Tag: sex trafficking

Gaetz associate pleads guilty

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Joel Greenberg, an associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), pled guilty to six federal crimes on Monday, including sex trafficking of a minor and bribery, and has entered into a plea deal with prosecutors to cooperate in the Justice Department’s investigation into Gaetz.

Greenberg, a former Seminole County, Fla., tax collector, is at the center of the legal investigation looking into Gaetz and allegations against him involving sex crimes.

Greenberg admitted, as part of his plea deal, that he recruited women for commercial sex acts and paid them more than $70,000 between 2016 and 2018, sometimes sending money through digital payment services like Venmo. Continue reading.

Matt Gaetz Is Said to Face Justice Dept. Inquiry Over Sex With an Underage Girl

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An inquiry into the Florida congressman was opened in the final months of the Trump administration, people briefed on it said.

Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida and a close ally of former President Donald J. Trump, is being investigated by the Justice Department over whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her to travel with him, according to three people briefed on the matter.

Investigators are examining whether Mr. Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws, the people said. A variety of federal statutes make it illegal to induce someone under 18 to travel over state lines to engage in sex in exchange for money or something of value. The Justice Department regularly prosecutes such cases, and offenders often receive severe sentences.

It was not clear how Mr. Gaetz met the girl, believed to be 17 at the time of encounters about two years ago that investigators are scrutinizing, according to two of the people. Continue reading.

Panel on sex trafficking in Minnesota a step toward new laws, policy

As the U.S. House of Representatives begins its summer recess, some members of Congress have headed back to their districts to gather information that will be used to craft future laws and policies.

Congressman Dean Phillips held a roundtable discussion about sex trafficking and sexual violence on Saturday in Minnetonka.

The panel included state health and public safety officials, as well as representatives from groups that work with survivors of sex trafficking and sexual assault.

View the complete July 27 article by John Nguyen on the MPR News website here.

Sen. Steve Cwodzinski, Rep. Laurie Pryor to introduce sexual exploitation bill

The following article by Patty Dexter was posted on the Eden Prairie News website January 30, 2018:

Minnesota State Capitol

Two local state legislators have been working together on bipartisan legislation to enhance current child sexual about curriculum in public schools to include sexual exploitation prevention.

The bill is authored by District 48A Rep. Laurie Pryor, DFL – Minnetonka, and District 48 Sen. Steve Cwodzinski, DFL – Eden Prairie and will be introduced when the next legislative session convenes on Feb. 20.

Continue reading “Sen. Steve Cwodzinski, Rep. Laurie Pryor to introduce sexual exploitation bill”