sexual exploitation
Voices: Domestic Abuse and Human Trafficking Awareness
Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 03/30/2019 - 9:13am
We all must come together as one if we would like to end domestic abuse and human trafficking. I applaud the brave women who have been coming forward, discussing their past and the traumas they have endured. One of the reasons that we read history books is so we can learn from others mistakes. If we would like to make an impacting change in this world, we must acknowledge the whole issue.
Human trafficking: Awareness and education are key to ending it
Submitted by paula on Sun, 02/04/2018 - 8:38pm
Human Trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labor, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others; a modern day form of slavery. It is a multi-billion dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to 20.9 million people around the world
And its happening outside our door.
Human trafficking – A look beneath the surface
Submitted by paula on Thu, 01/11/2018 - 2:30pm
Event Date:
January 30, 2018 - 6:30pm
The question I get asked the most when sharing that I’m a member of PATH (Partners Against the Trafficking of Humans) is: Is human trafficking happening here in South Lake Tahoe? The answer is yes, although solid numbers are hard to come by. Recently, it was reported in local media that 14 people were arrested and one 17 year old girl rescued from a trafficking ring in El Dorado County that included South Lake Tahoe, Placerville, and El Dorado Hills.
Gardnerville man sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor
Submitted by paula on Wed, 11/29/2017 - 11:04pm
Stephan L. DeGraffenreid will be spending the next 15 years in prison after being sentenced Wednesday by United States District Judge Howard D. McKibben.
DeGraffenreid plead guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor in September. He was sentenced to the minimum number of years for those charges.
Former Heavenly employee pleads guilty to child porn charges
Submitted by paula on Wed, 09/06/2017 - 9:17am
Former Heavenly Mountain Resort employee Stephan DeGraffenreid pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor.
He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison on each of the three counts.
Heavenly employee arrested on child exploitation and pornography charges
Submitted by paula on Wed, 04/05/2017 - 6:18pm
A 26-year-old male employee at the Heavenly Mountain Resort children’s ski school was officially charged Wednesday for child exploitation and possession of child pornography after images were found on an electronic device at the resort.
Stephan L. DeGraffenreid of Gardnerville was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of possession of child pornography.
Former South Lake Tahoe Fire Capt. Mark Wygant sentenced to 10 years in prison
Submitted by paula on Fri, 03/03/2017 - 5:57pm
Former South Lake Tahoe Fire Captain Mark McLeod Wygant was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 10 years in prison for transportation of child pornography
Wygant, 46, plead guilty in December.
Following an FBI and SLT Police Department investigation, Wygant was a
arrested on Jan. 29 2015 and has been in custody ever since. He had been immediately placed on administration leave but resigned just days after his arrest.
Former South Lake Tahoe Fire Capt. Mark Wygant pleads guilty to child porn charge
Submitted by paula on Fri, 12/16/2016 - 4:32pm
Former South Lake Tahoe Fire Captain Mark McLeod Wygant, 46, pleaded guilty in federal court today to transportation of child pornography.
Following an FBI and SLT Police Department investigation, Wygant was a
arrested on Jan. 29 2015 and has been in custody ever since. He had been immediately placed on administration leave but resigned just days after his arrest.
"I am pleased that Mr. Wygant plead guilty to his crime and the punishment will now in the hands of the criminal justice system," said SLT Fire Chief Jeff Meston.
El Dorado County man arrested on exploitation and assault charges
Submitted by paula on Thu, 06/02/2016 - 2:19pm
Deputies from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon in Diamond Springs on Tuesday, May 31 at 10:00 a.m.
Upon arrival, they discovered that Luis Javier Calderon, 33, had taken a knife from the home's kitchen and went into a bedroom where a 14-year-old female relative was sleeping. Calderon held the knife to her neck and made her stand and remove all of her clothing, according to a EDSO press release.
South Lake Tahoe is not immune to Human Trafficking
Submitted by paula on Sat, 03/05/2016 - 6:13pm
This is part two in a series of a look into Human Trafficking in South Lake Tahoe.
Human trafficking. Its not just a Third World problem, its not just a big city problem, and its not a poor or rich problem. There are millions around the world who are victims to human trafficking, a business that is estimated to be a $32 billion industry.
And its happening in our backyard.
The facts are sobering.
Foster care is a pipeline for commercial sexual exploitation of children
Submitted by paula on Tue, 03/01/2016 - 12:17pm
Three training programs taking place at Lake Tahoe Community College Tuesday are giving the community an opportunity to become more aware about both local and national exploitation of children.
National speaker Deanna Graves, founder of Traffick911, is in South Lake Tahoe to educate attendees on how they can combat the trafficking of our most vulnerable population, the foster child.
16-year-old charged with sexual battery and child pornography
Submitted by paula on Wed, 10/21/2015 - 9:53pm
Ponderosa High School resource officers were notified of a 16-year-old male student who was reportedly showing photos of a naked female to other students on Tuesday, October 20, 2015.
An investigation was started and the photos were located on the student’s cellular telephone. The photos were of an underage nude female who had posed for the pictures. Further investigation revealed the same male subject allegedly inappropriately touched another female student the prior day while on the campus, which is located in Cameron Park.
Ponderosa High students arrested after filming sex act
Submitted by paula on Sat, 10/17/2015 - 8:50pm
Two male Ponderosa High students were arrested and booked into the El Dorado County Juvenile Hall on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography, sexual exploitation of a child and conspiracy to commit a felony crime.
Ex-South Lake Tahoe fire captain indicted for sexual exploitation of minors
Submitted by paula on Thu, 02/12/2015 - 3:07pm
A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment today against Mark McLeod Wygant, 44, resident of Chico and former South Lake Tahoe Fire Captain, charging him with Sexual Exploitation and Attempted Sexual Exploitation of Minors, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
November is National Runaway Prevention Month
Submitted by paula on Tue, 11/04/2014 - 8:10pm
What are the first thoughts that go through your mind when you see a youth on the streets? How did they get there, where are their parents, and are they safe? It’s disturbing to realize that between 1.6 and 2.8 million youth run away annually. Most youth who run away do so because of threatening environments at home, such as physical/verbal abuse, substance abuse issues, questions of sexual orientation, or escaping state care. Unfortunately, by choosing to run away, they further subject themselves to threatening situations that impede their progress in life.
Human Trafficking in El Dorado County on the Rise; Presentation at County Supervisor's Meeting Tuesday
Submitted by paula on Sat, 04/19/2014 - 11:34pm
Incidents of human trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) are becoming more prevalent in the County of El Dorado and more and more common throughout the country.
From 2010 to 2012, the El Dorado County Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA) was aware of 3 CSEC cases. From 2013 to present, HHSA is aware of 15 additional CSEC cases, most of which are children in the foster care and/or probation system.
