Retired Department of Homeland Security special agent Angelo Fermo has seen a lot in his long career.
He recently appeared on “1819 News: The Podcast” with host Bryan Dawson to share some “war stories” about fighting drug cartels, illegal immigration and sex trafficking.
Dawson asked for Fermo’s perspective on the child sex ring that was recently uncovered in Bibb County. So far, eight people have been arrested for allegedly abusing children in an underground bunker near Brent.
Given his experience with investigating sex crimes, Fermo said he wasn’t shocked to learn what had happened. But it is still something he’ll never understand.
“I wasn't shocked because I've seen it before. You can't even wrap your brain around how they even think that that's OK. I mean, it just doesn't make sense to people,” he said. “And I don't think it makes sense in any world. Like, to me, when I hear that, I'm like, those people need to be put under the jail. They never need to be able to come out.”
Fermo expects to see harsher penalties for such crimes, up to the death penalty, as has been proposed by State Rep. Matt Simpson (R-Daphne) and State Sen. April Weaver (R-Brierfield).
“I think you're going to see tougher penalties because if they get out, they're going to [reoffend]," he advised.
Fermo issued a stark warning to parents about protecting their children from predators who often look and act like normal, law-abiding citizens in their daily lives.
“There's a whole little underground network of sickos out there. But, you know, I want to debunk the idea that it's just some guy that's hiding in the shadows,” he said. "We've arrested everybody from the poorest person you can imagine all the way to [the richest]...It's every aspect of life that you have these people that just can't conform to the normal society and for whatever reason."
Fermo added, “You've got to be protective of your children. I tell your listeners out there that are listening to it, just don't be willy-nilly with it and be like, 'Oh, well, that's so-and-so. He goes to the church, and he's good'… I'm protective of my children because once that happens, there's no turning back.”
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