1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,795 Thank you for tuning in to Voices for Freedom, an anti-human trafficking 2 00:00:03,795 --> 00:00:04,754 podcast. 3 00:00:04,754 --> 00:00:07,048 We want to acknowledge that the content we discuss 4 00:00:07,048 --> 00:00:10,969 can be emotionally challenging and may evoke strong reactions. 5 00:00:10,969 --> 00:00:14,806 The stories we share often delve into tough subjects related to human 6 00:00:14,806 --> 00:00:18,435 trafficking, which may be difficult for some listeners to hear. 7 00:00:18,435 --> 00:00:20,687 Our goal is to raise awareness and promote 8 00:00:20,687 --> 00:00:24,524 understanding of the complexities surrounding human trafficking. 9 00:00:24,524 --> 00:00:27,193 Listener discretion is advised. 10 00:00:33,158 --> 00:00:35,076 Coming up on Voices for Freedom, 11 00:00:35,076 --> 00:00:37,078 an anti-trafficking podcast. 12 00:00:37,954 --> 00:00:40,957 The biggest one that we did was Operation Cattleya. 13 00:00:40,957 --> 00:00:44,544 It was about a year-plus of support 14 00:00:44,544 --> 00:00:48,381 with about 20-something undercover operations that we provided, 15 00:00:48,381 --> 00:00:51,384 even all the way to the very, very end, 16 00:00:51,384 --> 00:00:55,221 our undercover operators were able to 17 00:00:55,221 --> 00:00:57,182 locate and fix 18 00:00:57,182 --> 00:01:01,144 the guy that we were searching for the whole time. 19 00:01:01,144 --> 00:01:05,273 He wasn't at the place where the assault force was at. 20 00:01:05,273 --> 00:01:07,358 He was sitting at a gas station next to the beach. 21 00:01:07,358 --> 00:01:08,860 And it just so happened 22 00:01:08,860 --> 00:01:13,573 that two of our undercover operators were there at the right place at the right time 23 00:01:13,573 --> 00:01:16,367 and we’re able to, “Hey, look, I have 24 00:01:16,367 --> 00:01:19,537 so-and-so right here with us.” 25 00:01:19,537 --> 00:01:23,750 80-something rescues. Three hotels were shut down. 26 00:01:23,750 --> 00:01:28,338 More than a dozen arrests were conducted just in that one operation. 27 00:01:33,384 --> 00:01:35,470 Welcome to Voices for Freedom, 28 00:01:35,470 --> 00:01:39,641 an anti-trafficking podcast brought to you by OUR Rescue. 29 00:01:39,641 --> 00:01:43,895 I'm Matt Osborne, global ambassador for operations and education. 30 00:01:43,895 --> 00:01:46,898 I have the privilege of hosting this podcast 31 00:01:46,898 --> 00:01:48,942 along with my co-host, Jessica Mass. 32 00:01:48,942 --> 00:01:51,778 And today, I'm absolutely thrilled to be 33 00:01:51,778 --> 00:01:55,448 with someone for whom I have the highest respect. 34 00:01:55,448 --> 00:01:58,201 Omar is our regional director 35 00:01:58,201 --> 00:02:01,788 for Mexico and the Caribbean, does an incredible job. 36 00:02:01,788 --> 00:02:05,959 I've been able to serve undercover with him on various operations, to watch 37 00:02:05,959 --> 00:02:09,963 what he's done to really build almost from scratch, 38 00:02:09,963 --> 00:02:15,468 an operational and aftercare infrastructure in Dominican Republic, 39 00:02:15,468 --> 00:02:18,179 in some of the eastern Caribbean islands, in Mexico, 40 00:02:18,179 --> 00:02:20,390 also building on some of the work done in the past. 41 00:02:20,390 --> 00:02:23,143 So, for this podcast episode, we're going to talk a little bit 42 00:02:23,143 --> 00:02:27,313 about Omar's impressive background with the Navy SEALs. 43 00:02:27,313 --> 00:02:28,356 Yes, that's correct. 44 00:02:28,356 --> 00:02:31,818 The elite fighting force of which Omar was a member for 45 00:02:31,818 --> 00:02:34,487 I think almost two decades. He can give us the exact information. 46 00:02:34,487 --> 00:02:36,906 But Omar, thank you for joining us in studio. 47 00:02:36,906 --> 00:02:38,658 We don't get you in town very often. 48 00:02:38,658 --> 00:02:41,661 How many frequent flyer miles, you know, you gain each year, 49 00:02:41,661 --> 00:02:44,164 how many stamps in your passport, I can't even fathom. 50 00:02:44,164 --> 00:02:45,206 But thank you, sir. 51 00:02:45,206 --> 00:02:46,124 - Thank you Matt. 52 00:02:46,124 --> 00:02:47,876 I'm grateful to be here with you. 53 00:02:47,876 --> 00:02:49,919 Maybe start out a little bit, if you will, 54 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:51,838 and again, you're definitely a humble hero 55 00:02:51,838 --> 00:02:55,675 but to talk about your experience with the U.S. government, with the US Navy 56 00:02:55,675 --> 00:02:58,887 SEALs. I know you can't share all the details but to talk a little bit 57 00:02:58,887 --> 00:03:02,599 about that and then we'll focus on your transition to OUR Rescue 58 00:03:02,599 --> 00:03:05,310 and when you joined the cause here a few years ago. 59 00:03:05,310 --> 00:03:10,106 I joined the Navy in ‘96. I was 17 years old 60 00:03:10,106 --> 00:03:11,733 when I signed up for the Navy. 61 00:03:11,733 --> 00:03:13,067 And I went in. 62 00:03:13,067 --> 00:03:16,279 I got my trident when I was - my Navy SEAL 63 00:03:16,279 --> 00:03:18,907 insignia - when I was 19. 64 00:03:18,907 --> 00:03:20,825 Checked into SEAL Team Four. 65 00:03:20,825 --> 00:03:25,163 23 years later, I retired from the SEAL teams. 66 00:03:25,163 --> 00:03:27,749 I loved every second of it. 67 00:03:27,749 --> 00:03:32,462 I've seen every corner of every horrible place in this planet. 68 00:03:32,462 --> 00:03:35,590 However, I learned a lot from the targeting 69 00:03:35,590 --> 00:03:38,801 and rescue operations that we’ve done. 70 00:03:38,801 --> 00:03:42,138 So I imagine many in our audience have heard of SEAL Team Six 71 00:03:42,138 --> 00:03:45,308 because of the Bin Laden assassination, a while ago. 72 00:03:45,308 --> 00:03:48,186 Obviously, bringing justice, fortunately, to Bin Laden. 73 00:03:48,186 --> 00:03:49,354 SEAL Team Four. 74 00:03:49,354 --> 00:03:51,189 Was that geographically based? 75 00:03:51,189 --> 00:03:53,650 Is there anything you can differentiate how the SEAL teams 76 00:03:53,650 --> 00:03:55,526 even are given their numbers or their regions? 77 00:03:55,526 --> 00:04:01,241 Absolutely, so it used to, prior to 9/11, 78 00:04:01,241 --> 00:04:03,243 SEAL teams were regionally based. 79 00:04:03,243 --> 00:04:06,829 SEAL Team Four at the time was Central and South America. 80 00:04:06,829 --> 00:04:11,751 So a lot of counter narco, counter FARC. 81 00:04:11,751 --> 00:04:13,962 And actually, Hezbollah was doing quite 82 00:04:13,962 --> 00:04:17,382 a bit of the terrorist recruitment 83 00:04:17,382 --> 00:04:20,385 and funding down in South America 84 00:04:20,385 --> 00:04:23,346 in Tres Esquinas area. 85 00:04:23,346 --> 00:04:27,141 So that was our major focus in that area. 86 00:04:27,141 --> 00:04:29,978 And also foreign internal defense and building a lot of these countries 87 00:04:29,978 --> 00:04:34,691 to develop a counterterrorism organization themselves. 88 00:04:34,691 --> 00:04:38,236 After 9/11, and especially 89 00:04:38,236 --> 00:04:41,906 when we opened up the war in Iraq as well, 90 00:04:41,906 --> 00:04:43,950 there was no time for anywhere else in the world. 91 00:04:43,950 --> 00:04:47,578 So all teams were focusing on war. 92 00:04:47,578 --> 00:04:49,831 No more regional focus. 93 00:04:49,831 --> 00:04:51,499 [I’m a] prior enlisted guy 94 00:04:51,499 --> 00:04:53,668 so all my enlisted time was at SEAL Team Four. 95 00:04:53,668 --> 00:04:54,961 All my officer time is at 96 00:04:54,961 --> 00:04:57,547 SEAL Team Ten and other teams throughout. 97 00:04:57,547 --> 00:05:02,093 So I imagine you served deployments in Iraq? - Yes. Afghanistan as well? - Yes. 98 00:05:02,093 --> 00:05:02,927 Okay. 99 00:05:02,927 --> 00:05:04,637 You know, I was with the CIA for many years. 100 00:05:04,637 --> 00:05:05,555 First as an analyst. 101 00:05:05,555 --> 00:05:08,641 And then I was over [at] the Department of State as a diplomat, 102 00:05:08,641 --> 00:05:11,853 providing a lot of support to the warfighter and seeing what you did 103 00:05:11,853 --> 00:05:14,355 at the tip of the spear. The men and women on the ground. 104 00:05:14,355 --> 00:05:17,483 Anything you can share about those times? 105 00:05:17,483 --> 00:05:21,487 And in a minute, we'll talk about, again, the move then to focus 106 00:05:21,487 --> 00:05:24,157 not necessarily on terrorists and those who would threaten the homeland 107 00:05:24,157 --> 00:05:26,242 but those predators who would threaten our children. 108 00:05:26,242 --> 00:05:28,828 But anything from your SEAL Team experience? 109 00:05:28,828 --> 00:05:29,370 Absolutely. 110 00:05:29,370 --> 00:05:32,290 I guess dealing on a day-to-day basis with these societies, 111 00:05:32,290 --> 00:05:33,958 with these different cultures, 112 00:05:33,958 --> 00:05:36,919 you definitely see how a one-size-fits 113 00:05:36,919 --> 00:05:41,257 all solution does not jive with a lot of these cultures. 114 00:05:41,257 --> 00:05:44,093 When all you have is a hammer to wield, everything looks like a nail, right? 115 00:05:44,093 --> 00:05:44,886 Correct. 116 00:05:44,886 --> 00:05:46,929 So that was one thing that I definitely learned. 