This case study will detail an untraditional sex trafficking investigation involving the abuse of power of some of the community's most trusted figures. The presenters will describe how pastors Anthony Haynes, Cordell Jenkins, and Kenneth Butler used their positions to groom and sexually abuse children. In addition, Jenkins’ wife (the County Administrator and board member for Children’s Services) actively obstructed the investigation to protect her husband. Further complications with the case included death threats to the acting federal judge, and Haynes’ wife and stepdaughter abducting and assaulting the main victim days before trial. The presenters will discuss the time-sensitive nature of the investigation, the significance of the cell phone extractions, the corroboration of the victims’ statements, the use of covertly recorded phone calls which led to the arrest of one pastor, the importance of protecting your victims prior to trial, issues investigators faced with Children’s Services, and the importance of DNA collection. For more information, please see the related links: Link 1, Link 2, Link 3, Link 4, Link 5
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to organize investigative tasks based on their time-sensitive nature.
Upon completion, participants will be able to plan for unexpected events that may arise during the course of a sex trafficking case.
Upon completion, participants will be able to identify what evidence is pertinent to a federal child sex trafficking investigation.
