Items written by Shea Rhodes
-
Wilkes-Barre Police Officer Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Four Women in His Patrol Car While on Duty
Date: January 30, 2019
On January 22, 2019, 53-year-old Wilkes-Barre police officer, Robert M. Collins, was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting four women in his patrol car while on duty. Collins has been an officer of the Wilkes-Barre police department for 12 years. Until … Read more about Wilkes-Barre Police Officer Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Four Women in His Patrol Car While on Duty »
-
Former Philadelphia Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Deprivation of Rights After Sexually Assaulting a Woman in His Squad Car
Date: January 29, 2019
On January 25, 2019, Thomas O’Neill, a 24-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, pled guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under 18 U.S.C. §242 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Philly.com reported O’Neill sexually assaulted a woman … Read more about Former Philadelphia Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Deprivation of Rights After Sexually Assaulting a Woman in His Squad Car »
-
Having a Choice? A Response to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s “Sex Workers Don’t Need Aggressive Prosecution to Protect Themselves”
Date: January 28, 2019
On January 14, 2019, The Philadelphia Inquirer published an op-ed entitled, “Sex workers don’t need aggressive prosecution to protect themselves.” In the article, author Aisha Mohammed, MFT, criticizes the approach taken by U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, … Read more about Having a Choice? A Response to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s “Sex Workers Don’t Need Aggressive Prosecution to Protect Themselves” »
-
Cyntoia Brown Granted Clemency
Date: January 7, 2019
On January 7, 2019, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam granted clemency to child sex trafficking victim, Cyntoia Brown. For the last 15 years Ms. Brown has been serving a life sentence for killing a 43-year-old real estate agent who bought her … Read more about Cyntoia Brown Granted Clemency »
-
Leechburg Police Chief Pleads Guilty to Soliciting Sex from a Minor
Date: January 2, 2019
According to TRIB Live, Leechburg Pennsylvania’s suspended police chief will remain incarcerated for the next seven weeks after pleading guilty to solicitating sex from an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old girl. Michael Diebold pleaded guilty in the Common Pleas … Read more about Leechburg Police Chief Pleads Guilty to Soliciting Sex from a Minor »
-
Wayne County Investigation Misses the Mark
Date: December 21, 2018
This past September in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, authorities conducted an all-day undercover prostitution investigation in which 11 people were arrested, according to The News Eagle. Of those arrests, Brian Merrit, Michael Bauman, John Menapace, and David Ferguson ultimately plead guilty … Read more about Wayne County Investigation Misses the Mark »
-
UPDATE: Pennsylvania Man Convicted of Forcing Women into “Sex Slave Contracts”
Date: December 20, 2018
On December 7, 2018, a Northampton County jury convicted Seth Mull, 31, of Lower Saucon Township, of thirty criminal charges after deliberating for just six hours. The verdict was reached after a weeklong trial in which jurors heard testimony about … Read more about UPDATE: Pennsylvania Man Convicted of Forcing Women into “Sex Slave Contracts” »
-
Caln Spa Raid Highlights Inequality in Policing Practices
Date: December 19, 2018
On July 6th, 2018, a raid of an illicit massage spa located in a Caln, Pennsylvania strip mall was completed by local police. The raid was the culmination of more than a year’s worth of work by Caln Police, which … Read more about Caln Spa Raid Highlights Inequality in Policing Practices »
-
Sting in Palmer Township Results in Arrests for Promoting Prostitution
Date: December 12, 2018
A father and son were arrested on December 7, 2018 for allegedly selling a woman for sex in Palmer Township, according to reports by Lehigh Valley Live. Jason R. Cash, 41, and Justin C. Kresley, 20 were arraigned last week … Read more about Sting in Palmer Township Results in Arrests for Promoting Prostitution »
-
Delaware’s Attorney General Sues Under New Law to Shut Down LLCs Associated with Backpage.com
Date: December 5, 2018
On November 19, 2018, the Attorney General of Delaware, Matt Denn, filed a complaint with the Court of Chancery to shut down several limited liability companies (“LLCs”) associated with Backpage.com (“Backpage”), an online advertising website notorious for facilitating sex trafficking. … Read more about Delaware’s Attorney General Sues Under New Law to Shut Down LLCs Associated with Backpage.com »