the endorsements of a majority of the Democratic delegates who will vote on her presidential nomination.
Former President Donald Trump and his running mate in the 2024 election, Sen. JD Vance, are set to visit central Minnesota this weekend.
Mike Lindell's MyPillow may dodge eviction from another one of its Twin Cities buildings after a virtual court hearing on Tuesday morning.
As Delta Air Lines works to get back on track after it canceled hundreds of flights over the weekend, customers are left wondering how they can get reimbursed if they are left stranded at the airport.
A North Carolina woman is still trying to get home after last week's CrowdStrike outage waylaid her at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
The global Microsoft outage is causing mass flight cancellations and delays nationwide Friday, including at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Whether you plan to hit the water, savor the treats or maybe just stay indoors, Minnesotans are in for a hot summer weekend.
A 2019 blue Hyundai Elantra has given Erin Walters the freedom to travel across the country. That all changed a week ago after she tried renewing her car insurance with State Farm and was denied.
A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to setting off a bomb in a hair salon.
Bodycam video of the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey was released Monday afternoon. The video shows the chaotic scene after a sheriff's deputy shot Massey, who is Black, in the face during a tense moment over a pot of water in her home.
Police said they have "limited information" about what happened, but they are investigating.
Authorities suspect several garbage fires on Minneapolis' West Lake Street Monday morning were intentionally set.
A standoff with an allegedly armed suspect in southern Minnesota shut down traffic on Interstate 35 for hours Sunday afternoon.
Iowa's strict abortion law will take effect Monday, banning most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant.
It's the height of July and primetime in America for swimming, fishing and, in some cases, sunburns. This is the time of year when it's easy to get too much sun.
For two years, three simple numbers have helped countless people struggling with mental health: 988, the national suicide prevention lifeline abbreviated from its original 10 digits to three.
An anti-abortion group in South Dakota is appealing a judge's dismissal of its lawsuit to remove an abortion rights initiative from the November ballot.
Minnesota health care systems are working to recover after a technical outage overnight caused Microsoft systems to go down globally.
Organizers were looking for a new location that had the infrastructure to host the festival and support its growth.
Bob Newhart, who starred in the long-running sitcoms "The Bob Newhart Show" and "Newhart," has died at age 94.
From major floods to a major festival — work is underway to transform St. Paul's Harriet Island into an oasis for festivalgoers.
Minnesota's largest Black-sponsored festival will ring in its 42nd year this weekend with performances from two of hip hop's most legendary artists.
Nominations for the 76th annual Emmy Awards were announced Wednesday, with "Shōgun," "The Bear," "Hacks," "Only Murders in the Building" and "Baby Reindeer" all earning multiple major nods. See the full list of nominees for the 2024 ceremony here.
Minnesota starter Bailey Ober rebounded from Bryce Harper's two-run homer for Philadelphia in the first to settle in for seven innings, and the Twins beat the Phillies 7-2.
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson was placed on the physically unable to perform list as expected on Monday for the beginning of training camp.
Joe Mauer has had just as big of an impact on the baseball diamond as he has off of it.
Training camp is typically a buzzy, hopeful time of year for an NFL team, but for the Minnesota Vikings, the kickoff to camp took a more somber tone Monday.
Adrian Beltré, Joe Mauer, Todd Helton and Jim Leyland have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
There has been so much attention on the developments with the presidential candidates that some local races have not gotten as much attention.
There has been so much attention on the developments in the presidential candidates that some local races have not gotten as much attention. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is running for her fourth term in the US Senate. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy looks at the unusual journey Republicans are taking to find the opponent to run against her.
A presidential race like no other seems like a farfetched fiction novel after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy explores the future of the race amid calls for unity and Trump's gaining momentum in Democratic stronghold states.
A presidential race like no other seems like a farfetched fiction novel after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy explores the future of the race amid calls for unity and Trump's gaining momentum in Democratic stronghold states.
A presidential race like no other seems like a farfetched fiction novel after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy explores the future of the race amid calls for unity and Trump's gaining momentum in Democratic stronghold states.
Instead of watching old, classic cars leave the state, a museum in Wright County is trying to keep them around at the Veit Museum near Buffalo.
When Belgian immigrants settled in Ghent, they brought along rolle bolle — a sport that's sort of a cross between curling and lawn bowling — but you don't play with a ball, you play with a bolle.
The town of Remer is surrounded by hundreds of acres of woods and marshes. A perfect place for squirrels, deer, bears and maybe even Bigfoot.
Native Americans, Swedish immigrants and even cattle thieves have all taken shelter in a little spot along the St. Croix River.
Claws, scales, teeth and tails: There's a place in Medford where alligators and snakes have taken over.
It's the height of July and primetime in America for swimming, fishing and, in some cases, sunburns. This is the time of year when it's easy to get too much sun.
Energy drinks have been around since the 1940s, and in recent years, they've become all the buzz — especially with young people. But studies have shown they may not be as popular with our hearts.
The sounds of summer wouldn't be complete without the familiar tune of mosquitoes buzzing. But did you ever wonder: Why do mosquitoes buzz? Good Question.
The funny bone is anything but funny. So why does it hurt so bad when it gets hit? It turns out there's a "humerus" answer.
It's an age-old question that's been studied for years: When is the best time to exercise? Good Question.
The Minnesota State Fair has announced its new offerings for 2024, and they include plenty of fried foods, plenty of dairy, and plenty of sweet corn. See the full roster of new items here.
Thousands lined the streets of Hennepin Avenue on Sunday for the Twin Cities Pride Parade.
Many Minnesotans will be cleaning up Thursday from a storm system that brought sizable hail, heavy winds and possible tornado touchdowns.
Minnesotans were delighted by an otherworldly light show Friday night that was on a level the state hadn't seen in nearly two decades.
Many Minnesotans were treated to a stunning double rainbow on Thursday.
Temps today will hit the high 70s, overnight we drop back down to the 60s. Wednesday we see temps back in the low 80s and those temps will climb throughout the week. Lisa Meadows breaks down the timing and shares when we might see another 90 degree day.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames is tracking the latest rounds of heavy rain falling in parts of Minnesota Tuesday morning.
Parts of Minnesota are dealing with storms Tuesday morning, and that rain will eventually make its way to the Twin Cities.
A storm system moving slowly across Minnesota on Tuesday will mostly miss the Twin Cities.
As Delta Air Lines works to get back on track after it canceled hundreds of flights over the weekend, customers are left wondering how they can get reimbursed if they are left stranded at the airport.
An enthusiastic crowd in Milwaukee welcomed Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday afternoon during her first campaign rally as the likely Democratic nominee.
The 2024 presidential race is still a ways away and we are seeing quite a change in the landscape. So how can we cope with some of the anxiety we're feeling?
A woman is using her own personal experience to help those recovering from substance abuse. One way she's doing it? Through fitness.
Erin Hassanzadeh has the latest headlines.