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    • Sexual Abuse “Will Never Leave my Memory”

      Courtesy of The Gazette

      CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A Dubuque teen said she never imagined “something like this” would happen to her. “It changed me forever.”

      “I was held against my will, abused and raped repeatedly by men that Jarod Anderson sold me to,” wrote the teen, in a victim impact statement read by an advocate with Chains Interrupted during Anderson’s sentencing. “Jarod Anderson raped me. I was a minor (17) at the time.”

      The teen said this time period “felt like a lifetime that would never end.” She feared dying in the hotel room where she was taken on May 21 and 22, 2024, and never seeing her family again.

      “My life ended that day, and during that time my spirit was broken,” the teen said. “These things will never leave my memory and haunt me day and night.”

      In her statement, she also asked the court to impose a life sentence — to ensure Anderson wouldn’t have the opportunity to do this to anyone else.

      Anderson, 35, of Hiawatha, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for human trafficking a minor, third-degree sexual abuse, pimping, and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Sixth Judicial District Judge Ian Thornhill ran the four other charges concurrently with the mandatory life sentence.

      Anderson also will be required to pay restitution to be determined later, Thornhill said. He also issued a five-year, no-contact order to protect the victim. In February, a Linn County jury deliberated about 90 minutes before finding Anderson guilty on the five charges.

      In 2023, the Iowa Legislature changed the human trafficking of a minor law to increase the penalty to life in prison without the possibility of parole. This was the first case charged in Linn County and the first to go to trial in Iowa under the new human trafficking of a minor law.

      Tap here to read more.

      November 1 Deadline for Award Nominations

      On Thursday, January 22, 2026, Governor Reynolds and the NAHT will present the Outstanding Anti-Trafficking Service Awards to individuals and organizations who have made outstanding contributions to ending human trafficking and slavery through coalition building, service to survivors, law enforcement and prosecution, rescue of victims, raising awareness, education, public policy prevention, and advocacy.

      This award recognizes and honors those who have made outstanding contributions to ending trafficking in Iowa by:

      • Educating and training the public and schools
      • Heroic efforts to rescue, uncover, or investigate trafficking
      • Elected officials and advocates who have worked for anti-trafficking public policy and legislation
      • Law enforcement and prosecution of traffickers
      • Leading efforts to establish or expand services to survivors
      • Demonstrating cooperation and collaboration between organizations and agencies
      • Demonstrating advocacy for the prevention of trafficking
      • Survivors who serve as spokespersons or advocates

      We invite you to submit a nomination by completing this form and emailing it here by November 1. View the January 22 Save the Date flyer.

      To access a list of past awardees, tap here.

      2026 Legislative Priorities

      The Network Against Human Trafficking Legislative Advocacy Committee is led by Maggie Tinsman. The committee is proposing the following NAHT 2026 legislative agenda. Tap here for a copy. Your reviews and comments regarding the agenda are appreciated, and we ask that you send them to administrator@iowanaht.org.

      2025 was a difficult year for securing additional funds from the Iowa Legislature. The NAHT and advocates throughout Iowa worked very hard on the top 2025 priority, which was to secure one million dollars in first-time funding for non-profit residential programs that were not currently receiving funding from the State of Iowa. These nine programs are shown on the map attached to the first page of the 2026 Legislative Agenda. We are disappointed to report that only $150,000 in funding has been allocated for the Human Trafficking Service Fund. Also, the $150,000 was not put out by the Iowa AG’s Office as a request for proposals for new and unfunded programs. We anticipate that a separate RFP will come out in 2026, once we secure more state funding.

      “Putting an End to Human Trafficking” Public Forum on October 15

      For the third year, a multi-club group of Central Iowa Rotary Clubs is hosting a three-hour public forum on the evening of Wednesday, October 15, in Des Moines. The keynote speaker is Dan Nash, founder of the human trafficking training center. His focus will be on law enforcement’s role in identifying and arresting alleged traffickers. You must register to attend, and the cost is $25. The money raised is matched by Rotary, and over the last three years, they have donated more than $150,000 to non-profits fighting human trafficking. Tap here to get a copy of the rotary flyer with the information needed to register.

    • Iowa Businesses Called to Action

      The Iowa Secretary of State invites businesses across Iowa to help fight human trafficking by becoming an Iowa Business Against Trafficking (IBAT). This year’s theme: Human trafficking is Organized Crime. End the Exploitation.

      Human trafficking remains one of the most devastating crimes of our time, with organized criminal networks exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit on an unprecedented scale. From 2020 to 2023, more than 200,000 victims were detected globally, representing only a fraction of the true scope of this crisis. These networks operate through migration flows, supply chains, and digital platforms, generating billions in profits from forced labor, sexual exploitation, and coercion into criminal activities.

      Iowa businesses have a unique opportunity to make a difference. Throughout the month of July, we encourage your organization to participate in the Red Sand Project, an awareness initiative that creates visible reminders of the hidden victims of human trafficking. By pouring red sand into sidewalk cracks and other overlooked spaces, we symbolize the often-invisible people who fall through the cracks of society and become vulnerable to exploitation.

      Your business can take action by:

      • Hosting Red Sand Project installations at your location
      • Training employees to recognize signs of human trafficking
      • Partnering with local law enforcement and advocacy organizations
      • Supporting survivor services and prevention programs
      • Sharing awareness resources with customers and community partners

      To learn more about participating in the Red Sand Project or other anti-trafficking initiatives, contact info@ChainsInterrupted.com. Or visit Red Sand Project.