117 00:05:46,929 --> 00:05:47,805 Our form 118 00:05:47,805 --> 00:05:51,726 of democracy, that [it’s] the right form for the rest of the world. 119 00:05:51,726 --> 00:05:55,897 I grew in my opinion of that stance. 120 00:05:55,897 --> 00:05:59,650 However, by far, on the face of this planet, 121 00:05:59,650 --> 00:06:02,904 we enjoy the most freedoms of everyone. 122 00:06:02,904 --> 00:06:07,992 And I would love for a lot of these people to have just a piece of that. 123 00:06:07,992 --> 00:06:15,458 Seeing some of these societies, the government, the cultural norms and how stifling it is. 124 00:06:15,458 --> 00:06:21,339 Just on a woman's voice. On a young man's voice. His aspirations. 125 00:06:21,339 --> 00:06:23,007 That was quite daunting for me. 126 00:06:23,007 --> 00:06:24,550 Terrorism, man, 127 00:06:24,550 --> 00:06:26,135 it’s difficult because 128 00:06:26,135 --> 00:06:28,888 now that I have something to compare to, 129 00:06:28,888 --> 00:06:31,766 especially now in the world of OUR Rescue 130 00:06:31,766 --> 00:06:35,436 and when I was recruited to come here, I looked at a terrorist 131 00:06:35,436 --> 00:06:41,734 trying to bring harm to my country at the ideological level. 132 00:06:41,734 --> 00:06:44,153 I was just as proud of my country. 133 00:06:44,153 --> 00:06:47,698 Just as proud of my religion, my Christianity. 134 00:06:47,698 --> 00:06:52,245 So I can simulate a little bit. I can understand his thought process 135 00:06:52,245 --> 00:06:55,915 and some of the radicalism, I guess. Some people in the world 136 00:06:55,915 --> 00:06:57,959 would look at me as a radical coming 137 00:06:57,959 --> 00:07:00,461 to these countries, “Why are you going to these countries?” 138 00:07:00,461 --> 00:07:03,548 I went there with, number one, I'm a soldier, and I 139 00:07:03,548 --> 00:07:04,340 follow orders. 140 00:07:04,340 --> 00:07:04,882 And number two, 141 00:07:04,882 --> 00:07:08,845 with the best intent in providing freedom for these people. 142 00:07:08,845 --> 00:07:12,432 Well thank you very much in all sincerity. Thank you for your service. 143 00:07:12,432 --> 00:07:16,144 I know the answer to this next question because I was involved in 144 00:07:16,144 --> 00:07:17,645 helping to bring you on. 145 00:07:17,645 --> 00:07:19,105 It was the first time you ever, 146 00:07:19,105 --> 00:07:21,149 I think, served with us, right, maybe in the Dominican Republic. 147 00:07:21,149 --> 00:07:26,237 But talk to our audience about how you heard about OUR Rescue. 148 00:07:26,237 --> 00:07:30,324 What it was that perhaps, you know, lit something in your heart 149 00:07:30,324 --> 00:07:35,079 to use the skills that you had learned in the SEAL Team’s. 150 00:07:35,079 --> 00:07:39,500 But now to go after those who would prey on our children and the most vulnerable. 151 00:07:39,500 --> 00:07:42,462 My very first operation was in Dominican Republic. 152 00:07:42,462 --> 00:07:44,505 When I was being recruited for this, 153 00:07:44,505 --> 00:07:45,965 “Hey, look, I would love to see you. 154 00:07:45,965 --> 00:07:48,342 This is kind of what we do.” 155 00:07:48,342 --> 00:07:49,719 It just didn't click with me 156 00:07:49,719 --> 00:07:51,095 because I didn't think it was a problem. 157 00:07:51,095 --> 00:07:54,015 -Right. It’s such a hidden problem. 158 00:07:54,015 --> 00:07:55,475 You know, when we hear crime, 159 00:07:55,475 --> 00:07:59,645 the first thing I think of trafficking, “Oh, gun trafficking, 160 00:07:59,645 --> 00:08:01,063 drug trafficking. 161 00:08:01,063 --> 00:08:01,731 That kind of stuff. 162 00:08:01,731 --> 00:08:05,026 Human trafficking, that type of slavery. 163 00:08:05,026 --> 00:08:07,862 It's not in your face. 164 00:08:07,862 --> 00:08:09,071 Lawmakers aren't - 165 00:08:09,071 --> 00:08:12,533 that isn't the shiny object that they’re after. - Correct? 166 00:08:12,533 --> 00:08:13,993 They're looking at that violent crime. 167 00:08:13,993 --> 00:08:17,663 So when I went and I heard this, I said, “Let me give it a try.” 168 00:08:17,663 --> 00:08:19,207 So I remember going to the Dominican Republic. 169 00:08:19,207 --> 00:08:19,790 I remember that 170 00:08:19,790 --> 00:08:21,167 operation very well. 171 00:08:21,167 --> 00:08:24,629 Where there was a massage parlor 172 00:08:24,629 --> 00:08:27,840 that was providing us - 173 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:31,636 and this was all in support of the Dominican National Police. 174 00:08:31,636 --> 00:08:33,262 I remember 175 00:08:33,262 --> 00:08:38,226 the colonel there that was in charge of that operation that needed 176 00:08:38,226 --> 00:08:42,104 OUR Rescue to provide a situation to 177 00:08:42,104 --> 00:08:47,026 facilitate as many victims as possible to be in one location at one time. 178 00:08:47,026 --> 00:08:50,279 So that they could come in and conduct the raid. 179 00:08:50,279 --> 00:08:53,991 And that was happening in two different locations. 180 00:08:53,991 --> 00:08:55,535 It was trial by fire. 181 00:08:55,535 --> 00:08:59,288 We got into one spot, and I remember you briefing the operation and saying, 182 00:08:59,288 --> 00:09:01,123 “All right Omar, you’re going to be in charge of this house.” 183 00:09:01,123 --> 00:09:03,084 And I’m like, “Holy crap. 184 00:09:03,084 --> 00:09:04,377 You know, what do I do?” 185 00:09:04,377 --> 00:09:05,920 - “What did I put him into?” 186 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:07,463 “What have I gotten myself into?” 187 00:09:07,463 --> 00:09:10,132 But I remember her coming to the house - 188 00:09:10,132 --> 00:09:14,136 the trafficker, coming to the house, very well dressed. 189 00:09:14,136 --> 00:09:17,181 She brought her two brothers, a cousin and a brother. 190 00:09:17,181 --> 00:09:18,599 Both of them armed. 191 00:09:18,599 --> 00:09:21,060 We were able to, kind of, talk them out of, 192 00:09:21,060 --> 00:09:23,396 “Hey look, you know, we're just here to party. 193 00:09:23,396 --> 00:09:24,647 You can leave the guns in the car. 194 00:09:24,647 --> 00:09:27,108 We don't want any accidents.” 195 00:09:27,108 --> 00:09:29,610 Seeing the victims 196 00:09:29,610 --> 00:09:30,903 come in one by one. 197 00:09:30,903 --> 00:09:31,988 It was in the teens. 198 00:09:31,988 --> 00:09:35,283 I forgot how many girls came into that party. 199 00:09:35,283 --> 00:09:37,493 It was about 16 or 17 if I remember. 200 00:09:37,493 --> 00:09:38,077 - Yeah. 201 00:09:38,077 --> 00:09:40,830 And, you know, the colonel - and she's amazing. 202 00:09:40,830 --> 00:09:43,708 And it was - she was, I think, the highest ranking female, 203 00:09:43,708 --> 00:09:44,542 right, in the police. 204 00:09:44,542 --> 00:09:46,335 And you can talk in the next segment 205 00:09:46,335 --> 00:09:48,004 about your work with her now in the Dominican Republic. 206 00:09:48,004 --> 00:09:50,881 But that's when the first we met her. And she had set everything up. 207 00:09:50,881 --> 00:09:52,800 But you remember there was still a delay. 208 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:55,553 The judges hadn't signed off on the arrest warrant. 209 00:09:55,553 --> 00:09:57,763 And I'm sitting there in the control room 210 00:09:57,763 --> 00:10:01,309 freaking out because here I had put you in this situation. 211 00:10:01,309 --> 00:10:04,186 And again, I knew that you could handle this with no problem. 212 00:10:04,186 --> 00:10:06,731 But yet this was your first experience with OUR Rescue. 213 00:10:06,731 --> 00:10:08,482 And I'm texting you on your burner phone, 214 00:10:08,482 --> 00:10:11,027 “Omar, it's okay. It's happening. You know, just be calm. 215 00:10:11,027 --> 00:10:13,404 Improvise, talk, do whatever you can.” 216 00:10:13,404 --> 00:10:16,824 And what was your reaction when, finally, the law enforcement came in? 217 00:10:16,824 --> 00:10:20,536 Finally, you were able to see that these victims were able 218 00:10:20,536 --> 00:10:24,624 to be rescued, become survivors, and then started on the path of aftercare. 219 00:10:24,624 --> 00:10:28,586 It was impressive because I saw the switch in these girls. 220 00:10:29,629 --> 00:10:32,423 They had been trained to be very good actors. - Right. 221 00:10:32,423 --> 00:10:34,258 And when everything happened, 222 00:10:34,258 --> 00:10:36,719 there were several that were very combative. 223 00:10:36,719 --> 00:10:39,055 There were several that just started crying. 224 00:10:39,055 --> 00:10:41,849 It could be a crying for many different reasons. 225 00:10:41,849 --> 00:10:44,226 “I'm going to jail.” Or, “It's over.” 226 00:10:44,226 --> 00:10:47,188 I don't know. 227 00:10:47,188 --> 00:10:48,898 I remember seeing that transition 228 00:10:48,898 --> 00:10:52,526 and then meeting some of the girls afterwards 229 00:10:52,526 --> 00:10:54,403 and talking to them. 230 00:10:54,403 --> 00:10:57,448 And they said, “I had to act this way to survive. 231 00:10:57,448 --> 00:11:01,452 If not, I’d get money taken away from me, and I needed to pay off this debt. 232 00:11:01,452 --> 00:11:02,870 Or they would lock me in a room 233 00:11:02,870 --> 00:11:03,287 or beat me.” 234 00:11:03,287 --> 00:11:05,456 - “Or physically assault me.” That's right. 