Women held against their will in padlocked residences in Rutland were freed Friday by Vermont State Police and Homeland Security.
Members of the Vermont State Police Tactical Services Unit and a Special Response Team of the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Boston Field Office executed two search warrants in Rutland in the early morning of Oct. 22 at two residences, one located at 47 Baxter St. and one at 146 Maple St. The two residences were suspected of being linked by drug trafficking activity.
Prior to executing the search warrant at 146 Maple St., law enforcement had received indicators that women might be confined at that location against their will. During the execution of the warrant at the 146 Maple St. location, VSP troopers and HSI special agents located evidence indicating potential human trafficking, including a padlocked apartment door and multiple chain-link storage areas. Three women were encountered behind the padlocked apartment door. The women did not appear to be injured, but out of an abundance of caution they were checked and cleared by medical personnel. The women are in the process of being interviewed, and a victim witness advocate who specializes in human trafficking is on scene.
Law enforcement is continuing to search and process evidence obtained from both residences. Members of the Vermont State Police, including the Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Narcotics Investigation Unit, and uniformed troopers from the Field Force Division, are working with special agents from HSI’s Burlington Regional Office and Boston Field Office, which covers all of New England. The Rutland City Police Department and Rutland County Sheriff’s Office also provided vital assistance.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact the HSI tip line at 866-347-2423.
Categories: Crime
This sounds like a democrat-run operation.
“Us vs. Them” is what is destroying this country.
Sounds like residents of Burlington and Montpelier need to make sure their city councils understand that legalizing prostitution would make this exact situation a common occurrence in their cities.
It sounds like the residents of Burlington and Montpelier need to inform their city councils that this will be common occurrence, should prostitution become legal in these cities. Those that attempt to spin a different tale ought interview these women.
where there are three women in captivity, there are more. THIS is only the tip of the iceberg. Legalizing prostitution will be a sex trafficker’s dream. Panhandling is also part of human trafficking. People need to educate themselves because this DOES happen in VT. With the influx of drug dealers and undocumented aliens, this is being brought to the surface. It will affect all of our young women and children in each of our insulated towns. Be watchful of what your kids are doing on FB and gaming sites for kids. Educate young women about the dangers of dating sites. There needs to be much more public education about this. One ring was already busted in Derby Line a few summers ago. Once they go over the border finding these victims becomes an inrenatinal incident.
Burlington and Montpeculiar City Councils should not worry the Cartels have an endless supply of indebted sex workers coming thru our open borders. The payoff money will continue to flow into their campaign coffers.