Unresolved MD Missing Youth Cases: FBI Reports Increase Of Sexual Exploitation Cases

MARYLAND — An estimated 2,300 children are reported missing every day in the United States. Sometimes the kids are teens who ran away from home, while others have been abducted by family members. Sadly, some are kidnapped for sex trafficking.

On Feb. 23, 172 teens age 18 and younger were listed as unresolved and active missing cases in Maryland by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The reports stretch from 2023 back to the 1960s and haven't been solved.

"Human trafficking is a horrible crime that continues to exist in Maryland and affects all parts of the state," the governor's office said when a human trafficking initiative was announced. "Three major airports, inexpensive bus transportation, train service along the east coast, large sporting events and disposable income makes Maryland an attractive destination for traffickers."

The NCMEC notes on its website that many children who leave home are never reported missing. When a child is reported missing to law enforcement, federal law requires that child be entered into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center. According to the FBI, in 2021 there were 337,195 NCIC entries for missing children.

"Children who run away make up a majority of the missing child cases reported to us. These children are highly vulnerable and face many risks including homelessness, gang involvement and child sex trafficking," the NCMEC noted. "Missing children are reported to us by parents, guardians or law enforcement."

As of Dec. 31, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Crime Information Center reported law enforcement officers entering 546,568 missing person records across the country. Juveniles younger than age 18 accounted for 30,522 of those cases (31 percent) and juveniles age 21 and younger comprised 41 percent of cases, or 39,504 incidents.

According to the FBI, human trafficking can happen anywhere to anyone. The most common lures in kidnapping attempts, according to the NCMEC, are:

• Offering the child a ride
• Offering the child candy or sweets
• Asking the child questions
• Offering the child money
• Using an animal to interest the child

Most abductions of children by unknown individuals happened when a child was going to or from school-related activities, particularly on the street while they are playing, walking or riding bikes.

"Attempted abductions of older children are more likely to involve a sexual component," the FBI noted.

Missing in Maryland

Sherry Llewellyn, spokesperson for the Howard County Police Department, told Patch that the agency has seen a trend of teens entering the U.S. and then becoming transient.

"Sometimes friends or family members will report them 'missing,' but it is usually determined that they are alive and well and choosing to move from place to place," Llewellyn said.

Cristie Hopkins, spokesperson for the Harford County Sheriff's Office, told Patch the majority of teens missing in Harford County have run away.

Sex trafficking of Maryland teens is an issue. In one case, Willis Lewis and Brittany Jones were found guilty last year of sex trafficking by force, fraud, coercion, sex trafficking of minors, and related offenses. Prosecutors said they trafficked girls who were 15 and 17 between April and May of 2019.

Former Baltimore resident Terrell Armstead was sentenced to 23 years in prison for sex trafficking by force and other offenses. According to evidence presented at trial, from March 2015 until September 2019, in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and elsewhere, Armstead trafficked several young women for commercial sex, including one who was only 16 years old. He used social media to lure his victims from across the country based on false promises of success, financial comfort and security.

Find missing Maryland youth on the NCMEC website and on the Maryland Center for Missing and Unidentified Person's Facebook page.

Marylanders can bring attention to the issue of human trafficking and reduce the chances of others becoming victims in the future.

Steps to take include:

• Talking with children about the dangers of human trafficking.
• Monitoring your child’s online activity.
• Know community resources available to victims of human trafficking.
• Recognize potential red flags of potential human trafficking victims, such as:
  • Showing a lack of interest in previous activities
  • Becoming isolated from regular friends
  • Unexplained access to cash, expensive items, clothing, etc…

If you see someone in danger, contact 911 immediately or contact the BeFreeTextline – Text HELP to 233733 (BEFREE).

Sextortion on the rise

The FBI reports seeing a "huge increase" in cases involving children and teens being threatened and coerced into sending explicit images online, a crime called sextortion. Sextortion can occur on any site, app, messaging platform or game where people meet and communicate, according to the FBI.

In some cases, the first contact from the criminal will be a threat. The person may claim to already have a revealing picture or video of a child that will be shared if the victim does not send more pictures. Most of the time, sextortion crimes start when young people believe they are communicating with someone their own age who is interested in a relationship.

After the criminals have one or more videos or pictures, they threaten to publish that content, or they threaten violence, to get the victim to produce more images.

"The shame, fear and confusion children feel when they are caught in this cycle often prevents them from asking for help or reporting the abuse," the FBI noted. "The individuals carrying out this crime are skilled and ruthless and have honed their techniques and approaches to maximize their chances at success."

The FBI has interviewed sextortion victims as young as 8.

If you are a human trafficking victim or if you have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. This national, toll-free hotline has specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can also submit a tip at humantraffickinghotline.org.