235 00:11:05,456 --> 00:11:09,502 Well that operation was extremely successful in those two locations that you mentioned. 236 00:11:09,502 --> 00:11:13,798 I think there were a total of 29 rescued, a number of arrests. 237 00:11:13,798 --> 00:11:14,465 And that's what 238 00:11:14,465 --> 00:11:20,179 solidified, for the Dominican authorities, OUR Rescue and our ability to support. 239 00:11:20,179 --> 00:11:22,973 And after that operation, not only did 240 00:11:22,973 --> 00:11:27,853 the Dominicans trust in us, but we then had even more trust in you. 241 00:11:27,853 --> 00:11:31,607 We were grateful to be able to talk about you taking on a greater role. 242 00:11:31,607 --> 00:11:33,984 That's what we'll shift to now in the next segment. 243 00:11:33,984 --> 00:11:35,111 So don't go anywhere. 244 00:11:35,111 --> 00:11:36,696 When we come back with Omar, 245 00:11:36,696 --> 00:11:40,491 we'll learn about how he took the reins fully 246 00:11:40,491 --> 00:11:44,495 as regional director of Mexico the Caribbean and began to build out 247 00:11:44,495 --> 00:11:46,997 infrastructure for operations and aftercare. 248 00:11:46,997 --> 00:11:47,790 Stay with us. 249 00:11:47,790 --> 00:11:50,876 You're watching and listening to Voices for Freedom, 250 00:11:50,876 --> 00:11:54,505 an anti-trafficking podcast brought to you by OUR Rescue. 251 00:11:55,881 --> 00:12:00,678 A big thanks to our sponsor, the OUR Rescue Store, for supporting our podcast. 252 00:12:00,678 --> 00:12:05,266 The OUR Rescue Store is committed to responsibly sourcing products 253 00:12:05,266 --> 00:12:08,102 that ignite conversations about human trafficking, 254 00:12:08,102 --> 00:12:11,355 raising awareness and contributing to the movement against it. 255 00:12:11,355 --> 00:12:15,151 With more than enough colors, designs, and items to choose from, 256 00:12:15,151 --> 00:12:17,653 there's definitely something for you. 257 00:12:17,653 --> 00:12:18,237 Find something 258 00:12:18,237 --> 00:12:21,490 you'll be proud to own, and be an advocate for change. 259 00:12:21,490 --> 00:12:24,452 Visit store.ourrescue.org and use 260 00:12:24,452 --> 00:12:28,205 the promo code Voices10 for 10% off your purchase. 261 00:12:28,205 --> 00:12:33,210 That's Voices10 on store.ourrescue.org. 262 00:12:33,711 --> 00:12:37,882 And welcome back to Voices for Freedom, an anti-trafficking podcast brought to you 263 00:12:37,882 --> 00:12:38,883 by OUR Rescue. 264 00:12:38,883 --> 00:12:42,720 We're talking to Omar, who is our Regional Director for Mexico 265 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:46,474 and the Caribbean, heading up our operations and aftercare efforts there. 266 00:12:46,474 --> 00:12:48,601 In the last segment, Omar talked about his time 267 00:12:48,601 --> 00:12:50,853 with the Navy SEALs, SEAL Team Four. 268 00:12:50,853 --> 00:12:52,396 Incredible work he did in Iraq 269 00:12:52,396 --> 00:12:56,567 and Afghanistan and in other areas around the country and around the world. 270 00:12:56,567 --> 00:12:59,487 And then talking about his first experience with OUR Rescue 271 00:12:59,487 --> 00:13:03,866 in the Dominican Republic when he was just leading one single operation. 272 00:13:03,866 --> 00:13:06,660 After that, not only do we have more confidence in Omar 273 00:13:06,660 --> 00:13:10,956 to lead out a region but the Dominican authorities, with a colonel - 274 00:13:10,956 --> 00:13:16,295 she's an amazingly talented and competent individual who saw the possibility 275 00:13:16,295 --> 00:13:19,715 of using American assets, an NGO 276 00:13:19,715 --> 00:13:23,844 and our, you know, gringo faces to help train. 277 00:13:23,844 --> 00:13:26,305 But you, Omar, kind of spearheaded, in the D.R., 278 00:13:26,305 --> 00:13:28,474 building on what was already created there: 279 00:13:28,474 --> 00:13:30,267 an opportunity to broaden 280 00:13:30,267 --> 00:13:33,395 and deepen our contacts and connections there and to start 281 00:13:33,395 --> 00:13:35,606 deploying assets in-country. 282 00:13:35,606 --> 00:13:36,565 So across your region - 283 00:13:36,565 --> 00:13:38,484 why don't we start now in the D.R., 284 00:13:38,484 --> 00:13:41,529 and if you want, the whole island of Hispaniola, Haiti, all the problems there. 285 00:13:41,529 --> 00:13:44,615 But maybe take us through your first weeks, months, 286 00:13:44,615 --> 00:13:48,244 and year in the Dominican Republic, building up work for OUR Rescue. 287 00:13:48,244 --> 00:13:54,792 The hook that got me into OUR Rescue, by far, dealing with 288 00:13:54,792 --> 00:13:55,793 extremists and 289 00:13:55,793 --> 00:13:59,004 terrorism, willing to give their lives for this, 290 00:13:59,588 --> 00:14:02,800 to extremists in human trafficking. 291 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:07,012 I just wanted to make sure people understood the difference. 292 00:14:07,012 --> 00:14:10,933 I have fought evil for 20 plus years. 293 00:14:10,933 --> 00:14:12,017 Targeting them. 294 00:14:12,017 --> 00:14:17,147 I was sold and hooked on anti-human trafficking operations. 295 00:14:17,147 --> 00:14:21,402 Especially on the sex, the minors. 296 00:14:21,402 --> 00:14:24,488 Child sex exploitation materials of CSAM. 297 00:14:24,488 --> 00:14:26,699 That kind of stuff. 298 00:14:26,699 --> 00:14:29,410 Because when I looked into these traffickers eyes, 299 00:14:29,410 --> 00:14:32,288 this was a completely different level of evilness. 300 00:14:32,288 --> 00:14:34,957 So I felt a connection 301 00:14:34,957 --> 00:14:38,919 that I have to - number one, I'm very solution-driven. 302 00:14:38,919 --> 00:14:41,589 I need to find a solution for this. 303 00:14:41,589 --> 00:14:42,965 I’m very competitive. 304 00:14:42,965 --> 00:14:45,759 I knew that I needed to do something. 305 00:14:45,759 --> 00:14:49,597 And a lot of my training transitioned, mostly to targeting. 306 00:14:49,597 --> 00:14:52,725 So into DR, Matt, I'll tell you right now. 307 00:14:52,725 --> 00:14:57,021 I was completely ignorant to how to do this. 308 00:14:57,021 --> 00:14:58,814 So number one, I just did my homework. 309 00:14:58,814 --> 00:15:00,190 I spoke to people like you. 310 00:15:00,190 --> 00:15:04,153 I spoke to police officers here in the United States, police officers 311 00:15:04,153 --> 00:15:07,072 internationally, Mexico and the Caribbean. 312 00:15:07,072 --> 00:15:09,199 And I just learned the problem. 313 00:15:09,199 --> 00:15:12,620 How does it happen here? What happens here? 314 00:15:13,078 --> 00:15:14,955 So, in the Dominican Republic, 315 00:15:14,955 --> 00:15:19,001 number one, all their money pretty much goes to these violent crimes. 316 00:15:19,001 --> 00:15:21,378 Just like us. Funding wise - 317 00:15:21,378 --> 00:15:22,504 -You're talking about everything 318 00:15:22,504 --> 00:15:24,173 with law enforcement, where all the resources 319 00:15:24,173 --> 00:15:26,216 that a police unit, prosecutor, judicial... 320 00:15:26,216 --> 00:15:27,885 Okay. Just to clear that up, right. 321 00:15:27,885 --> 00:15:29,678 That was what their main thing is 322 00:15:29,678 --> 00:15:31,221 Drugs and thugs, gangs. 323 00:15:31,221 --> 00:15:31,889 Correct. 324 00:15:31,889 --> 00:15:36,226 They wanted to make sure - and a lot of money comes in from tourism. 325 00:15:36,226 --> 00:15:37,978 So they want to keep tourists safe. 326 00:15:37,978 --> 00:15:41,065 They want to keep the areas clean from drugs 327 00:15:41,065 --> 00:15:44,068 and everything that they can to bring in the money. 328 00:15:44,068 --> 00:15:48,614 I quickly realized that this is a $150 billion dollar 329 00:15:48,614 --> 00:15:50,115 industry, throughout the world. 330 00:15:50,115 --> 00:15:51,075 -Blows your mind. 331 00:15:51,075 --> 00:15:55,496 United Nations has put Dominican Republic, 332 00:15:55,496 --> 00:15:57,831 one of their top tier countries - 333 00:15:57,831 --> 00:16:02,211 the criminals are facilitating the crimes of sex trafficking. 334 00:16:02,211 --> 00:16:05,673 Number one, because of the increase in tourism in that area. 335 00:16:05,673 --> 00:16:08,592 They are estimating about a nine and a half 336 00:16:08,592 --> 00:16:12,888 billion dollars out of that $150 billion are being - 337 00:16:12,888 --> 00:16:15,307 it's being developed there 338 00:16:15,307 --> 00:16:17,726 in the Dominican Republic. 339 00:16:17,726 --> 00:16:20,646 Almost $10 billion just in the D.R. - Just in the D.R. 340 00:16:20,646 --> 00:16:23,941 You know how far money goes in developing countries. 341 00:16:23,941 --> 00:16:27,319 That is an unbelievable amount of illicit behavior. 342 00:16:27,319 --> 00:16:32,032 But their funding, within the police department, doesn't match that. 343 00:16:32,032 --> 00:16:37,997 Quickly, what we realized, the easy fix - working by, with, and through the Dominican 344 00:16:37,997 --> 00:16:39,373 National Police. 