4 Human Trafficking Victims Rescued In Wisconsin During FBI Operation

WISCONSIN — Four victims of human trafficking were rescued in Wisconsin in August as part of the FBI's Operation Cross Country, according to the agency's Milwaukee field office.

Eight people were also arrested in Wisconsin in connection with human trafficking violations, the agency announced Wednesday in a news release. The operation spanned the country for two weeks and began in Wisconsin on Aug. 4. Altogether across the U.S. the operation located 141 adult trafficking victims, 84 minors who were victims of child sex trafficking and exploitation, plus 37 actively missing children, authorites said.

The rescues and arrests in Wisconsin came with cooperation from police in Burlington, Caledonia, Glendale, Grand Chute, Milwaukee, Mount Pleasant, Oak Creek, Oshkosh, Racine, Sturtevant and beyond. Sheriff's deputies from Milwaukee, Racine and Sheboygan also assisted.

The average age of the people rescued across the country was 15.5, with the youngest just 11 years old, according to the FBI.

"Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes the FBI encounters,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a statement. “Unfortunately, such crimes—against both adults and children—are far more common than most people realize. As we did in this operation, the FBI and our partners will continue to find and arrest traffickers, identify and help victims, and raise awareness of the exploitation of our most vulnerable populations.”

Participating in the operation were special agents from the FBI, intelligence analysts, victim specialists and adolescent forensic investigators, authorities said. The force conducted 391 operations over the two weeks in August.