Alabama officials said the alleged sex trafficking operation, which involved children as young as three and was operated out of a concrete bunker, has led to the charging of seven individuals.
At a news conference on Wednesday, Bibb County Sheriff Jody Wade stated that the assault occurred in a cinder block facility in Brent, Alabama, 50 miles southwest of Birmingham, and that the case included allegations of rape, sexual torture, kidnapping, and human trafficking.
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He described the alleged torture and abuse as the most heinous act against children that he had ever witnessed.
Wade remarked, “I know that God’s forgiveness is limitless.” However, I believe we’ve reached the limit, assuming there was one.
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In addition to claiming that the sex abuse ring may have earned $1,000 a night, he said the operators charged others to enter the bunker and abuse the children.
According to Wade, the kids would occasionally be present, shackled to a bed, attached to a pole, or sitting in a chair… These children might occasionally be the victims of overnight visits from several individuals.
The sheriff’s office published a picture of the bunker’s interior that included a fan, a folding chair, and a dirty mattress in a corner.
Additionally, the sheriff claimed that the kids were occasionally given drugs to make them a little more sleepy and obedient.
Birmingham’s WVTM, an NBC News affiliate, received allegations alleging that the kids were disciplined with an animal shock collar.
According to Wade, several of the ten alleged victims, who vary in age from three to fifteen, have family members among the accused.
Robert H. Turner, Jr., the district attorney for Alabama’s 4th Judicial Circuit, stated that the state is in possession of the children.
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The sheriff stated that the investigation started in February after Bibb County authorities were notified by state child welfare officials about the potential for abuse at a residence close to the bunker, and that the plan seemed to have come together around 2022.According to the sheriff, the kids didn’t reside in the bunker.
Wade said that the sex trafficking case might have been postponed because of a narcotics trafficking investigation conducted at the site.
The sheriff remarked, “We had a little hold on until we could rescue these children.”
According to the sheriff’s office, at least two of the arrests took place in April. According to Wade, several defendants have admitted to the offenses listed in the indictment.
According to the criminal complaints, the seven are accused of rape, sexual abuse and sexual torture of a minor, human trafficking, sodomy, kidnapping, bestiality, and animal abuse.
It’s unclear if every defendant has gotten legal advice.
“We are diligently investigating all leads and gathering evidence to build the strongest possible case,” Turner stated.
There will probably be more arrests and charges, Turner said.
In an email on Friday, he stated, “We expect that additional names that have come to light during the investigation will also be presented for consideration.”
Wade added that there might be further casualties.
According to Wade, Homeland Security Investigations is investigating potential connections to a nationwide gang-run sex trafficking organization. A request for comment on Friday was not immediately answered by the agency.
Samantha Cookinham and Natalie Obregon also contributed.
Call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at (800) 422-4453 or visit www.childhelphotline.org if you are a child experiencing abuse or know a kid who could be experiencing it. Call 911 if you believe a kid’s life is in immediate danger, even though many states provide child abuse hotlines.