345 00:16:39,373 --> 00:16:42,001 What they needed was flexibility, number one. 346 00:16:42,001 --> 00:16:47,673 They don't have the cash on hand to be able to rent an undercover vehicle, 347 00:16:47,673 --> 00:16:50,134 to go into a bar and spend money. 348 00:16:50,134 --> 00:16:51,468 What the cops were doing 349 00:16:51,468 --> 00:16:55,014 was using their own cash to 350 00:16:55,014 --> 00:16:57,808 further these investigations with their money. 351 00:16:57,808 --> 00:17:00,394 And sometimes even, they were using their own cell phones, correct? 352 00:17:00,394 --> 00:17:01,103 -Correct. 353 00:17:01,103 --> 00:17:04,189 They have no money for burner phones. And they were putting themselves 354 00:17:04,189 --> 00:17:06,984 at risk, weren't they, from some of these organized crime elements? 355 00:17:06,984 --> 00:17:09,862 Yep, so these were very low dollar 356 00:17:10,696 --> 00:17:14,324 fixes that OUR had the flexibility to do. 357 00:17:14,324 --> 00:17:16,160 It was the increase - 358 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:17,786 their flexibility in that. 359 00:17:17,786 --> 00:17:20,622 Cameras, small little pin cameras, 360 00:17:20,622 --> 00:17:23,167 to provide real time footage 361 00:17:23,167 --> 00:17:26,378 for these investigators, these prosecutors to seal the deal 362 00:17:26,378 --> 00:17:28,172 on some of the prosecution. 363 00:17:28,172 --> 00:17:30,132 So that's what we were able to do quickly. 364 00:17:30,132 --> 00:17:30,716 And then again, 365 00:17:30,716 --> 00:17:34,344 we just gained traction with the colonel, with the magistrates. 366 00:17:34,344 --> 00:17:36,305 “These guys are here for business.” 367 00:17:37,014 --> 00:17:40,142 So they signed an MOU with us 368 00:17:40,142 --> 00:17:43,020 to solidify our 369 00:17:43,020 --> 00:17:44,396 partnership there, in country. 370 00:17:44,396 --> 00:17:46,190 And that's where we're at right now. 371 00:17:46,190 --> 00:17:51,070 And what I love to, I remember, is the colonel came to you, came to us 372 00:17:51,070 --> 00:17:53,322 with a stack of cases, didn't she? - Right. 373 00:17:53,322 --> 00:17:56,492 That, “I have these cases I've wanted to work. 374 00:17:56,492 --> 00:17:59,161 I haven't had the resources. Please help me work it.” 375 00:17:59,161 --> 00:18:02,998 And so, you used a combination of her cases, 376 00:18:02,998 --> 00:18:06,335 already working, and then your team, building up their own. 377 00:18:06,335 --> 00:18:09,296 In terms of the Dominican Republic, is there one story, one case, 378 00:18:09,296 --> 00:18:14,301 one operation that particularly sticks with you, either good, or bad, about the D.R.? 379 00:18:14,301 --> 00:18:15,928 And then we can shift maybe to Haiti 380 00:18:15,928 --> 00:18:18,055 or to some of the other islands in which you're working. 381 00:18:18,055 --> 00:18:20,933 The biggest one that we did was Operation Cattleya. 382 00:18:20,933 --> 00:18:24,561 It was about a year-plus of support 383 00:18:24,561 --> 00:18:28,398 with about 20-something undercover operations that we provided, 384 00:18:28,398 --> 00:18:31,318 even all the way to the very, very end, 385 00:18:31,318 --> 00:18:35,280 our undercover operators were able to 386 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:36,532 locate and 387 00:18:36,532 --> 00:18:40,828 fix the guy that we were searching for the whole time. 388 00:18:41,161 --> 00:18:45,290 He wasn't at the place where the assault force was at. 389 00:18:45,290 --> 00:18:49,128 He was sitting at a gas station next to the beach. And it just so happened 390 00:18:49,128 --> 00:18:53,841 that two of our undercover operators were there, at the right place at the right time, 391 00:18:53,841 --> 00:18:56,635 and we’re able to, “Hey, look. I have 392 00:18:56,635 --> 00:18:59,638 so-and-so right here with us.” 393 00:18:59,638 --> 00:19:03,934 80-something rescues. Three hotels were shut down. 394 00:19:03,934 --> 00:19:08,522 More than a dozen arrests were conducted just in that one operation. 395 00:19:08,522 --> 00:19:15,863 Most recently, I think what is more real and what makes it more underground 396 00:19:15,863 --> 00:19:19,533 is the internal abuse within families. 397 00:19:19,533 --> 00:19:21,076 How they use 398 00:19:21,076 --> 00:19:24,580 children as commodities. 399 00:19:24,580 --> 00:19:26,748 A stepfather impregnated 400 00:19:26,748 --> 00:19:30,127 his 12-year-old stepdaughter. 401 00:19:30,127 --> 00:19:32,212 When we went to do the rescue, 402 00:19:32,212 --> 00:19:33,589 this young woman, 403 00:19:33,589 --> 00:19:36,967 visibly pregnant at 12 years old, 404 00:19:36,967 --> 00:19:38,468 she lost the baby. 405 00:19:38,468 --> 00:19:42,055 But if you see the before and after pictures, where she's at now 406 00:19:42,055 --> 00:19:44,641 under an aftercare facility that we're providing, 407 00:19:44,641 --> 00:19:46,476 you should see the night and day 408 00:19:46,476 --> 00:19:47,728 photo of her face. 409 00:19:47,728 --> 00:19:49,813 And I think that’s most recent 410 00:19:49,813 --> 00:19:52,357 because I'm so focused on the operation 411 00:19:52,357 --> 00:19:55,777 that you kind of lose track a little bit on the survivors 412 00:19:55,777 --> 00:19:56,778 at the end. 413 00:19:56,778 --> 00:19:57,988 And that’s a big thing too. 414 00:19:57,988 --> 00:20:01,742 You know, we talked to our new CEO, Tammy Lee, and she's bringing 415 00:20:01,742 --> 00:20:05,078 a great deal of leadership into this and then focusing even more - 416 00:20:05,078 --> 00:20:07,915 and we already did focus a lot on survivors. 417 00:20:07,915 --> 00:20:09,166 But talk about the D.R. 418 00:20:09,166 --> 00:20:11,752 and sort of the aftercare infrastructure that you've helped set up. 419 00:20:11,752 --> 00:20:15,005 Now, again, we tip our hat to Jessica Mass and others on our aftercare team, 420 00:20:15,005 --> 00:20:17,633 who for years have been building up that infrastructure. 421 00:20:17,633 --> 00:20:21,678 But I would say, maybe outside of Thailand, Southeast Asia, that your region 422 00:20:21,678 --> 00:20:26,016 probably is as most closely synced-up between operations and aftercare. 423 00:20:26,016 --> 00:20:29,228 Maybe just tell us a little bit about this as we start to wrap up this segment. 424 00:20:29,228 --> 00:20:32,856 So our operational team [is] extremely, closely tied in 425 00:20:32,856 --> 00:20:37,069 to our aftercare team. Actually, they're just two peas in a pod. 426 00:20:37,069 --> 00:20:41,156 Like, they don't go on operations without the aftercare there. 427 00:20:41,156 --> 00:20:44,952 What we're looking at now, to further that relationship, is to help 428 00:20:44,952 --> 00:20:49,122 the CONANI - the federal entity of the child 429 00:20:49,122 --> 00:20:51,375 protective services there - 430 00:20:51,375 --> 00:20:53,168 to have a triage center, 431 00:20:53,168 --> 00:20:54,336 [which] is what they lacked the most. 432 00:20:54,336 --> 00:20:57,589 They rely heavy on aftercare centers 433 00:20:57,589 --> 00:21:02,177 in which we utilize a lot of those aftercare centers to send our survivors to 434 00:21:02,177 --> 00:21:07,266 for long-term support as we are able to finance some of their recovery. 435 00:21:07,266 --> 00:21:09,935 -Right. And a lot of their education afterwards. 436 00:21:09,935 --> 00:21:13,397 What they lack the most is that triage center, blood work 437 00:21:13,397 --> 00:21:17,025 being done - DNA testing - because a lot of these are orphans - 438 00:21:17,859 --> 00:21:21,530 immediate need medical attention, immediate psychological attention, 439 00:21:21,530 --> 00:21:25,826 and having those interviews done as quickly 440 00:21:25,826 --> 00:21:31,415 and as less impactful as possible on the psyche 441 00:21:31,415 --> 00:21:32,666 of these individuals that are rescued. 442 00:21:32,666 --> 00:21:34,918 And that's our biggest goal right now. 443 00:21:34,918 --> 00:21:37,296 Operationally, the Dominicans are doing it. 444 00:21:37,296 --> 00:21:40,173 - Yep, that's what I love seeing. It is literally - 445 00:21:40,173 --> 00:21:43,051 we do hardly anything 446 00:21:43,051 --> 00:21:46,388 except when they need an American face, 447 00:21:46,388 --> 00:21:49,016 and that’s when we shop around in our undercover. 448 00:21:49,016 --> 00:21:50,309 “Okay, here is the American you’ll need.” 449 00:21:50,309 --> 00:21:53,312 And I've heard you say in the past that the D.R. 450 00:21:53,312 --> 00:21:55,605 is almost running on its own now. 451 00:21:55,605 --> 00:21:59,234 And that's really [what] the OUR model is. Maybe in the early days we would do 452 00:21:59,234 --> 00:22:03,822 85% of the work, pay 85-90% of the resources, then back up. 453 00:22:03,822 --> 00:22:05,657 You know, the next operation, 60%. 454 00:22:05,657 --> 00:22:06,199 Now, you're right. 455 00:22:06,199 --> 00:22:08,160 We're just doing the smallest amount. 