FBI complaints of child sexual exploitation and modern-day slavery

Reports and indications are that the FBI may not always be investigating possible crimes reported to it, particularly those involving child sexual abuse, other sexual exploitation, and modern-day slavery initiating in the United States. These are steps that may be taken to help prevent non-action of authorities.

(PRWEB) July 4, 2004 -- Reports and indications are that the FBI may not always be investigating possible crimes reported to it, particularly those involving child sexual abuse, other sexual exploitation, and modern-day slavery initiating in the United States.

Evidence may be in what was recently reported in a New London, Connecticut newspaper regarding child sexual abuse at a Native American "safe house" in Connecticut, although there may be additional jurisdictional issues that make that case even more complex.

The article, published July 2, 2004, is that of The Day staff writer, Karen Florin, entitled "Sexual Abuse Investigated At Tribal Safe House": "Two employees of the Mashantucket Pequot safe house have left their jobs and contacted the FBI because they say children under their care were repeatedly subjected to sexual abuse by other children living in the house. ..."John Guevremont, chief operating officer for the tribe, said the Mashantuckets enlisted the help of the FBI immediately after learning of the allegations last year and conducted two investigations in the past year...

However, the article goes on to say that staff states that "They were unaware that the tribe had contacted the FBI and said no agents ever appeared at the house or interviewed staff or residents."

Reports such as this are some of many that illustrate the need for an increasing role of the public to act as a watchdog of government.

Anyone who files a complaint with the FBI should request the case number that's been assigned to it to help ensure that an investigation is actually taking place. This may be done through the regional FBI office through which the complaint was filed.

Calls to, and other contact made with, the FBI should be well documented by the complainant. Although many staff members of some regional FBI offices insist that it is the FBI's policy that they not provide their identification to callers, by insisting, it is sometimes possible to finally be transferred to someone who is willing to provide their identification and be accountable for what that person will say. How these calls are handled should also be documented. This includes what may appear to be technical problems with the call, such as the call repeatedly getting disconnected just as the person to whom the call has been transferred picks up the phone.

Particularly if a case number is not produced, the Freedom of Information file on the case should also be requested, although this may or may not be possible if the FBI is, indeed, claiming that an investigation is in progress. But it is important to request this as early as possible because the office that handles such requests is claiming that it requires 2 months to a year to get a response. This has been relayed by Debbie Beatty of FBI Records Information Dissemination, Washington, DC, the office responsible for such requests. The telephone number for that office is 202/324-5520.

The FOI request number should also be requested from that office, which should be urged to provide it in a timely manner.

This information is a compilation of advice that was passed to this writer by members of advocacy groups and by federal employees.

Steps such as these should be taken to help prevent non-action of authorities, especially because what may be the case when authorities are either refusing to investigate cases such as these or claiming to be investigating but not actually doing so is that those people may also attempt to prevent anyone else from investigating those possible crimes.

This, in itself, is a federal offense under obstruction of justice. However, because the FBI is also the entity responsible for investigating possible obstruction of justice offenses, the same may also occur in complaints of that offense, particularly if against it's own agency.

A restraining order against those attempting to prevent or obstruct investigation, pursuant to an obstruction of justice complaint, may be filed through the U.S. Attorney's office. However, its issuance is dependent upon the formalizing of the complaint by the FBI.

All or most states also offer an avenue for possibly filing some complaint relating to child sexual exploitation, with some now also enacting laws against modern-day slavery. However, mechanisms to help ensure action by authorities may not even be available at this level. For example, if a complaint regarding this were filed through the Connecticut Chief Attorney's office, those doing so would not be able to acquire the FOI file on that complaint because that office has "carved itself out" of the Connecticut FOI jurisdiction, as stated by Thomas A. Hennick, Public Education Officer for the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission.

Procedural information such as this is particularly important if there is a sincere interest in getting child or other sexual exploitation abuse halted and/or prosecuted.