ROBERTSDALE — Retired Homeland Security special agent Angelo Fermo spoke to Eagle Forum Baldwin County about human trafficking and what he has witnessed.
Following his career in law enforcement, Fermo said he remained passionate about protecting children and bringing justice to those who harm.
He is now involved with Children's Rescue Initiative, a non-profit that rescues children from trafficking worldwide.
"Now, over the course of my time in Baldwin County, I have seen human trafficking," Fermo said.
Fermo recounted some of the cases he has seen in Baldwin County, including a 2007 case where a woman brought her children in from Mexico and trafficked them to local workers.
He said another woman in Robertsdale became the victim of a "Romeo scheme," where she met a guy in Florida, fell in love, and he became abusive, forcing her to work as a prostitute.
Fermo said there is evidence that federal immigration policy is increasing human trafficking. He said cartels have realized it is easier to get across the border with children.
"There was a program there for a while, where if a kid showed up with an adult, they automatically just come right on through," Fermo explained. "Well, the cartels figured that out. So, they're grabbing little kids from their homes, off the streets and sending them into the United States."
"So, it opens that door to exploit these children," he said.
While it's happening all around us, Fermo said it is hard to identify.
"To be honest with you, you probably wouldn't even know that it's occurring," he said. "A lot of times, well, the women, they're so beat up and abused and scared and threatened. The person that's got them in that situation has told them they're going kill their family; if they have a child, they're going kill their child."
"You would maybe notice personally, but really, if you have a gut feeling that something's not right, then maybe it's not," he added. "If you see something, report it to security in that store; if there's a law enforcement situation, report it, call your local police department and pass the information along."
Fermo said labor trafficking is another thing to look for in Baldwin County. He said the hospitality and restaurant industry can be a hotbed for that type of criminal activity.
The Global Slavery Index estimates there are 6,000 occurrences of human trafficking in Alabama every day, and TraffickingHope ranks Alabama as the number one state for familial trafficking.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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