456 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:10,203 In the D.R. though is one 457 00:22:10,203 --> 00:22:13,999 of those countries that has a lot of sex tourists from western countries, 458 00:22:13,999 --> 00:22:15,208 certainly the U.S. 459 00:22:15,208 --> 00:22:17,878 I flew down on one of the trips from Miami to, 460 00:22:17,878 --> 00:22:20,380 I don't remeber if it was Punta Cana or Puerto Plata, 461 00:22:20,380 --> 00:22:22,382 and I remember going back to the lavatory 462 00:22:22,382 --> 00:22:26,261 in the back part of the plane and looking [at] how many single men were there. 463 00:22:26,261 --> 00:22:27,971 Not a lot of families but single men. 464 00:22:27,971 --> 00:22:29,723 And what do you think they're going for? 465 00:22:29,723 --> 00:22:31,641 You have a lot of westerners as well. 466 00:22:31,641 --> 00:22:34,311 But let's pivot a little bit to Haiti. 467 00:22:34,311 --> 00:22:37,647 Haiti's always been such a disaster and nightmare. 468 00:22:37,647 --> 00:22:40,275 Not the people but the government, the security situation. 469 00:22:40,275 --> 00:22:42,861 You and I have done operations before in Haiti, 470 00:22:42,861 --> 00:22:44,863 and that was before the president was assassinated. 471 00:22:44,863 --> 00:22:46,365 Gangs have taken over the country. 472 00:22:46,365 --> 00:22:49,493 Prison breaks that have - I just found out from you, unfortunately - 473 00:22:49,493 --> 00:22:53,330 have let out a couple of the perpetrators we helped arrest. 474 00:22:53,330 --> 00:22:56,083 We are involved in Haiti. Maybe talk about that. 475 00:22:56,083 --> 00:22:59,628 And then maybe talk briefly as we wrap up about the Eastern Caribbean. 476 00:22:59,628 --> 00:23:02,631 We kind of joke a little bit about your efforts in the ‘Beach Boys’ 477 00:23:02,631 --> 00:23:03,548 countries, right? 478 00:23:03,548 --> 00:23:06,259 Aruba, Jamaica, Bermuda, Bahamas. 479 00:23:06,259 --> 00:23:08,804 Apologies if you can't get that tune out of your head later today. 480 00:23:08,804 --> 00:23:10,597 But, the work that you're doing, expanding there 481 00:23:10,597 --> 00:23:13,517 because any time you have beautiful islands, places to go, 482 00:23:13,517 --> 00:23:16,436 where the tourists want to go, you're going to have sex tourism. 483 00:23:16,436 --> 00:23:19,564 And that's what you and your partners are seeing, isn't it, across that area? 484 00:23:19,564 --> 00:23:23,944 Due to the current crisis and the crisis that's been there for a while. 485 00:23:23,944 --> 00:23:27,072 The political unrest. It's been very difficult 486 00:23:27,072 --> 00:23:30,784 to prosecute internally. 487 00:23:30,784 --> 00:23:33,537 We have had some successes from past operations. 488 00:23:33,537 --> 00:23:34,913 Fingers have been on the pulse, 489 00:23:34,913 --> 00:23:40,419 on the prosecution side and the imprisonment of these individuals. 490 00:23:40,710 --> 00:23:43,380 The recent prison break did release two 491 00:23:43,380 --> 00:23:46,550 of the individuals that we helped to put in to prison. 492 00:23:46,550 --> 00:23:50,429 We are currently tracking one of them in that area. 493 00:23:50,429 --> 00:23:54,683 We have some OUR contractors - I like to call them 494 00:23:54,683 --> 00:23:57,727 the long arm of the law for the Dominicans. 495 00:23:57,727 --> 00:23:59,521 - Okay, Interesting. 496 00:23:59,521 --> 00:24:04,693 Because of the fact that we know if we capture or we catch 497 00:24:04,693 --> 00:24:08,238 criminals there, they're most likely not going to be prosecuted. 498 00:24:08,613 --> 00:24:09,573 Just because of - 499 00:24:09,573 --> 00:24:11,450 - You're talking about in Haiti? Okay. In Haiti. 500 00:24:11,450 --> 00:24:16,121 So what we've pivoted and focused on is providing the intel. 501 00:24:16,121 --> 00:24:19,416 Haiti is kind of the Mexico for the United States. 502 00:24:19,416 --> 00:24:23,295 A lot of criminals will commit murders, and they're heading south to the border. 503 00:24:23,295 --> 00:24:24,880 That's what Dominican criminals do. 504 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,591 They head, I guess, west to the border 505 00:24:27,591 --> 00:24:29,217 into Haiti. 506 00:24:29,217 --> 00:24:31,219 And that's where they get lost. 507 00:24:31,219 --> 00:24:35,557 We currently have several operations tracking Dominicans 508 00:24:35,557 --> 00:24:37,058 in Haiti. 509 00:24:37,058 --> 00:24:39,686 We've had two successful operations of 510 00:24:40,395 --> 00:24:42,606 bringing them back to the border 511 00:24:42,606 --> 00:24:44,566 by the DCPJ, 512 00:24:44,566 --> 00:24:46,776 Haitian Violent Crime Units. 513 00:24:46,776 --> 00:24:48,528 We help support in training 514 00:24:48,528 --> 00:24:51,156 and facilitating intel operations. 515 00:24:51,156 --> 00:24:54,576 And we also help our country team there, 516 00:24:54,576 --> 00:24:57,454 both an investigator and the country director, 517 00:24:57,454 --> 00:25:00,999 to fly to Dominican Republic once a month, and they do an intel 518 00:25:00,999 --> 00:25:05,712 sharing operation with the colonel, with the federal police. 519 00:25:05,712 --> 00:25:09,257 And some of those federal units are U.S.-assisted 520 00:25:09,257 --> 00:25:11,885 as well by our federal government as well. 521 00:25:11,885 --> 00:25:14,429 And then in the Eastern Caribbean - and you can be specific or not 522 00:25:14,429 --> 00:25:17,349 just in general, but my understanding is you're looking at those islands 523 00:25:17,349 --> 00:25:19,518 that would be willing to enter into MOU’s with us, 524 00:25:19,518 --> 00:25:20,894 would be willing to accept 525 00:25:20,894 --> 00:25:24,064 some training for, you know, from OUR Rescue. 526 00:25:24,064 --> 00:25:26,900 Anything you want to say, maybe in a minute or so, on that 527 00:25:26,900 --> 00:25:28,944 as you expand kind of eastward to that area, 528 00:25:28,944 --> 00:25:31,488 where we know there is a lot of trafficking occurring? 529 00:25:31,488 --> 00:25:34,324 Similar model, similar M.O. 530 00:25:34,324 --> 00:25:37,536 for the criminals in the rest of the Eastern Caribbean. 531 00:25:37,536 --> 00:25:40,163 They utilize these locations 532 00:25:40,997 --> 00:25:44,709 to get away from their countries and take advantage 533 00:25:44,709 --> 00:25:48,505 with some of the, maybe, corrupt laws or corrupt police officers. 534 00:25:48,505 --> 00:25:51,841 And fly under the radar and utilize, 535 00:25:51,841 --> 00:25:54,844 either legal prostitution, where they end up 536 00:25:55,679 --> 00:25:58,265 getting younger victims 537 00:25:59,015 --> 00:26:01,101 to satisfy their needs. 538 00:26:02,269 --> 00:26:04,271 And what that does is creates that demand. 539 00:26:04,271 --> 00:26:05,272 So what do criminals do? 540 00:26:05,272 --> 00:26:08,858 They start pulling [victims] from Colombia, Venezuela. 541 00:26:08,858 --> 00:26:11,027 They usually travel 542 00:26:11,027 --> 00:26:13,738 through these Eastern Caribbean countries 543 00:26:13,738 --> 00:26:14,990 to the Dominican Republic, 544 00:26:14,990 --> 00:26:18,577 but they're pretty much island hopping from criminal safe house 545 00:26:18,577 --> 00:26:19,911 to criminal safe house. 546 00:26:19,911 --> 00:26:22,247 They'll be exploited at each location, and they'll end up 547 00:26:22,247 --> 00:26:24,624 in the Dominican Republic or in the United States. 548 00:26:24,624 --> 00:26:26,084 Yeah, well that's incredible. 549 00:26:26,084 --> 00:26:28,253 You certainly have a lot of countries in your region, 550 00:26:28,253 --> 00:26:31,798 and I appreciate you taking us on that little geographical tour. 551 00:26:31,798 --> 00:26:34,134 As we wrap up now, we’ll have one more segment. 552 00:26:34,134 --> 00:26:37,220 We'll talk about a country that's near and dear to my heart, Mexico. 553 00:26:37,220 --> 00:26:41,808 And then we will finish with a call to action and the needs 554 00:26:41,808 --> 00:26:44,102 that Omar is seeing in his region 555 00:26:44,102 --> 00:26:45,562 and where you may be in a position 556 00:26:45,562 --> 00:26:48,356 to help us as we look to empower law enforcement 557 00:26:48,356 --> 00:26:51,192 to fight child exploitation and human trafficking. 558 00:26:51,192 --> 00:26:51,985 Don't go anywhere. 559 00:26:51,985 --> 00:26:56,698 Please stay with Voices for Freedom, an anti-trafficking podcast brought to you 560 00:26:56,698 --> 00:26:57,991 by OUR Rescue. 561 00:26:58,825 --> 00:27:04,539 And I want to thank today’s sponsor, the OUR Rescue Store, for supporting this podcast. 562 00:27:04,539 --> 00:27:08,126 Did you know the OUR Rescue Store features survivor-made items? 563 00:27:08,126 --> 00:27:09,544 In this critical fight, 564 00:27:09,544 --> 00:27:11,630 they serve as symbols of hope. 565 00:27:11,630 --> 00:27:15,425 By choosing to purchase one of these beautifully handcrafted items, 566 00:27:15,425 --> 00:27:18,094 you will impact the healing journey of survivors 567 00:27:18,094 --> 00:27:21,514 and help them reclaim their lives in the process. 568 00:27:21,514 --> 00:27:22,766 We encourage you to shop 569 00:27:22,766 --> 00:27:25,894 survivor-made items on the OUR Rescue website. 