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THE DETAIL NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2022

UNDERCOVER COPS USE FAKE PROFILES TO CATCH CHILD SEX TRAFFICKERS

Every year, dozens of men in Arapahoe County are arrested for trafficking young girls -- recruiting them for the sole purpose of selling them for sex. In the past five years, hundreds of traffickers have been caught and convicted. Arapahoe Sheriff Investigators say these brazen criminals are rarely finding kids in-person anymore, rather the majority of it is on social media.

"That shift from in-person recruiting to social media is happening because these traffickers can reach more girls at once. It's also much harder to get caught and there's less exposure for the criminals," says Arapahoe Sheriff Investigator Craig Tangeman with the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Convicted child sex trafficker who used social media to advertise his pimping activity

Since 2017, Investigator Craig Tangeman who works undercover, has been posing online as a young girl on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and even dating sites to catch sex traffickers. Once a man makes contact to his fake profile, Tangeman begins chatting, engages them in an online conversation and plays along with their recruitment tactics, which include psychological manipulation and coercion to gain control of who the traffickers believe is a teenage girl.

"Hundreds of men contact my fake profile every single day. I have to sift through who the traffickers are but I can spot them instantly. So far, I've arrested everyone who's attempted to traffic the girl I'm posing as," says Investigator Tangeman.
Another example of the photos being used to lure teenage girls

Tangeman says young girls in Arapahoe County are being bought and sold for sex every single day by traffickers, gangs and even family members. And, it's not just runaways anymore who are falling victim, it's also kids from good, stable homes who are being targeted. In the five years he's worked on the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, he's arrested numerous child sex traffickers and also rescued hundreds of young girls from the sex trade.

While the crime of child sex trafficking will never end, Tangeman vows to deter it as long as he's around.

"My best advice to other parents is to be involved and be present in your child's life. Encourage them to be open with you and be open with them. Most importantly, monitor and regulate their social media and screen time," says Tangeman.

For more information on what law enforcement is doing to stop human trafficking, click the buttons below.

STOLEN CATALYTIC CONVERTERS RECOVERED

Catalytic converter thefts are on the rise in the Denver metro area, but fortunately, Arapahoe County has not seen the sharp increase other Colorado communities have. Still, these large car parts are being stolen, primarily for their valuable metals. Thieves steal them from unattended vehicles and since they're not easily traceable, there's a lucrative market for the stolen parts. Rarely are the stolen catalytic converters ever recovered... until now.

On October 7, three catalytic converters were stolen from Toyota Tacoma trucks at a Centennial business.

Catalytic converters stolen from these vehicles

After reviewing surveillance video and conducting multiple interviews, investigators tracked down the stolen parts at a local scrap yard and were shocked at just how many used catalytic converters they had.

"This is the first time I can remember that we've ever been able to track down stolen catalytic converters. Once they're gone, they gone and they're almost impossible to find. This was a real win for us to locate them," says Arapahoe Sheriff Sgt. Matt Davis.

This particular case is still very active. The suspect has not been arrested yet and the scrap yard is not facing charges for purchasing the parts. Yet, we wanted to share this body worn camera video that shows our investigator recovering the stolen parts. It shows just how many of these catalytic converters are being bought and sold for a profit once they're stolen.

For tips on how to protect against the loss of your catalytic converter, click below.

SHARING THE ROAD WITH NON-TRADITIONAL VEHICLES

The Sheriff's Office has received many questions about various non-traditional vehicles like scooters, four wheelers, mini bikes and golf carts. Which types are allowed on the roadway? Which ones require licenses or insurance?

We've created a guide to help you better understand which ones are legal to drive on our roadways in the City of Centennial and Unincorporated Arapahoe County.

Click below to see the guide.

SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO TAKE UP RUNNING 'FOR A CAUSE'

Running may not be for everyone, but School Resource Officer Deputy John Gray is sharing his story hoping you'll at least give running a chance.

Deputy Gray took up running 15 years ago and while he runs for his own physical health, his favorite part of running is raising money for a good cause. For instance, the RexRun, named after his black lab Rex, supports funding for more therapy dogs in schools.

"Running is a great way to get a natural dopamine release and benefit your mood and wellness. If you're new to running, I would encourage you to find a way to make it fun and impactful. Consider joining us at the RexRun 2023!" says Deputy John Gray.

Read Deputy Gray's personal story in Runners World Magazine.

DEPUTY'S JOURNEY TOWARD RECOVERY AFTER A MASSIVE HEART ATTACK

His life changed forever on December 31, 2019. Deputy Jason Presley was gone, briefly, but came back to life while doctors feverishly performed chest compressions as he lay lifeless in the ICU.

But God had a different plan for him. After a second shock, Presley's heart began beating and his eyes opened. Thus started his journey of recovery and a plea to his fellow deputies:

"Don’t ever take your health for granted. Tell the people who matter to you that you love them,” says Deputy Presley.

Read his story of survival below.

TALK WITH TYLER

On the recent 'Talk with Tyler,' Sheriff Brown addressed some important local issues and answered the community's questions about everything from the crime rate in Arapahoe County to our staffing shortage, the rise in motor vehicle thefts and our school therapy dog program. We even had a special surprise guest, Riley, Cherry Creek School District's new therapy puppy!

If you missed it, read about it in the article below, watch it on the Sheriff's Facebook page HERE or on our YouTube channel below.

SHERIFF'S OFFICE PARTICIPATED IN NATIONAL FAITH AND BLUE WEEKEND

We were excited to host our first Faith & Blue event, "Stronger Together" on October 9 at Summit Church in Centennial. It was a day to create meaningful connections with our community and build safer and stronger neighborhoods. The event included a community forum featuring four panelists: Arapahoe County Sheriff Tyler Brown, civil rights attorney Qusair Mohamedbhai, Arapahoe County Sgt. Edred Bryan II and Omar Montgomery, the president of the Aurora branch of the NAACP.

Read all about it in the Centennial Citizen or watch the video below.

YOU A'INT NOTHIN' BUT A HOUND DOG...

Our school therapy dogs joined in on the Halloween fun! Top: Rex as The King of Rock and Roll. Left: Riley the mailman (with a package for his brothers) 😂. Right: Zeke the ghost 👻👻.