Overview

• Deputies found a missing girl believed to be a sex trafficking victim at a hotel near I-95 and Highway 204 late Thursday after coordinating with the Oklahoma Police Department; a suspect has been identified and the investigation continues.
• Sheriff Richard Coleman launched the Human Trafficking Investigation Unit to target traffickers, online exploitation and victim outreach using a dedicated, survivor-focused approach.
• Investigators report initial activity with two leads and plan to revisit unsolved or unidentified cases as the unit enters its early operational phase.
• The unit is building a regional network with The Rape Crisis Center, DFCS, Juvenile Courts and the Coastal Children's Advocacy Center, and is partnering with the FBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the GBI.
• Officers will receive intensive training, including a 40-hour course on interviewing child victims, and startup costs are covered within the sheriff’s law enforcement budget.