The Shocking New Reality of Local Human Trafficking
Dewitt County Sheriff, Carl Bowen came to the studio to speak about human trafficking.
When Dewitt County Sheriff Bowen came into the studio, we had no idea how serious the discussion on recent "bailout" reports was going to get nor did we comprehend how serious human trafficking has become in our area.
Recording for our special Townsquare Extra, Victoria Report, which you can hear on our stations on Sunday mornings, Sheriff Bowen sat down and laid out, on his terms, how the bailouts we keep seeing in our local news is a humanitarian crisis.
Recent Human Trafficking Arrest Made Yesterday
Just yesterday, June 28th, six men were arrested in Victoria County and returned to Border Patrol when a Victoria County Deputy pulled over an SUV near Chubbys on US 77 which was discovered to be stolen from Houston and carrying seven undocumented immigrants. The driver could be charged with human trafficking.
What is a "bailout"?
This is just one of the dozens of arrests and bailouts in the Crossroads recently. Bailouts if you are unfamiliar is when a vehicle, frequently a truck or SUV is pulled over and undocumented immigrants bail out of the vehicle often attempting to avoid capture and arrest.
Sheriff Bowen offers that there is a process in place for immigrants to enter the United States legally, and unfortunately, local law enforcement is seeing more instances of people crossing illegally that have 'flags' or records that might have caused them to have their request to enter the US legally declined. Sheriff Bowen offers pointedly, " It's sad, but many of these immigrants are told there is a better life waiting for them in America and then offered a loan by the cartel to travel across the border. Once across, they are basically owned by the cartel. It is a humanitarian issue"
Sheriff Bowen says. " Think of it like this, you can sell an illegal drug once, but you can sell a human over and over again."
Absolutely shocking and heartbreaking too.
Where can you hear more of the interview?
You can hear the full interview in Sheriff's Bowen's own words by joining us for Townsquare Extra- Victoria Report- this Sunday, July 4th at 7:30 am on KIXS 108 radio station and 6:30 am on Q92, Klub 106.9, and JACK 98.7 stations as well.
One very important note: Sheriff Bowen advises if you happen to encounter what you believe might be a human trafficking situation, please do not engage. Instead, he advises you to immediately call 911.
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