Marshall, NC
Categories:
Tactics Used |
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Reverse stings | ✓ |
Shaming | ✓ |
Auto seizure | ✓ |
Community service | ✓ |
Public education | ✓ |
Neighborhood action | ✓ |
SOAP orders | ✓ |
John school | ✓ |
Letters | ✓ |
Cameras | ✓ |
Web stings | ✓ |
License suspension | ✓ |
Marshall is a town of about 900 residents located in Madison County, North Carolina. The town is the county seat of Madison County, and is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. Prostitution and sex trafficking activity have been well-documented in the town and in surrounding communities (such as Asheville), and in other areas of Madison County. This activity and the problems and ancillary crimes it generates results in complaints to law enforcement agencies from residents and businesses. For example, in 2017, an undercover operation by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security officers arrested 16 suspects in Marshall, who later collectively faced 53 charges ranging from prostitution to felony drug possession. The investigation started after local law enforcement officers received multiple calls from neighbors and family members. Working with Homeland Security, Madison County Sheriff’s Office investigators began using websites like backpage.com and craigslist.org to research potential perpetrators, and secured a location in a remote section of Mars Hill to bring in people contacted on the websites. Once they arrived at the arranged site, an undercover law enforcement officer would speak with the suspect to gather evidence that could help prove sex-for-money exchange allegations. Once reaching that threshold, the decoy would call out a code phrase and a special response team would emerge from the basement to make arrests.
Consumer level demand provides the revenue stream for all prostitution and sex trafficking, and has therefore been targeted by local law enforcement agencies as a strategy for prevention and response. For example, in May, 2019, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations arrested 31 people during an undercover operation focused on illegal drugs and prostitution. The operation targeted individuals distributing illicit drugs and people involved in prostitution in Madison County. Seven of the men were arrested for “aiding and abetting prostitution.” During the operation, the sheriff’s office also recovered a gun, weapons of mass destruction, numerous controlled substances and arrests on charges including child abuse and prostitution. The identities of the arrested individuals were publicly disclosed.
Key Partners
- Madison County Sheriff’s Office
- Homeland Security Investigations
Key Sources
Background on Sex Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation in the Region:
- “Woman Charges Abductors Sold Her to Motorcycle Gang,” Wilmington Star-News, May 11 1982.
- “Grand Jury Indicts 6 Outlaws’ Members,” Wilmington Star-News, May 30 1982.
- “Kidnap Victim Testifies,” Wilmington Star-News, October 21 1982.
- “Woman Says She Was ‘Sold,’” Lexington Dispatch, October 21 1982.
- “2 Outlaws Gang Cohorts Sentenced in Kidnapping,” Lexington Dispatch, March 11 1983.
- “Cycle Gang Leader Gets 15 Years,” Lakeland Ledger, April 22 1983.
- “Federal, State Officials Battle over Prisoner,” Lexington Dispatch, June 1 1983.
- “Charges Unfounded,” Hendersonville Times-News, August 12 1983.
- “Asheville; Three Arrested on Sex Charges,” Lexington Dispatch, August 31 2001.
- “Asheville; Police Probe State Prostitution Ring,” Wilmington Star-News, September 1 2001.
- “Man Accused in Prostitution Ring Sentenced to Less than Three Years,” Asheville Citizen-Times, December 6 2001.
- “West Asheville Businessman Accused of Offering to Pay for Sex with Teenage Girl,” Asheville Citizen-Times, August 24 2010.
- http://www.city-data.com/so/so-Marshall-North-Carolina.html (2019)
Background on Prostitution in the Area:
- “Prostitution; Carolinas Are Major Link in Network,” Wilmington Star-News, January 1 1979.
- “Asheville Woman Convicted of Running House of Prostitution,” Asheville Citizen-Times, October 23 2002.
- “Buncombe County Arrests,” Asheville Citizen-Times, September 18 2007.
- “Efforts against Prostitution Will Make Asheville a Better Place,” Asheville Citizen-Times, March 9 2008.
- “South French Broad Neighbors Fight Crime,” Asheville Citizen-Times, April 21 2008.
- “Prostitution Problem a Factor in Parents Pulling Their Students out of Asheville Middle School,” Asheville Citizen-Times, April 28 2008.
- “Asheville Residents Unite to Take Back Neighborhood,” Wilmington Star-News, May 10 2008.
- “Police: Problems with Prostitutes Drop Significantly,” Asheville Citizen-Times, June 15 2009.
- “Asheville Woman Arrested on Prostitution Charge,” Asheville Citizen-Times, August 24 2010.
- “Asheville Woman Arrested on Prostitution Charge,” Asheville Citizen-Times, February 24 2011.
- “Asheville Prostitution Sting Nabs Four Suspects,” Asheville Citizen-Times, March 12 2011.
- “Asheville Police Department Arrests More for Prostitution Offenses,” Asheville Citizen-Times, May 3 2011.
- “Three Arrested in Asheville Prostitution Sting,” Asheville Citizen-Times, August 4 2011.
- “Prostitution Crimes on Decline,” Asheville Citizen-Times, January 29 2012.
- “Asheville Woman Charged with Soliciting for Prostitution,” Asheville Citizen-Times, July 10 2012.
- “Woman Faces Prostitution Charges in Asheville,” Asheville Citizen-Times, October 29 2013.
- “3 Asheville Women Face Prostitution Charges,” Asheville Citizen-Times, January 23 2014.
- “Asheville Prostitution Arrests an Ongoing Effort,” Asheville Citizen-Times, January 23 2014.
- “Asheville Woman Arrested on Prostitution Charge,” Asheville Citizen-Times, March 8 2014.
- “Asheville Woman Faces Felony Prostitution Charge,” Asheville Citizen-Times, February 19 2015.
- “Answer Man Checks on Mysterious Planes, Unnamed Johns,” Asheville Citizen-Times, March 11 2015.
- “4 Charged in Asheville during FBI Trafficking Operation,” Asheville Citizen-Times, October 13 2015.
- “Man Charged with Promoting Prostitution,” Asheville Citizen-Times, December 18 2015.
- https://www.cbs17.com/complaints-lead-to-arrests-in-undercover-nc-prostitution-bust (2019)
Documented Violence against Individuals Engaged in Prostitution in the Area:
- “1st Trial to Be in Asheville; Man Being Held in N.C. Murder Charged in 7 Florida Deaths,” Wilmington Star-News, April 5 1997.
- “Suspected Killer of Prostitute Linked to 7 More Slayings,” Washington Observer-Reporter, April 5 1997.
- “Convicted Murderer Denied Parole,” Hendersonville Times-News, April 25 2006.
- “Investigators to Look at Link between Women’s Deaths,” Asheville Citizen-Times, August 12 2006.
State | North Carolina |
Type | City |
Population | 889 |
Location |
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