Blaine, MN

Tactics Used

Auto Seizure
Buyer Arrests
Cameras
Community Service
Employment Loss
Identity Disclosure
IT Based Tactics
John School
Letters
License Suspension
Neighborhood Action
Public Education
Reverse Stings
SOAP Orders
Web Stings

Blaine is a city in Anoka and Ramsey counties in the State of Minnesota. The population was about 65,000 in a 2017 census estimate. The city is located mainly in Anoka County, and is part of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area.  Prostitution and sex trafficking activity have been well-documented in the communities and unincorporated areas of the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul metro region, including Blaine and other areas within Anoka County.  This activity and the problems and ancillary crimes it generates results in complaints to law enforcement agencies from residents and businesses. Among the more serious problems associated with commercial sex in the area include child sex trafficking.  For example, in March, 2010 police in Blaine arrested individuals involved in a juvenile sex trafficking ring. Police arrested a man on charges for using two 16-year-old girls in prostitution. One’victim’s other grew concerned about her daughter’s new part-time job, and contacted police, who learned that the teen and her 16-year-old friend worked for an alleged prostitution business that attracted customers through a website. One teen said she worked three days a week, following a script prepared by the pimp on how to talk to potential customers on the telephone.

In March, 2017 Blaine residents were arrested for buying sex in nearby communities.  One was arrested when an undercover officer acted as a decoy prostitute near Lake Street East and 13th Avenue S.  He pleaded guilty in 2017 to a charge of hiring, offering or agreeing to hire prostitution in a public place, a gross misdemeanor. He was convicted and sentenced to a two-year probation, was fined $2,000, and was sentenced to five days of community service in lieu of $500 of the fine. Charges of loitering with intent to participate in prostitution and loitering with intent to solicit an act prohibited by law were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.  Another man responded to an online ad on backpage.com posted by undercover officers who said her age was “almost 16.” He was convicted of a misdemeanor and sentenced to two years of probation. He was required to perform 15 days of service or spend 60 days in the workhouse. He completed 15 days of service. He was also required to receive a psychological evaluation and counseling, attend a sex offender program, not possess any sexually explicit material and not have any unsupervised contact with minor females except relatives. He was fined $200.

To combat prostitution and sex trafficking in the area, local law enforcement agencies have targeted consumer-level demand for commercial sex, which provides the revenue stream driving all commercial sex and trafficking. For example, in July, 2019 the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force led a two-day undercover operation in the Twin Cities metro area that led to the arrests of 11 people (3 arrested for sex trafficking or promotion of prostitution, and 8 arrested for solicitation of a minor or solicitation of prostitution with a person under 16 years of age. In addition to the arrests, the operation led to 18 trafficking victims being recovered from trafficking situations and offered services. The Task Force conducted the operation in partnership with local agencies including the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Isanti County Sheriff’s Office, Kanabec County Sheriff’s Office, Blaine Police Department, Bloomington Police Department, Brooklyn Park Police Department, Buffalo Police Department, Minnesota, Coon Rapids Police Department, Howard Lake Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department, City of Rochester Police Department, Saint Paul Police Department, Upper Sioux Police Department and investigators from the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.

 

Key Partners

  • Blaine Police Department
  • Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
    • Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force. Anoka County Sheriff’s Office
  • Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office
  • Isanti County Sheriff’s Office
  • Kanabec County Sheriff’s Office
  • Bloomington Police Department
  • Brooklyn Park Police Department
  • Buffalo Police Department
  • Coon Rapids Police Department
  • Howard Lake Police Department
  • Upper Sioux Police Department
  • Ramsey County Attorney’s Office

Key Sources

Web-Based Reverse Stings:

Background on Prostitution and Sex Trafficking in the Area:

Documented Violence Against Individuals Engaged in Prostitution in the Area:

State Minnesota
Type City
Population 64557
Location
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