The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin has announced its participation in National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, aligning with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat human trafficking and support survivors.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, “This Department of Justice is working tirelessly alongside our partners to dismantle human trafficking networks, help survivors, and protect vulnerable populations from being exploited.” The district collaborates with law enforcement agencies through a task force led by the FBI and participates in the multidisciplinary Wisconsin Human Trafficking Task Force under the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation.
Human trafficking investigations and prosecutions remain a priority at both national and local levels. Since 2000, when the Trafficking Victims Protection Act was enacted, several traffickers have been prosecuted within the district for sex trafficking and forced labor. Sentencing judges have remarked that these cases are among the most serious federal offenses, reflected in the severity of sentences handed down.
A notable recent case involved Samuel Spencer, a Milwaukee resident convicted of trafficking multiple women over 15 years using drug dependency manipulation, financial control, and physical abuse. He received a 45-year prison sentence after being found guilty on all counts. Chief Judge Pamela Pepper highlighted during sentencing that Spencer employed extreme violence and coercion to deprive his victims of “their human agency.”
Prosecution efforts continue as seen earlier this month when Hector Duarte from Union Grove was indicted for sex trafficking and interstate transportation for prostitution. Duarte allegedly used force, threats, and fraud between May 31 and June 25, 2025, in Wisconsin and Illinois. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years if convicted but remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Brad D. Schimel commented on the challenges posed by human trafficking: “human trafficking is the most insidious and difficult to uncover among the crimes we see. Coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement and social service providers is critical. Traffickers rob survivors of their very dignity by exploiting vulnerabilities like addiction, poverty, and the basic need for human connection. They often commit their crimes in plain sight right before our eyes, because survivors are terrified of seeking help based upon the extreme violence and psychological manipulation to which they are subjected. Each of us has a responsibility to educate ourselves about the threat, to protect those at risk of victimization, and to report known or suspected trafficking for investigation and intervention.” The public can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 for tips or assistance.
During January’s awareness campaign period, DOJ is increasing resources dedicated to combating human trafficking nationwide. Among its current initiatives is the Backpage Remission Program; this effort enables victims advertised on now-seized commercial sex websites Backpage.com (seized in 2018) and CityXGuide.com (seized in 2020) to apply for compensation through petition forms due by March 31.
Additionally, DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs is accepting grant applications aimed at supporting anti-trafficking efforts across communities—including housing aid for victims, integrated services for minors impacted by trafficking, prevention programs targeting girls at risk, survivor engagement opportunities within anti-trafficking programming frameworks as well as funding collaborative model task forces focused on child/youth outcomes.
