Phoenix child trafficking arrest calls attention to issue
Hundreds of cases reported each year in Arizona - Biana Buono reports
PHOENIX, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A woman is in custody after Phoenix police say she tried to arrange sex between a 16-year-old girl and an undercover detective. The arrest puts a spotlight on this incident, but highlights a larger problem across the state of Arizona.
Police made the arrest around eight Saturday night. They say 22-year-old Precious Drake went up to a man and offered to have sex with him for $100. They say she then called over her 16-year-old friend, and offered to include her in their encounter for another $100.
It turns out the man Drake's accused of propositioning was an undercover detective. Police took both the woman and the teenager into custody.
Court documents show Drake told investigators she and the girl traveled from Mississippi to Texas and then on to Arizona with the victim's boyfriend.
Drake is now charged with child sex trafficking.
"We only think about trafficking when we see the movie 'Taken' or things like that so it doesn't enter our minds. The reality is trafficking happens in grade schools. It happens in elementary and high schools." says Courtney Bollinger of Streetlight USA.
Streetlight USA is an organization that works with girls victimized by, or at risk for, sex trafficking. Bollinger says the statistics are alarming.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline says last year there were more than 200 cases reported in Arizona alone. More startling, the average age of someone lured into trafficking is just 14 and a half.
"Unfortunately traffickers and pimps and groomers all know how to pick out a kiddo who is alone and afraid and does not feel loved." said Bollinger.
She says, in addition to showing your child love, there are a number of things you can do to keep your kids safe.
"Talk to your kids about sex trafficking. Talking to the kids about social media and the dangers of it. This one is huge. Social media is the top platform now for traffickers to find victims." she said.
For more on Streetlight USA's mission, you can visit its website.