570 00:27:25,894 --> 00:27:30,982 It might only be a few dollars to you, but it makes a world of difference to them. 571 00:27:30,982 --> 00:27:33,652 And, in case you need any extra motivation, 572 00:27:33,652 --> 00:27:35,945 use promo code Voices10 573 00:27:35,945 --> 00:27:40,659 for 10% off your purchase at store.ourrescue.org. 574 00:27:40,659 --> 00:27:45,747 That's Voices10 at store.ourrescue.org. 575 00:27:46,122 --> 00:27:49,709 And welcome back to Voices for Freedom, an anti-trafficking podcast 576 00:27:49,709 --> 00:27:52,379 brought to you by OUR Rescue. I'm Matt Osborne. 577 00:27:52,379 --> 00:27:56,091 I serve as the global ambassador for operations in education. 578 00:27:56,091 --> 00:27:59,511 One thing I love about this position now, I'm no longer on the front lines. 579 00:27:59,511 --> 00:28:01,346 There are the brave men and women of OUR Rescue 580 00:28:01,346 --> 00:28:03,848 who do that - to include Omar, our guest today. 581 00:28:03,848 --> 00:28:06,685 But I get to talk to these individuals 582 00:28:06,685 --> 00:28:10,021 who are, again, in the vanguard of this effort, in the front line. 583 00:28:10,021 --> 00:28:13,525 Omar's talk to us about his experiences with the Navy SEALs, 584 00:28:13,525 --> 00:28:18,196 talking about his transition to OUR Rescue as he leads his region. 585 00:28:18,196 --> 00:28:19,739 We call it Mexico and the Caribbean. 586 00:28:19,739 --> 00:28:23,868 So it's Mexico. It's Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Eastern Caribbean Islands. 587 00:28:23,868 --> 00:28:25,829 But let's talk about Mexico. 588 00:28:25,829 --> 00:28:27,372 As I said, near and dear to my heart. 589 00:28:27,372 --> 00:28:29,666 I was fortunate to serve three years there with the U.S. 590 00:28:29,666 --> 00:28:30,834 Department of State 591 00:28:30,834 --> 00:28:31,376 in the U.S. 592 00:28:31,376 --> 00:28:32,335 Embassy. 593 00:28:32,335 --> 00:28:34,879 Got a firsthand look at the difficulties of the 594 00:28:34,879 --> 00:28:38,383 organized crime and the cartels, the hold they had over 595 00:28:38,383 --> 00:28:41,511 Mexico and still have over Mexican institutions. 596 00:28:41,511 --> 00:28:45,557 However, I saw law enforcement units who did want to do the right thing, 597 00:28:45,557 --> 00:28:48,476 certainly in terms of fighting human trafficking. 598 00:28:48,476 --> 00:28:51,563 What has been your experience in Mexico? 599 00:28:51,563 --> 00:28:55,275 What in, general, can you talk about that is still going on in Mexico, 600 00:28:55,275 --> 00:28:56,651 even if it's only a state or two, 601 00:28:56,651 --> 00:28:59,446 where we look for authorities that we can trust in this? 602 00:28:59,446 --> 00:29:02,532 What I'd always say is I would never ever trust any unit 603 00:29:02,532 --> 00:29:04,868 to work with on drug cases. 604 00:29:04,868 --> 00:29:05,702 And we don't do that. 605 00:29:05,702 --> 00:29:07,537 But in terms of child crimes, 606 00:29:07,537 --> 00:29:11,666 I found most law enforcement to be committed, to be willing to do this. 607 00:29:11,666 --> 00:29:13,251 They say, “Not our country.” 608 00:29:13,251 --> 00:29:14,878 They don't want the exploitation. 609 00:29:14,878 --> 00:29:18,882 What has been your experience in Mexico with OUR Rescue? 610 00:29:18,882 --> 00:29:21,342 I've had the same experience. 611 00:29:21,342 --> 00:29:25,805 When it comes to child sex exploitation, 612 00:29:25,805 --> 00:29:27,140 I would say 613 00:29:28,349 --> 00:29:29,601 95% of the 614 00:29:29,601 --> 00:29:33,188 cops are down to get rid of these individuals. 615 00:29:33,188 --> 00:29:34,355 - Yep, absolutely. 616 00:29:34,355 --> 00:29:39,861 As long as you don't touch the drug trade or anything like that, they're fine with it. 617 00:29:39,861 --> 00:29:43,990 I used to look at Mexico as a whole as a country in itself. 618 00:29:43,990 --> 00:29:47,911 But as you start conducting operations and needing 619 00:29:47,911 --> 00:29:51,831 to go through attorney generals, prosecutors, 620 00:29:51,831 --> 00:29:56,669 I've quickly realized that Mexico is - I think they have 32 states. 621 00:29:56,669 --> 00:29:59,672 - They do, yeah. 32 states in the country. 622 00:29:59,672 --> 00:30:02,759 So I look at it more as like 32 countries. 623 00:30:04,010 --> 00:30:07,597 We've been able to kind of get a foothold in two of those states 624 00:30:07,597 --> 00:30:11,226 that we've had extremely aggressive 625 00:30:12,477 --> 00:30:14,646 attorney generals, 626 00:30:14,646 --> 00:30:16,022 governors 627 00:30:16,022 --> 00:30:17,690 that have been very supportive. 628 00:30:17,690 --> 00:30:18,983 - And we won't name the states. 629 00:30:18,983 --> 00:30:20,985 Our listeners can probably imagine, 630 00:30:20,985 --> 00:30:24,739 but they’re states where we have a lot of western tourists, right, a lot tourism. 631 00:30:24,739 --> 00:30:25,448 Those in audience, 632 00:30:25,448 --> 00:30:27,242 you've probably been to some of these beach locations. 633 00:30:27,242 --> 00:30:28,117 - Correct. 634 00:30:28,117 --> 00:30:30,370 And that's the scary part. 635 00:30:30,370 --> 00:30:33,665 I go to these locations now. I've been vacationing myself. 636 00:30:33,665 --> 00:30:36,000 And just complete ignorance, 637 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:38,044 looking at the beauty of the beaches, 638 00:30:38,044 --> 00:30:40,255 the beauty of the people. 639 00:30:40,255 --> 00:30:41,714 - I have one story real quick to share. 640 00:30:41,714 --> 00:30:45,009 I'm driving with my two college-aged daughters, just a couple of months ago, 641 00:30:45,009 --> 00:30:46,344 in one of these locations, 642 00:30:46,344 --> 00:30:48,054 and they're looking at the beaches around. 643 00:30:48,054 --> 00:30:49,055 They're focused on tourism. 644 00:30:49,055 --> 00:30:52,225 And I looked and I said, “Oh, that looks like a suspected location. 645 00:30:52,225 --> 00:30:53,393 Oh, that looks suspicious.” 646 00:30:53,393 --> 00:30:56,437 My daughter in the back says, “Shut it down, Dad. Let's go.” 647 00:30:56,437 --> 00:30:57,438 Meaning shut it down, 648 00:30:57,438 --> 00:30:59,732 but also, “You're on vacation now. Shut it down. 649 00:30:59,732 --> 00:31:00,942 You can't be thinking about this.” 650 00:31:00,942 --> 00:31:02,110 And I'm sure you felt the same way. 651 00:31:02,110 --> 00:31:03,236 - I’ve had the same - 652 00:31:03,236 --> 00:31:05,446 I took my wife 653 00:31:05,446 --> 00:31:09,117 on a vacation for one of our anniversaries to these locations. 654 00:31:09,117 --> 00:31:10,451 And I remember quickly, 655 00:31:10,451 --> 00:31:14,622 as people were just ignorantly drinking and partying, quickly 656 00:31:15,415 --> 00:31:16,499 walking by one of the 657 00:31:16,499 --> 00:31:20,295 streets because we had done an operation there and 658 00:31:20,295 --> 00:31:22,463 rescued two girls 659 00:31:22,463 --> 00:31:25,633 and arrested one of the females that was trafficking these girls. 660 00:31:25,633 --> 00:31:28,511 And I just wanted to quickly walk by it. 661 00:31:28,511 --> 00:31:31,306 And you're probably trying to make sure you don't see the traffickers 662 00:31:31,306 --> 00:31:33,182 because some of them are in jail, some of them not. 663 00:31:33,182 --> 00:31:35,768 I do the same thing. I'm looking, I go, “I hope I don't see so-and-so. 664 00:31:35,768 --> 00:31:38,229 I hope I don't see so-and-so.” Even though it's been six-seven years. 665 00:31:38,229 --> 00:31:39,105 But you still worry. 666 00:31:39,105 --> 00:31:41,232 You just put your hat on and keep on going. 667 00:31:42,525 --> 00:31:45,320 So Mexico, a beautiful country. 668 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:51,618 But the problem is the lack of focus on this crime. 669 00:31:51,618 --> 00:31:53,202 You look at some of these locations [and] 670 00:31:53,202 --> 00:31:56,831 you’re like, “I know for a fact that girl is in this massage parlor. 671 00:31:56,831 --> 00:31:58,666 She looks about 15 years old. 672 00:31:58,666 --> 00:31:59,918 I know exactly what she's doing, 673 00:31:59,918 --> 00:32:01,210 She does not have her license.” 674 00:32:01,210 --> 00:32:02,378 - And doesn't want to be there. 675 00:32:02,378 --> 00:32:03,338 And doesn't want to be there. 676 00:32:03,338 --> 00:32:08,468 What we've been able to do in Mexico is take advantage of these very aggressive units. 677 00:32:08,468 --> 00:32:10,803 Look, let's face it, just like here in the United States, 678 00:32:10,803 --> 00:32:14,015 there is a level of corruption in these locations. 679 00:32:14,015 --> 00:32:18,811 And, in many cases, it's corruption with that attorney general's life on the line, 680 00:32:18,811 --> 00:32:23,066 the chief of police’s life on line because of the power these cartels have. 681 00:32:23,066 --> 00:32:24,025 - Right. 682 00:32:24,317 --> 00:32:27,904 So, understandably, I look at it and get frustrated, 683 00:32:27,904 --> 00:32:30,365 but I look at them and I’m like, “Man, would I do the same thing.” 684 00:32:31,866 --> 00:32:33,618 We go back home. 685 00:32:33,618 --> 00:32:34,869 They stay there. 686 00:32:34,869 --> 00:32:36,245 - Exactly. They know that the 687 00:32:36,245 --> 00:32:39,666 cartels have their addresses, their family locations, and everything. 688 00:32:39,666 --> 00:32:41,292 - We say, they really are the brave ones, right? 