DES MOINES, Iowa – A 12-state human trafficking operation coordinated by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol led to 102 arrests and identified 47 victims. Operation United Front involved simultaneous state-level human trafficking operations throughout the day on Thursday and into early Friday morning. The operation, comprised of state and federal law enforcement agencies, is believed to be the first multi-state operation of its kind.

Iowa law enforcement agencies participating in the operation included the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Ankeny Police Department, Clive Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, Des Moines Police Department, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Urbandale Police Department, Walcott Police Department, West Des Moines Police Department, and the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force conducted 10 operations to combat human trafficking throughout Iowa. The officers executed 10 search warrants, identified five businesses involved in sex trafficking, made 11 arrests and seized a large quantity of United States currency. The United States Attorney’s Office, Polk County Attorney’s Office, and the Scott County Attorney’s Office assisted with warrants and future prosecution.

“Human trafficking uniquely affects Iowa given our proximity to major metropolitan areas like Kansas City and Chicago and the intersection of two major interstate systems,” said Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens. “As a result, we know human trafficking is happening in Iowa and that it occurs in a variety of settings. We thank our law enforcement partners and state and federal prosecutors for the unified commitment to stamp out human trafficking in our cities and counties throughout Iowa. We will continue to provide training and resources designed to identify and effectively respond to human trafficking in whatever form it may take.  Together we can prevent this from happening in our state, because even one victim is one too many,” Bayens added.

How Operation United Front Worked

Using both buyer-centric and victim-centric “sting” human trafficking operations, Iowa and participating states were able to rescue and provide medical and other needed services to victims and sex workers, and arrested perpetrators across the country in connection with human trafficking. Other states conducted “minor recovery” operations that were designed to rescue those most vulnerable and easily manipulated by human traffickers.

In addition to the Iowa Department of Public Safety and Iowa law enforcement agency partners, the following agencies conducted separate state-level operations including: Illinois State Police, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Missouri Attorney General’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Nebraska State Patrol, North Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Oklahoma City Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Texas Attorney General’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission is working with the 19 state-licensed casinos on a request to ease some of the licensing requirements for employees. Racing and Gaming Commissioner, Brian Ohorilko says they are seeking a waiver for employees not directly involved in the gambling operation. He says it includes all positions that were not involved in the activity on the gaming floor, handling any gaming revenue, or security of surveillance. Ohorilko says the casino have many employees who work with the related services at the casinos. “Golf course attendants, restaurant employees, valet employees, hotel employees — maybe housekeepers,” he says.

IRGC Commissioner Brian Ohorilko

The labor market is tight right now and there is great competition in the service industry for employees, and he says that’s the motivation behind the request. “The industry cited a couple of factors — one being the difficulty in finding employees right now — and looking for some relief,” Ohorilko says. Non-casino workers at these jobs aren’t required to get a license — while all casino employees are required to get some sort of license to work there. “There are different classes depending on the level of occupation. In other words, the a casino general manager would be required to have the highest level of license — whereas someone who does not work on the gaming floor — like these non-gaming employee class would receive the lowest level of license,” Ohorilko explains.

He says each level of license gets deeper into an individual’s personal and financial background to ensure there are no issues. With the most comprehensive background checks on for the highest level licenses. Ohorilko the commission staff is working with the Iowa Gaming Association to formalize a request for the waiver.

(Des Moines, Iowa) — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff across the State, in honor and remembrance of U-S service members and others who died in a deadly terrorist attack near Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday. At least one dozen soldiers and 100 civilians died during the suicide bomber attack and subsequent firefight. The order from the Governor calls for flags to remain lowered through sunset on Monday.

Governor Reynolds said “there are no words that can describe the pain felt by their fellow soldiers, family, and loved ones… We cannot thank the brave men and women of our Armed Forces enough for what they do to preserve this incredible nation.”

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says his office is reviewing the civil emergency Iowa City’s mayor declared last week which calls on people to wear face coverings in public places. Last year, Miller’s office said city and county officials did not have the authority to issue public mask mandates. Earlier this year, Governor Reynolds signed a bill that bans local officials from forcing property owners to have policies on face coverings that are tougher than state law.

Miller says his office is reviewing Iowa City’s mask mandate, but a quick turn around on an opinion on the matter isn’t necessary since there’s no penalty for violating the mayor’s order.

Authorities in Union County say no injuries were reported after a four-vehicle accident took place in Creston, Wednesday. Officials say at around 6:23-p.m., a 2006 Ford Taurus driven by a 16-year old male from Creston, was traveling south on S. Chestnut Street, when the car went out of control. The vehicle traversed an embankment and into a storage facility parking lot near Clark and S. Chestnut streets, where it hit the rear of a 2021 Rockwood travel trailer, pushing it forward. The Ford continued out of control and struck a 2006 Chevy Cobalt, pushing it into a 1992 BornFree motorhome.  Damage to the recreational vehicles/campers amounted to $6,000. The Taurus sustained $1,000 damage.

Creston Police say the accident happened after the Taurus came out from the underpass that had standing water from a storm that occurred Tuesday night, and the vehicles’ tires were wet. No citations were issued.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County are asking for the public’s help in solving a property damage hit-and-run incident. At at around 9-p.m. Thursday (Aug. 26), deputies were called to 2038 200th Street in Red Oak, to investigate an incident that happened in the parking lot of the Red Oak Country Club, where a black, legally parked 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee was hit by another vehicle, and sustained $2,500 damage.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is asked to call the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 712-623-5107, or, leave an anonymous tip at montgomerycoia.gov.