by LISA MCNEIL
HERNANDO SUN REPORTER
Sheriff Al Nienhuis was the first to speak at the press conference held on Friday, May 17, 2019. He said,
“Oftentimes, when we hear ‘human trafficking,’ it’s easy for us to think of a very big city, and maybe the victims who were kidnapped from some foreign land and brought over here and forced to work in some sort of slave labor and prostitution. But, unfortunately it’s not unusual to have individuals right here in the United States that are forced into this type of activity.”
Joined at the podium by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, and Special Agent Mark Brutnell of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Nienhuis said the investigation began two years ago, when an anonymous tip came to the Sheriff’s Office about a juvenile who was acting as a prostitute on a website called backpage.com, and possibly others.
Backpage.com was seized by the FBI and shut down on April 6, 2018.
Acting quickly on the tip, in less than 24 hours, members of the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) made contact with the juvenile, who confirmed everything reported in the anonymous tip. In the first case of its kind, the victim was rescued immediately, and law enforcement “worked backward” over the past two years to make arrests that took place on Thursday, May 16, 2019.
Nienhuis stated everyone involved is being very cautious to protect the identity of the victim in accordance with Marsy’s Law (FL Statutes 92.56 and 119.071(2)(h)). This is the reason why the main suspect responsible for the actual trafficking of the victim will not be named.
The suspect was acting in the capacity as a parent or guardian of the victim.
Nienhuis reported the home from which the juvenile was rescued had bare cement floors littered with visible animal waste. The kitchen had no appliances. The only room that was “somewhat clean” was the bedroom of the person responsible for the trafficking of the victim.
The victim, who Nienhuis described as a “middle teenager” was not attending school. “She should have been doing things like learning to drive, maybe attending school dances, or thinking about going to college.”
Nienhuis later said that in his opinion, the victim looked younger than her chronological age.
The trafficker would take the victim outside of Hernando County to meet with individuals with whom arrangements had been made to engage the victim in prostitution. These individuals ranged in age from 19 – 75 years old. Nienhuis stated that law enforcement believes there are other suspects, hence the investigation is still open.
“Interesting to note,” Nienhuis said, “This adult who put (the victim) into this situation attempted to do some prostitution as well, and was unsuccessful.”
Nienhuis credited the rescue and success of the victim thus far to Detective Morrell, and several others in the Major Crimes division, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), the International Association of Human Trafficking Investigators, the local Children’s Advocacy Center, the University of Florida Child Protection Team, and the Sheriff’s Offices of Citrus, Marion, Alachua and Gilchrist Counties.
Since her rescue two years ago, the victim has resumed her studies, plays piano and is employed. She plans to pursue a career in social work.
The Suspects are all charged with Human Trafficking, Conspiracy to Commit Human Trafficking, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device, and Lewd or Lascivious Battery.
Bryan Joseph Giguere, white male (W/M), 36 years of age (YOA) of Homosassa, FL: Visited the victim at the parent/guardian residence in Hernando County with the parent/guardian at home. Nienhuis reported, “Believe it or not, this individual actually sent photos of his children to our victim. It’s kind of heart-wrenching to think he’s engaging with a child, and sending pictures of his own children.”
Joseph Andrew Easton W/M 24 YOA of Inverness, FL: Visited the victim at the parent/guardian residence in Hernando County with the parent/guardian at home.
James William Hancock W/M 67 YOA of Delray Beach, FL: Visited the victim at the parent/guardian residence in Hernando County with the parent/guardian at home.
Jason Michael Raulerson W/M 46 YOA of High Springs, FL: Visited the victim at the parent/guardian residence in Hernando county with the parent/guardian at home.
Luigi Barile W/M 38 YOA of Spring Hill, FL: Met the victim at a hotel in Ocala, accompanied by the parent/guardian. Visited the victim at the parent/guardian residence in Hernando County with the parent/guardian at home. Barile is restaurateur in Hernando County and other areas of the state. Nienhuis said, “This one is particularly disturbing because not only did he use the services of the victim, at one time he brought at least three of his friends.”
Lawrence Edward Kemble W/M 70 YOA of Ocala, FL: Parent/guardian drove the victim to his residence in Ocala, FL. Kemble, a retired postal inspector, invited the victim to take a trip to Daytona Beach. According to Nienhuis, Kemble told the victim on several occasions that he was “putting out good reviews for her on social media.”
Latchman Kaladeen B/M 49 YOA of Wesley Chapel, FL: Parent/guardian drove the victim to his residence in Ocala, FL. Kaladeen is actually in the country illegally. “It is our understanding that he was already deported once, around 2005,” Nienhuis said, adding that Kaladeen was arrested for Solicitation of Prostitution in Polk County within the last two years while the investigation was underway.
Matthew Christopher Doyle W/M 38 YOA of Spring Hill, FL: Visited the victim at the parent/guardian residence in Hernando County with the parent/guardian at home. Doyle is currently suspended from the Eastlake Fire Department without pay as a result of his arrest. Doyle is also a Registered Nurse at Bayfront Health Brooksville, however he has been terminated. He told the victim he worked in the medical field.
Shawn Christopher Henson W/M 39 YOA of Newberry, FL: Stayed overnight with the victim in a Chiefland hotel. The victim was driven to meet Henson by the parent/guardian. Henson sent one or more pictures of his daughter to the victim.
Special Agent Mark Brutnell called this case “one of the most egregious” he has seen in 23 years. “Most of us will never know what it’s like to be trafficked. We can all imagine it’s a painful, humiliating experience, full of despair and hopelessness. It’s difficult to fathom how anything like this can happen to anyone, especially a minor. As a parent, I find this particularly disturbing. While we cannot understand, we all have a responsibility to speak up and report any suspicious activity that may involve human trafficking.”
Brutnell explained that FDLE has jurisdiction throughout the entire state, and warned, “Anyone involved in human trafficking should never rest easy. You will be found, arrested and prosecuted.”
Attorney General Ashley Moody also gave her thanks to everyone involved, particularly the investigators. “I know cases like these are not easy. It takes dedication, perseverance, and detailed investigators to make that successful.”
“As a mother, cases like these astound me. They are horrifying. They are tragic,” Moody also reminded the press and public that this case began with an anonymous tip, when something just didn’t feel quite right to the caller.
Florida is #3 in the nation for calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. If you suspect human trafficking, you can call your local law enforcement office, FDLE, or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888