689 00:32:41,292 --> 00:32:41,584 - Right. 690 00:32:41,584 --> 00:32:43,836 Risking their life for not that much money. 691 00:32:43,836 --> 00:32:45,546 And we fly in, fly out. 692 00:32:45,546 --> 00:32:47,590 Even the assets we’re deploying there, 693 00:32:47,590 --> 00:32:50,677 they're the ones who - their necks are on the line once we leave. 694 00:32:50,677 --> 00:32:53,179 And yet they still continue to support because they know it's right. 695 00:32:53,179 --> 00:32:54,597 They know you don't abuse children. 696 00:32:54,597 --> 00:32:58,142 Absolutely. And there are some that do not take briberies. 697 00:32:58,142 --> 00:33:03,272 I heard of the current attorney general we're working with has moved states, 698 00:33:03,272 --> 00:33:08,111 and he was up for a million-plus bribery from the cartel 699 00:33:08,444 --> 00:33:09,696 is what he's saying. 700 00:33:09,696 --> 00:33:12,198 But he couldn't, but he just asked to be relocated. 701 00:33:12,198 --> 00:33:13,533 But we're working with him now. 702 00:33:13,533 --> 00:33:15,994 So we kind of - Mexico, 703 00:33:15,994 --> 00:33:18,621 we have these ebbs and flows. 704 00:33:18,621 --> 00:33:21,666 What we do is we always keep our finger on the pulse there. - Right? 705 00:33:21,666 --> 00:33:23,918 We always keep relationships up there. 706 00:33:23,918 --> 00:33:27,005 But when that prosecutor comes in and the attorney general 707 00:33:27,005 --> 00:33:29,757 says, “Hey, now the iron is hot. Let's strike.” 708 00:33:29,757 --> 00:33:30,383 - Let's do it. 709 00:33:30,383 --> 00:33:32,010 So now we're on an up curve. 710 00:33:32,010 --> 00:33:33,428 We were in this lull. 711 00:33:33,428 --> 00:33:34,345 Now we're on an up curve. 712 00:33:34,345 --> 00:33:35,471 Actually, last week - 713 00:33:35,471 --> 00:33:39,267 we have great, brand-new footage of our very first 714 00:33:39,267 --> 00:33:43,813 2023 Operation in Mexico 715 00:33:43,813 --> 00:33:46,899 where we were very successful, rescued four girls. 716 00:33:46,899 --> 00:33:49,944 All because of Mexicans 717 00:33:49,944 --> 00:33:50,987 wanted to fix these problems. 718 00:33:50,987 --> 00:33:54,407 And we just provide these - donors provide the money 719 00:33:54,407 --> 00:33:57,827 for us to give these quick solutions for these people. 720 00:33:57,827 --> 00:34:01,456 Hey look, it’s a Mexican solution for a Mexican problem right now. 721 00:34:01,456 --> 00:34:01,956 - Right. 722 00:34:01,956 --> 00:34:05,460 And you know what I love, too, is that - cause we get criticized a lot. 723 00:34:05,460 --> 00:34:07,003 “Why you work in countries that are corrupt? 724 00:34:07,003 --> 00:34:09,213 How can you work with these corrupt officials?” 725 00:34:09,213 --> 00:34:10,256 There’s corruption everywhere. 726 00:34:10,256 --> 00:34:14,302 But to see firsthand these individuals, again, 727 00:34:14,302 --> 00:34:17,096 slaving away for not much money, and yet they do it. 728 00:34:17,096 --> 00:34:21,184 Is there one case, one investigation, something that sticks with you from Mexico? 729 00:34:21,184 --> 00:34:22,727 And obviously, you can speak in generalities, 730 00:34:22,727 --> 00:34:26,314 because some of these trials, legal cases are still ongoing. 731 00:34:27,106 --> 00:34:29,942 And one point I wanted to bring up 732 00:34:30,818 --> 00:34:32,612 before we move to that story 733 00:34:32,612 --> 00:34:36,199 is the fact that - sure that corruption’s everywhere. 734 00:34:36,199 --> 00:34:39,827 But when you look at these individuals in the face and the desire 735 00:34:39,827 --> 00:34:43,247 that they have to fix these problems. They look at their little kids. 736 00:34:43,247 --> 00:34:47,752 What hurts me the most is when they say, “Hey, OUR Rescue, 737 00:34:47,752 --> 00:34:52,590 you guys are creating this demand for these operations.” 738 00:34:52,590 --> 00:34:59,097 I will tell you, with 100% certainty, that 739 00:34:59,097 --> 00:35:01,557 the way we do operations 740 00:35:01,557 --> 00:35:05,478 is maybe not like what we started off as. 741 00:35:06,479 --> 00:35:09,857 We go into these police stations, 742 00:35:09,857 --> 00:35:13,444 and they have a stack of folders. 743 00:35:13,736 --> 00:35:14,737 “I don't know what to do with this. 744 00:35:14,737 --> 00:35:15,822 I don’t know what to do.” 745 00:35:15,822 --> 00:35:17,073 - They say, “Where do you want to start? 746 00:35:17,073 --> 00:35:18,866 Yeah, you pick, you start.” 747 00:35:18,866 --> 00:35:21,869 - You just grab the top folder and just start going away. 748 00:35:21,869 --> 00:35:23,121 The idea of us 749 00:35:23,121 --> 00:35:26,290 going and just going in the bars and stuff like that. 750 00:35:26,290 --> 00:35:27,542 That just doesn't happen. 751 00:35:27,542 --> 00:35:32,547 What we do now is 100% completely opposite, 752 00:35:32,547 --> 00:35:36,676 and it's all driven by the local forces there on the ground. 753 00:35:36,676 --> 00:35:40,471 - And again, we were doing it right in 95% of the cases, 95% of the world. 754 00:35:40,471 --> 00:35:41,764 I think that story didn't get out. 755 00:35:41,764 --> 00:35:42,974 And that's one of the reasons we do this 756 00:35:42,974 --> 00:35:47,270 Voices for Freedom podcast, [it] is to uplift, to engage, and inspire. 757 00:35:47,270 --> 00:35:51,440 But to also talk clearly about who we are and who we are not. 758 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:53,901 And I'm sure you see that every day in Mexico. 759 00:35:53,901 --> 00:35:57,446 And there probably is a case or two that [are] emblematic in your mind. 760 00:35:57,446 --> 00:36:01,284 I think the case that always hits me is a case that I - was 761 00:36:01,284 --> 00:36:04,871 one of my first, very deep undercover 762 00:36:04,871 --> 00:36:08,624 cases that I was in for a long time. 763 00:36:08,624 --> 00:36:15,673 And this female trafficker that was using another NGO that she created 764 00:36:15,673 --> 00:36:19,677 to provide funding for poor families. 765 00:36:19,677 --> 00:36:25,016 And she would give them extra money to provide the kids, to be trafficked. 766 00:36:25,016 --> 00:36:25,808 - Right. 767 00:36:25,808 --> 00:36:28,561 The switch that clicked in my brain 768 00:36:28,561 --> 00:36:33,024 between counterterrorism to human trafficking terrorism 769 00:36:33,024 --> 00:36:33,316 between counterterrorism to human trafficking terrorism 770 00:36:33,316 --> 00:36:37,403 was this woman. Looking at her in the face and saying, “Hey, Omar, 771 00:36:37,403 --> 00:36:40,323 if your clients come here, 772 00:36:40,323 --> 00:36:44,076 if your bosses come here, other clients come here, and they, 773 00:36:44,076 --> 00:36:47,288 you know, rip one of the boys, don't worry, we have a doctor 774 00:36:47,288 --> 00:36:50,750 that will take care of this young boy. 775 00:36:50,750 --> 00:36:53,794 I remember seeing the boy on the beach because that's how she would traffick. 776 00:36:53,794 --> 00:36:55,338 That's how she would show us. 777 00:36:55,338 --> 00:36:57,506 - Without risking anything because it was just a public - 778 00:36:57,506 --> 00:36:59,217 but look, that's one of the boys. 779 00:36:59,217 --> 00:37:01,469 - She would have a woman, like, walk 780 00:37:01,469 --> 00:37:05,514 these kids across as we're just laying out on the beach, drinking and stuff. 781 00:37:06,349 --> 00:37:08,142 “So that's one of the boys. You want that one? 782 00:37:08,142 --> 00:37:08,809 Do you want that one? 783 00:37:08,809 --> 00:37:11,395 It was just literally like a cattle yard. 784 00:37:11,395 --> 00:37:12,438 You know, just 785 00:37:12,438 --> 00:37:15,691 parading the kids in their bathing suits and stuff. 786 00:37:15,691 --> 00:37:17,902 That's when I looked at her in her eyes. 787 00:37:18,945 --> 00:37:23,616 To this day, I can still see her pupils and seeing the blackness in her eyes. 788 00:37:23,616 --> 00:37:24,450 And I was like, 789 00:37:25,034 --> 00:37:27,411 “This is Satan. This is Satan, right now.” 790 00:37:27,411 --> 00:37:30,289 - No soul, no Light of Christ, nothing in there? No, nothing. 791 00:37:30,289 --> 00:37:33,751 How did you hold yourself back from just strangling her? 792 00:37:33,751 --> 00:37:36,128 - I literally just had a giggle. 793 00:37:36,128 --> 00:37:37,630 I had to laugh. 794 00:37:37,630 --> 00:37:38,881 And I had that same reaction 795 00:37:38,881 --> 00:37:40,174 when I get shot at. 796 00:37:40,174 --> 00:37:42,093 People always 797 00:37:42,093 --> 00:37:45,304 kind of laughed at me because I'd start giggling once the rounds start going off. 798 00:37:45,304 --> 00:37:46,973 And that's exactly what I started doing. 799 00:37:46,973 --> 00:37:48,057 - It's a coping mechanism. 800 00:37:48,057 --> 00:37:50,601 It’s my nervous tic. 801 00:37:50,601 --> 00:37:51,811 And that's exactly what I did. 802 00:37:51,811 --> 00:37:56,190 I just started giggling, and I know, probably for her, she's like, “Dude, this guy's evil.” 803 00:37:57,400 --> 00:37:58,025 That's what I did. 804 00:37:58,025 --> 00:38:00,528 - Well, I appreciate you being on the front lines. 