Officials in Frederick County, Maryland, are taking new steps toward fighting against human trafficking as that area is particularly vulnerable, according to Charlie Smith, the state’s attorney in the county.
“Trafficking is certainly a real issue, an urgent issue, in Frederick County,” Smith said. “It’s something that really profoundly affects our community.”
Smith said the county, with its strategic location along the interstates, is a prime target for traffickers.
Between 2022 and earlier this year, Smith said authorities identified 41 victims of human trafficking in Frederick County. That included 34 victims of sex trafficking and seven victims of labor trafficking.
“We know there are many, many more than that,” Smith said. “That’s just those that we’ve been able to identify with the limited resources we had in place at the time.”
Traffickers have traveled to the county from D.C., Baltimore and several other cities up and down the East Coast, according to Smith.
That’s why he said the county will be getting to work with a $1.06 million federal grant from the Department of Justice.
“This is not just a professional duty, it’s a moral imperative,” said Joyce King, chief counsel with the county’s state’s attorney’s office. “We know the devastating impact that trafficking brings on survivors and on our community as a whole, and we are here to ensure that those who inflict harm will be met with swift and resolute justice.”
The funding will help law enforcement with training and technology in their work investigating cases, and it will help provide housing for victims.
King said county prosecutors would coordinate closely with local law enforcement, federal partners and state police “to ensure that our response is comprehensive.”
She described the effort as being a “long-term commitment.”
“We are dedicated to identifying and rescuing victims, prosecuting offenders to the fullest extent of the law and supporting survivors so they can reclaim their lives,” King said.