CA - San Diego, Gang members arrested for alleged sex trafficking

Gang targeted in San Diego sex trafficking charges; 17 arrested in 3 states

SAN DIEGO – Seventeen people were arrested Wednesday in California, Arizona and New Jersey under an indictment that accuses a San Diego-based street gang of running a vast prostitution ring.

The gang based in San Diego's increasingly gentrified North Park neighborhood operated a prostitution ring spanning 46 cities in 23 states, recruiting women and girls by promising luxurious lifestyles, prosecutors said. Gang members allegedly branded the women with tattoos and bar codes and traded them among themselves.

full article at link ........... http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/01/0...-trafficking-charges-17-arrested-in-3-states/

Alleged gang members charged in racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking

SAN DIEGO - Two dozen alleged North Park gang members and their associates were charged in an indictment unsealed Wednesday as members of a racketeering conspiracy linked to the trafficking of women and girls as young as 15, a murder nearly 20 years ago and robbery and drug offenses.

U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy said a combination of two gangs, dubbed "BMS" by law enforcement, earned money by trafficking 60 girls and women from ages 15 to 25 for prostitution in 46 cities in 23 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.

"Over the last several years, the defendants in this enterprise had really expanded enterprise activities, like a profit-driven, fast-expanding corporation," Duffy said. "The kind of sex trafficking described in the indictment is nothing less than modern-day slavery.

more at link ............. http://www.10news.com/news/alleged-...keteering-conspiracy-sex-trafficking-01082014

Feds: Alleged Pimps Branded Prostitutes With Tattoos

There were approximately 60 victims from San Diego and officials said at least 11 of those victims were underage.

“Some of the underage girls were kids who lived at home with their parents or guardians. They are kids who went to school, socialized with their friends and over the internet just like regular teens,” Duffy explained.

The indictment alleges that the local suspects involved in this sex trafficking ring ranged in age from 22 to 36 years old.

According to court documents, some of the defendants attended parties in San Diego or around the country known as “Players’ Balls,” invitation-only gathering for pimps. One defendant – 33-year-old Robert Banks – even received an award at one of these parties.

A photo posted to social media from one of these gatherings in Las Vegas showed Banks posing with a “pimp cup” and “pimp stick,” flanked by a woman on each arm. Court documents said one of these women in the photo is a known prostitute.

According to court documents, it’s common for pimps to carry highly-adorned chalices known as “pimp cups” as a symbol of their status. Some pimps also have dental “grills” – dental add-ons made of gold that can be worth thousands of dollars.


Source: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loc...cking-bomb-squad-239304771.html#ixzz2pxqtzyPG

Whoa! I'm speechless. Wonder how long it took investigators to tie these victims together? And realize they were all part of the an organized crime group. :what:

Ciao

Robert Bank's FB profile (with lots of photos of 'pimp' cups and lots of chatter about pimping):

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/robert.p.banks

^that profile was eye-opening btw ... I didn't think people like that really existed

Department of Justice

News Release

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
San Diego, California

United States Attorney
Laura E. Duffy

For Further Information, Contact: Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano (619) 546-8104
For Immediate Release

NORTH PARK GANG MEMBERS INDICTED IN RACKETEERING CONSPIRACY
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 8, 2014

SAN DIEGO – Twenty-four alleged North Park gang members and associates are charged in an indictment unsealed today as members of a racketeering conspiracy that involved cross-country sex trafficking of underage girls and women plus murder, kidnapping, robbery and drug-related crimes.

Early this morning detectives and agents from the San Diego Police Department and the FBI, with
assistance from other agencies, made 17 arrests in San Diego, Arizona and New Jersey and served 11
search warrants in San Diego and Arizona. Four defendants were already in custody on other charges. The
local defendants are scheduled to make their first court appearances tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. before U.S.
Magistrate Judge Barbara Major. Three defendants are fugitives.

According to the federal grand jury indictment, the primary business of the gang was sex trafficking in 46 cities across 23 states. The organization was known as “BMS,” which is a combination of “Black MOB” and “Skanless” gangs, and these members are also allegedly aligned with other streets gangs, including Neighborhood Crips, Lincoln Park and West Coast Crips, among others.

more at link ................... http://www.justice.gov/usao/cas/press/2014/cas14-0108-PR_PittmanIndict.pdf

What the heck?? From your link:

During today’s searches, law enforcement officials seized two firearms; 20 to 30 marijuana plants; six
luxury cars; flat screen televisions; several thousand dollars in cash; numerous pimp paraphernalia such as cups, sticks and hats; more than 50 pairs of Air Jordan shoes.

14 defendants plead not guilty to sex trafficking

Authorities say members of a San Diego-based gang lured women and girls with promises of luxurious lifestyles. They say the dozens of victims, spread across 46 cities in 23 states, were instead branded with tattoos, passed from gang member to gang member and forced to sell themselves.

more at link ............. http://www.760kfmb.com/story/24415384/14-defendants-plead-not-guilty-to-sex-trafficking

Sooo creepy...

And... soooo close to home...

:what:

LadyL said:

Robert Bank's FB profile (with lots of photos of 'pimp' cups and lots of chatter about pimping):

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/robert.p.banks

Click to expand...

This may be a long shot..

But I see on Robert Bank's FB page a specific location with map... the Tilted Kilt...

There is a girl missing from Myrtle Beach, SC who worked at the Tilted Kilt in MB, SC area... I wonder if there could be some kind of connection?

:dunno: