Tragedy of Human as seen by the head of Homeland Security Operations in Norfolk
Mar 06, 2018
Mike Lamonea at Town Point Club
Tragedy of Human as seen by the head of Homeland Security Operations in Norfolk

Alert to Rotarians that this meeting will be held at Town Point Club in the World Trade Center Norfolk 

January was National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention month and law enforcement agencies reminded residents about the crime they say is hidden in plain sight. Last year, The Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force was assembled to help victims of human trafficking and put the abusers behind bars. The move came after Virginia was recorded as having the 15th highest number of human trafficking cases among states nationwide in 2016, according to the office of Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring.

The team is led by the ICE's Homeland Security Investigations, Herrings office, and the Samaritan House, a local non-profit. Michael Lamonea who is the assistant special agent in charge with ICE's Homeland Security Investigations in Norfolk, says the community can help stop human trafficking but many people don't know what to look for. 

"People don't understand it's actually in their community . If it's not towards the forefront of their mind, they may not be looking for it or noticing those indicators when they see it," he said.