805 00:38:00,528 --> 00:38:04,740 And, you know, as we start to wrap up, again, the call to action, 806 00:38:04,740 --> 00:38:07,868 because those in our audience can help us to empower 807 00:38:07,868 --> 00:38:11,914 these law enforcement units overseas who want to do the right thing, 808 00:38:11,914 --> 00:38:13,874 but they don’t have the resources. 809 00:38:13,874 --> 00:38:16,377 So what would you say, maybe one, two, three, the top needs 810 00:38:16,377 --> 00:38:17,461 you've seen, whether it's Dominican 811 00:38:17,461 --> 00:38:21,340 Republic, Haiti, Eastern Caribbean, Mexico? A lot of it's the same. 812 00:38:21,340 --> 00:38:26,178 And to let our supporters know that every dollar counts. 813 00:38:26,178 --> 00:38:29,515 - So our biggest need, in my region, right now - 814 00:38:29,515 --> 00:38:32,101 you know, I look at the pillars of 815 00:38:32,977 --> 00:38:33,728 what I have 816 00:38:33,728 --> 00:38:35,938 in my head when I go into these countries. 817 00:38:35,938 --> 00:38:37,523 The operational pillar, 818 00:38:37,523 --> 00:38:41,861 the training and equipping pillar, and then the aftercare, survivor care pillar. 819 00:38:42,528 --> 00:38:43,446 Dominican Republic, 820 00:38:43,446 --> 00:38:45,531 right now, 821 00:38:45,531 --> 00:38:49,160 when it comes to operationally, we are still working 822 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:50,494 hard on the training, equipping, 823 00:38:50,494 --> 00:38:54,040 but they're at a level that they can sustain right now. 824 00:38:54,040 --> 00:38:58,336 They’re not at the level I'd like for them to be at or what we can provide 825 00:38:58,336 --> 00:38:59,795 and push them to. 826 00:38:59,795 --> 00:39:02,673 But they're singing on - 827 00:39:02,673 --> 00:39:04,342 they’re all eight cylinders. 828 00:39:04,342 --> 00:39:08,721 Aftercare wise, which is a completely different entity 829 00:39:08,721 --> 00:39:11,515 but work very closely with these operational units, 830 00:39:11,515 --> 00:39:15,936 is the care for these survivors, these victims 831 00:39:15,936 --> 00:39:17,396 afterwards. 832 00:39:17,396 --> 00:39:20,024 That is where they're lacking the most. 833 00:39:20,024 --> 00:39:23,027 There are quite a few NGOs that are there, working. 834 00:39:23,569 --> 00:39:27,323 CONANI has offered a location, 835 00:39:27,323 --> 00:39:28,491 whether it's a piece of 836 00:39:28,491 --> 00:39:30,159 government-confiscated land 837 00:39:30,159 --> 00:39:32,453 or government-confiscated 838 00:39:32,453 --> 00:39:35,915 house or building that they're going to donate. 839 00:39:36,540 --> 00:39:38,125 We're looking at 840 00:39:38,125 --> 00:39:41,796 having a police officer desk, a fiscal desk, 841 00:39:41,796 --> 00:39:43,339 a CONANI desk. 842 00:39:43,339 --> 00:39:46,467 So that they handle the evidence, the rape kits, whatever. 843 00:39:46,467 --> 00:39:49,887 The chain of custody is started there by the fiscales, 844 00:39:49,887 --> 00:39:51,138 not by us. 845 00:39:51,138 --> 00:39:55,309 CONANI will help, you know, bring in different programs, 846 00:39:55,851 --> 00:39:58,687 software to help keep track of these 847 00:39:58,687 --> 00:40:01,857 victims and survivors. 848 00:40:01,857 --> 00:40:05,903 And we're there simply to facilitate and provide 849 00:40:05,903 --> 00:40:07,947 if we need a specialist to come in 850 00:40:08,614 --> 00:40:11,158 with a super young individual, a baby. 851 00:40:11,158 --> 00:40:13,119 Or something like that. 852 00:40:13,119 --> 00:40:16,831 This facility that we're looking at - I call it a triage center. 853 00:40:16,831 --> 00:40:19,834 Just because I don't know how else to call it. 854 00:40:19,834 --> 00:40:21,752 But a location that the government 855 00:40:21,752 --> 00:40:27,258 can get their hands on them first, provide the initial care - 856 00:40:27,258 --> 00:40:31,720 psychological care, medical care and the evidence care - 857 00:40:31,720 --> 00:40:32,513 that's needed 858 00:40:32,513 --> 00:40:35,683 so that we have an ironclad prosecution. 859 00:40:36,559 --> 00:40:39,145 That is where we're lacking, is in the prosecution side. 860 00:40:39,145 --> 00:40:42,189 And I feel that the aftercare portion of this, 861 00:40:42,189 --> 00:40:45,693 making sure that the survivors are comfortable 862 00:40:45,693 --> 00:40:47,653 going to a courtroom to testify, 863 00:40:47,653 --> 00:40:49,738 making sure the survivors are mentally 864 00:40:49,738 --> 00:40:54,785 and physically ready to testify, and have their life on a good trajectory. 865 00:40:54,785 --> 00:40:57,997 That they can come back and prosecute these individuals. 866 00:40:57,997 --> 00:41:00,833 We just had a German that we were able 867 00:41:00,833 --> 00:41:04,336 to help prosecute. I'd say about three weeks ago 868 00:41:04,336 --> 00:41:07,298 he was given a sentence of ten years. 869 00:41:07,298 --> 00:41:09,258 - And that’s actually huge for that country? - Correct. 870 00:41:09,258 --> 00:41:10,759 We would want 50 years or life. 871 00:41:10,759 --> 00:41:13,095 But to know in that country, that is a huge sentence. 872 00:41:13,095 --> 00:41:14,972 - But that was a cradle to grave 873 00:41:16,015 --> 00:41:17,683 operation for us. 874 00:41:17,683 --> 00:41:21,770 And this guy was using young teenage girls to make 875 00:41:21,770 --> 00:41:23,022 CSAM material. 876 00:41:23,022 --> 00:41:26,609 Finally, we were able to get his prosecution done and everything. 877 00:41:26,609 --> 00:41:28,903 But I want to streamline that. 878 00:41:28,903 --> 00:41:33,824 And I think providing that care and the initial chain of custody - 879 00:41:33,824 --> 00:41:38,204 the interviews, the video of everything - I think that is what we need 880 00:41:38,204 --> 00:41:38,871 most help. 881 00:41:38,871 --> 00:41:42,958 I have been saving from each of the budgets that I receive. 882 00:41:42,958 --> 00:41:45,711 I'm guessing it's gonna be close to $300,000. 883 00:41:45,711 --> 00:41:49,006 We have about half of that saved up right now 884 00:41:49,006 --> 00:41:52,301 through donor dollars, from the OUR budgets. 885 00:41:52,635 --> 00:41:58,140 But we’re looking [at] about $150,000 for salaries for these physicians and stuff like that. 886 00:41:58,140 --> 00:42:02,102 Well, thank you for all that you're doing to deploy assets in country, 887 00:42:02,102 --> 00:42:05,564 Where we can further stretch the donor dollars and to budget. 888 00:42:05,564 --> 00:42:08,859 You're firing on all cylinders, but there's always more that can be done. 889 00:42:08,859 --> 00:42:10,569 Certainly, we heard about the unrest in Haiti 890 00:42:10,569 --> 00:42:12,154 spilling over in the Dominican Republic. 891 00:42:12,154 --> 00:42:13,656 Some of the issues in Mexico. 892 00:42:13,656 --> 00:42:15,574 So, thank you, Omar, very much. 893 00:42:15,574 --> 00:42:19,662 I want to thank Omar for joining us and to just show a little bit 894 00:42:19,662 --> 00:42:23,958 about the level of expertise that we have of the men and women on the ground 895 00:42:23,958 --> 00:42:27,920 leading our operations and aftercare efforts around the world. 896 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:34,260 Thank you very much for your participation in watching or listening to Voices 897 00:42:34,260 --> 00:42:39,223 for Freedom, an anti-trafficking podcast brought to you by OUR Rescue. 898 00:42:39,223 --> 00:42:43,894 Please stay tuned in the coming weeks as we will continue to put out episodes 899 00:42:43,894 --> 00:42:47,856 with the true experts in the field across this 900 00:42:47,856 --> 00:42:52,194 spectrum of the fight against child exploitation and human trafficking. 901 00:42:52,194 --> 00:42:55,656 Thank you for your continued support of OUR Rescue. 902 00:42:56,115 --> 00:42:57,324 Thanks for listening. 903 00:42:57,324 --> 00:42:59,034 Did you enjoy this episode? 904 00:42:59,034 --> 00:43:03,581 If so, please leave us a review and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. 905 00:43:03,581 --> 00:43:05,874 If you have ideas for future episodes, 906 00:43:05,874 --> 00:43:10,838 email us at voicesforFreedom@ourrescue.org. 907 00:43:10,838 --> 00:43:13,757 Lastly, we encourage you to join the fight. 908 00:43:13,757 --> 00:43:18,429 Make a difference today by donating at ourrescue.org. 909 00:43:18,429 --> 00:43:22,808 Or text PODCAST to 75004 910 00:43:22,808 --> 00:43:26,770 Again, that number is 75004. 911 00:43:27,813 --> 00:43:28,856 Join us next week 912 00:43:28,856 --> 00:43:30,816 when we will be talking to Casey 913 00:43:30,816 --> 00:43:33,027 from Relentless Hope Ministries. 914 00:43:33,027 --> 00:43:37,197 They focus on both sex trafficking and ritual abuse. 915 00:43:37,197 --> 00:43:38,157 Many people don’t know 916 00:43:38,157 --> 00:43:39,450 what this is or what this 917 00:43:39,450 --> 00:43:40,409 looks like in our own 918 00:43:40,409 --> 00:43:41,577 community. 919 00:43:41,577 --> 00:43:43,245 You won’t want to miss this episode. 920 00:43:43,245 --> 00:43:46,707 It will be both engaging and enlightening. 921 00:43:46,707 --> 00:43:50,878 So join us as we talk with Casey next week.