Sex trafficking Coverage

Man who worked at RDU airport arrested in Florida child trafficking sting

Edmundo Dasilva, 37, of Holly Springs, is charged with multiple felonies, including human trafficking, use of a computer to solicit a guardian, traveling to meet a minor and use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony.

Fact-checking Britt's retelling of a sex trafficking survivor's story

Delivering the Republican response to President Joe Biden's State of the Union address, U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., told the harrowing story of a woman who was sex trafficked by drug cartels when she was 12.

Maria Ramirez Uribe, PolitiFact reporter

Warrants detail how would-be sex predators were caught in Wake Forest

A new search warrant details how the FBI and Wake Forest police were able to arrest one of six men charged with human trafficking and soliciting prostitution.

How they voted: NC congressional votes for the week ending Feb. 15

A look at how North Carolina members of Congress voted during the previous week.

Targeted News Service

Navigating the conversation: Discussing sex trafficking with your child

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Here are some guidelines I learned on how to discuss sex trafficking with children.

Jelia Hepner, WRAL multiplatform producer

New documents unsealed from Jeffrey Epstein lawsuit

Hundreds of pages of unsealed documents from a lawsuit connected to accused sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein were publicly released on Wednesday. The documents are expected to include nearly 200 names, including some of Epstein's accusers, prominent businesspeople, politicians and potentially more.

Jeffrey Epstein documents unsealed, naming Prince Andrew and former President Clinton

(CNN) -- Hundreds of pages of unsealed documents from a lawsuit connected to accused sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein were publicly released on Wednesday. The documents are expected to include nearly 200 names, including some of Epstein's accusers, prominent businesspeople, politicians and potentially more.

Samantha Delouya, Lauren del Valle and Kara Scannell, CNN

NC man wanted in Missouri on sex trafficking charges

According to court documents and police reports, the man is accused of uploading a sexually explicit video of a girl under the age of 14 and blackmailing her for more photos.

North Carolina man wanted for sex trafficking, enticing child for sex trafficking in Missouri, court documents say

Authorities in North Carolina and Missouri said a man from Cameron uploaded a sexually explicit video of a girl under the age of 14 and then demanded more explicit photos when the girl asked for the video to be taken down.

Ashley Rowe, WRAL anchor/reporter

FBI finds 59 missing children and nearly 200 human trafficking suspects

A federal operation in July identified dozens of victims of sex trafficking and almost 200 human trafficking suspects in only a two-week span.

Sheriff: Florida man arrested in Nash County for abducting girl

A 16-year-old girl was reported missing five hours prior by the Coral Springs Police Department in Florida when she was found in a traffic stop along I-95.

Can the NFL's Rules for Team Ownership Survive its Skyrocketing Valuations?

If you watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, you will probably watch it live. That's becoming increasingly rare in today's era of cord cutting, and it's one of the reasons valuations of football teams -- along with those in nearly every other sport -- have skyrocketed. With teams no longer viewed as merely trophies, the money has flowed in from investors who are rushing to own a piece of the action.

Lauren Hirsch, Sarah Kessler and Bernhard Warner, New York Times

Raleigh mother shares how her 12-year-old daughter was lured into human trafficking

Earlier this summer, the unthinkable happened to a 12-year-old Wake County middle school student. On the condition of anonymity, WRAL News spoke with the girl's mother about the incident.

'It's right here in Wake County': Raleigh mother shares how her 12-year-old daughter was lured into human trafficking

Earlier this summer, the unthinkable happened to a 12-year-old Wake County middle school student. On the condition of anonymity, WRAL News spoke with the girl's mother about the incident.

Chelsea Donovan, WRAL reporter

Raleigh woman linked to alleged prostitution of 12-year-old girl

Brieania Pinnock, 21, has a history of charges for sexually exploiting a minor or promoting prostitution.

Chelsea Donovan, WRAL reporter

Feds: Durham man forced NC girls to be prostitutes in Myrtle Beach

A Durham man was sentenced Thursday to more than 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to forcing minors from North Carolina to be prostitutes in Myrtle Beach, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Prince Andrew Settles Sexual Abuse Lawsuit With Virginia Giuffre

Prince Andrew, the disgraced second son of Queen Elizabeth II, has settled a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, a woman who had accused him of raping her when she was a teenage victim of Andrew’s friend, notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a new court filing in Manhattan Tuesday.

Benjamin Weiser, New York Times

Gaetz associate Joel Greenberg scheduled to be sentenced in August

A federal judge in Orlando has scheduled Joel Greenberg, the former Florida tax collector with close ties to Rep. Matt Gaetz, to be sentenced August 19.

By Katelyn Polantz, CNN

Child abuse prevention group claims Greensboro church intimidated families following preschool teacher's abuse

A nonprofit organization representing child abuse awareness held a news conference after a preschool teacher from a Greensboro church was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for abusing children.

Florida woman gets 11 years in prison for prostituting Raleigh teen

A Florida woman was sentenced to federal prison Thursday for prostituting a 14-year-old in Raleigh, authorities said.

Deposition of Ghislaine Maxwell, Charged in Epstein Case, Is Revealed

For years, Ghislaine Maxwell has been a central but silent figure in the scandal involving Jeffrey Epstein’s history of abusing teenage girls.

Benjamin Weiser, Alan Feuer and Amy Julia Harris, New York Times

Charge that Maxwell 'groomed' girls for Epstein is central to case

Annie Farmer was 16 when she arrived at Jeffrey Epstein's ranch in New Mexico in 1996 to attend a program for high school students, only to learn that she was the sole participant.

Nicole Hong and Benjamin Weiser, New York Times

Trump wishes former Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell 'well' as she faces charges of enticement of minors

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he wishes Ghislaine Maxwell "well," as she faces charges for recruiting, grooming and ultimately sexually abusing minors as young as 14 as Jeffrey Epstein's alleged accomplice.

By Maegan Vazquez and Allie Malloy, CNN

College students allegedly forced to work at Pinehurst home

A New Jersey man has been charged with abusing his daughter's college friends, including forcing them to work without pay at his family's property in Pinehurst.

Sex trafficking case links elite NY college, Pinehurst home

Lawrence V. Ray showed up at his daughter's elite college, in a New York City suburb, in late 2010, shortly after being released from prison, and moved into her dormitory. Soon, he started doing "therapy sessions" with her roommates, convincing them he could help with their problems.

Benjamin Weiser and William K. Rashbaum, New York Times