The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office human trafficking intervention team—Rescuing Humanity Intervention Neighborhood Operations (RHINO) Team—conducted an operation in the City of Marshall on Thursday, Jan. 19 with the assistance of Marshall Police Department and Albion Department of Public Safety.
The purpose of this operation was to locate, identify, and arrest subjects utilizing social media platforms for the purpose of meeting up with children for a sexual encounter. The individuals thought they were chatting with 14-year-old children on social media and were actually communicating with officers.
Over the course of yesterday's operation, three people were arrested when they arrived at a location to meet up with the presumed child to have sex: A 27-year-old male from Battle Creek, a 49-year-old male from Portage, and a 33-year-old male from Ghana who is residing in Jackson.
About the threat to children, Sheriff Steve Hinkley said, "There are a few things that are the foundation to our community’s success and its future. Our children are one. The internet has opened opportunities to access our children that no one had ever imagined. My office will continue to shine a light of hope into the dark world of Human Trafficking and expose the pain and hurt that is has on so many families. My hope is all parents should find a balance between safety and trust with your child. Digital access to our children is everywhere, and you as a parent should be too."
