Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Justice Department Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking

DOJ Press

DES MOINES, IA — U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has released the Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.

Rooted in the foundational pillars and priorities of the interagency National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, which President Biden released on Dec. 3, 2021, the Justice Department’s National Strategy is expansive in scope. It aims to enhance the department’s capacity to prevent human trafficking; to prosecute human trafficking cases; and to support and protect human trafficking victims and survivors.

“Human trafficking is an insidious crime,” said Attorney General Garland. “Traffickers exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause their victims unimaginable harm. The Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking will bring the full force of the Department to this fight.”

According to the Human Trafficking Institute’s Annual Report for 2019, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa (USAO-SDIA) was sixth in the nation for number of new human trafficking defendants, equal with the number of defendants in United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Columbia and the Eastern District of Virginia. Since 2019, the USAO-SDIA has successfully prosecuted the following human trafficking defendants.


• Kendall Andrew Streb, of Hills, was sentenced to 268 months in prison following a jury trial where he was convicted of three counts of child sex trafficking, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine to children, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful user in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.


• Isaiah Patterson, of Cedar Rapids, was sentenced to 144 months in prison for sex trafficking a 15-year-old victim following a plea of guilty.

• Tommy Tate Collins, of Cedar Rapids, was sentenced to 201 months in prison following a guilty plea to one count of child sex trafficking.

• Albert Kelly Price, of Iowa City and North Liberty, was sentenced to 348 months in prison for his guilty plea to two counts of child sex trafficking and admissions he sex trafficked three minors between the ages of 14 and 16.

• Arrion Marcus West, Jr., of Iowa City, was sentenced to 210 months in prison following a guilty plea where he admitted to sex trafficking two minor children, ages 15 and 17.

• Marlin Santana Thomas, of Des Moines, was sentenced to life imprisonment for sex trafficking six adult victims and one 14-year-old victim. Thomas pleaded guilty to the offenses. At the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented that Thomas had raped, attempted to sex traffic, and/or physically assaulted 11 additional women.

• Hershel James Ratliff, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced to 360 months in prison following a jury trial where he was convicted of four counts of sex trafficking minors, two counts of sex trafficking, and distribution of Xanax to a minor.

• Earl Jonell Jackson, of Omaha, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for transportation and sex trafficking of a child following his plea of guilty.

• Darrius Decnan Redd, of Manchester, was convicted by a federal jury of sex trafficking an adult victim, facilitation of prostitution, and distribution of a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21. Redd is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2022.

Local law enforcement partners, as well as state and federal agencies have had a vital role in the investigation of federal human trafficking cases in the Southern District of Iowa. “We are thankful for our partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office and their commitment to investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases,” stated Iowa City Police Chief Dustin Liston. “Partnerships between local, state and federal agencies are critical in the fight against these crimes.” Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert added, “Although we have collectively achieved significant success, it goes without saying that we will continue to invest our time and resources to combat human trafficking. The nature of these crimes is horrific, and we will continue to leverage our partnerships at the local, state and federal level to provide for the needs of the victims and bring accountability to the perpetrators. Our pursuit is on-going.”


The USAO-SDIA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorneys who prosecute human trafficking cases and a team of victim specialists to assist victims through the criminal justice process, as well as to provide victims of human trafficking with emotional support. USAO-SDIA victim specialists work closely with victim specialists with the FBI, as well as local organizations such as, but not limited to, the Polk County Crisis and Advocacy Center, University of Iowa Rape Victim Advocacy Program, Central Iowa Trauma Recovery Center, Crisis Intervention Services, Family Resources, Inc., and Catholic Charities Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program.

FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel stated, “Human trafficking is modern day slavery. Its victims lead lives of misery. The FBI is on the front lines of the fight against this heinous crime. The DOJ National Strategy supports our continuing efforts to work closely with our local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to investigate all forms of human trafficking, regardless of a victim’s age or nationality, and bring those perpetrators who exploit victims to justice. The FBI never loses focus on the victims of human trafficking, and our Victim Services Division works tirelessly to assist survivors in navigating the aftermath of the crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.”

Among other things, the Justice Department’s multi-year strategy to combat all forms of human trafficking will:

• Strengthen engagement, coordination and joint efforts to combat human trafficking by prosecutors in all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and by federal law enforcement agents nationwide.

• Establish federally-funded, locally-led anti-human trafficking task forces that support sustained state law enforcement leadership and comprehensive victim assistance.

• Step up departmental efforts to end forced labor by increasing attention, resources and coordination in labor trafficking investigations and prosecutions.

• Enhance initiatives to reduce vulnerability of American Indians and Alaska Natives to violent crime, including human trafficking, and to locate missing children.

• Develop and implement new victim screening protocols to identify potential human trafficking victims during law enforcement operations and encourage victims to share important information.

• Increase capacity to provide victim-centered assistance to trafficking survivors, including by supporting efforts to deliver financial restoration to victims.

• Expand dissemination of federal human trafficking training, guidance and expertise.

• Advance innovative demand-reduction strategies.

The department’s strategy will be implemented under the direction of the National Human Trafficking Coordinator designated by the Attorney General in accordance with the Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017.

If you believe that you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or Text 233733.

To read the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking click here.

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