      Humboldt Man Sentenced to 15 Years

      Paul William Flett, age 44, from Humboldt, Iowa, was recently sentenced in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa. In a plea agreement, Flett admitted he sent links and images of child pornography to underage girls and asked them to send images and videos of themselves to him.

    • On June 6, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Flett’s home and in a consensual interview Flett admitted he threw his phone in a closet when law enforcement showed up because he knew they were there for him. Forensic analysis of Flett’s iPhone 12, computer, and Kik account discovered a total of 16 videos and 60 images of child pornography.  The images and videos contained material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, as well as prepubescent children, infants, and toddlers.

      Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Flett was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Flett faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any imprisonment of five years to life.

      This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit usdoj.gov/psc and click on the Resources tab.

      The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cyber-Crime Unit, and Webster County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.

      Demand Reduction Bill Signed into Law

      Another state legislature has passed a bill to help end commercial sexual exploitation. Should Iowa consider a similar bill?

      New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte has officially signed SB 267 into law—a landmark buyer accountability bill designed to reduce demand for paid sex and help protect those who are vulnerable to exploitation.

      SB 267 establishes a mandatory fine for individuals convicted of buying sex, elevates the offense to a Class A misdemeanor, and ensures that fines collected will go directly toward support services for survivors.

    • Governor Ayotte states that she is especially grateful for the collaborative efforts that made this bill possible. National and state policy partners across the country stood with local advocates to push this bill over the finish line. A special thanks to the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and the survivors who tirelessly traveled and spoke out to New Hampshire to make sure their voices were heard.

      We believe this new law sends a powerful message: that buyers, not those who are bought, must be held responsible. We hope New Hampshire’s leadership will inspire other states to follow suit with bold, survivor-informed legislation that tackles demand head-on.

      Tap here to make a donation today to help WorldWE continue our policy work throughout the country.

      Red Sand Project Increases Awareness in Iowa for Human Trafficking

      To observe World Day Against Human Trafficking, Quad Cities community members came together to spread red sand in cracks at Leach Park to bring awareness to human trafficking.

      The Red Sand Project demonstrates a movement across the U.S., but also here in the Quad Cities.

      “Keep in mind, in the last few years, only 200,000 documented victims received help. That is only 0.02% of those being trafficked,” said Former Iowa Representative Maggie Tinsman. Tinsman is also an active member of the board of directors of the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking.

      It’s an issue that hits close to home this year, with several arrests being made at Iowa massage parlors, accusing the businesses of being fronts for human trafficking.

      “Red sand in the cracks of the sidewalk symbolizes victims falling through the cracks into human trafficking,” said Marielle Sweborg, assistant to Maggie Tinsman. “And we know there’s millions of other victims out there.”

      Tinsman said traffickers are hitting our kids’ schools, our nail salons, and our local massage parlors. “Maggie Tinsman was the legislator who made human trafficking a felony in Iowa,” Sweborg said. “It was legal before 2002, and you could just traffic anyone.” Sweborg adds, “Raising awareness is the best weapon to combat this crime.”

      Leaders say the crime of human trafficking isn’t a far issue; it’s been all around us for as long as we can remember. Tinsman and her team said if you suspect any form of human trafficking to call 911 immediately.

      Increase in Trafficking Survivors Seeking T-Visas

      The T-Visa, an underutilized lifeline for immigrant survivors of human trafficking, is experiencing a sharp rise in applications, despite increasing processing times and deportation risks.

      The T-Visa allows victims who have experienced severe forms of human trafficking to remain in the country for up to four years if they are helpful to law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of their trafficker. Approved applicants can work in the U.S., are eligible for certain state and federal benefits, and can apply for a green card after three years on the visa (or earlier if the criminal case is closed).

      Julie Dahlstrom, founder and director of the Human Trafficking Clinic at Boston University, said increased awareness of the visa and the courts’ expanding definitions of trafficking may have contributed to the increase, along with mounting barriers to other pathways for immigrant relief.

      Congress created the T-Visa in 2000 as part of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, intending to bolster law enforcement agencies’ capabilities to prosecute human trafficking crimes while offering protections to survivors. The same law also established the U visa, which provides legal status for victims who have suffered substantial abuse as a result of serious crimes, including trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault. U visa applicants must also be willing to assist law enforcement in their investigation of these crimes.

      Learn more about T-Visas.

      Help the NAHT to Celebrate its 20th Anniversary

      The NAHT is celebrating its 20th anniversary since being founding in 2005. Please consider honoring this milestone by supporting Iowa’s only statewide non-profit all-volunteer organization fighting human trafficking. You can help us reach our $20,000 20th anniversary fundraising goal by tapping here. Thus far, NAHT supporters have donated nearly $10,000 toward the 20th anniversary goal.

      Photo: NAHT advocate and board member Lyna Debner showed her support for the 20th anniversary funding campaign by holding up her poster, which provides a space to answer the question, “I support the NAHT…” Lyna’s personal statement says “We must bring awareness to our communities of this horrific crime of modern-day slavery! Survivors and victims need our support!”

      TV News Clips & Articles

By on October 1, 2025   /   News