Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the launch of a human trafficking section, to address and bolster statewide efforts to effectively investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases and facilitate assistance for victims.

The announcement comes during Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a time designated to educate the public about human trafficking and the role they can play in preventing and responding to human trafficking.

“Human trafficking takes many forms, often exploiting the vulnerabilities of people in need, leaving them with lasting devastation and trauma,” said Henry.

The Human Trafficking Section will be led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Heather Castellino. The section will take a multidisciplinary approach to tackle human trafficking, which impacts nearly every community in the Commonwealth.

The section will continue education and outreach efforts on the topic, and participate in conferences, symposiums, and presentations of case studies. The section will work internally and externally to train individuals to recognize signs of sex trafficking as they occur, and implement the best practices to address a trafficking situation once it has been identified.

As part of that effort, the Office of Attorney General participated in producing an educational podcast for Uber drivers, focused on identifying a potential victim of human trafficking and what actions to take when they suspect someone is in a potentially dangerous situation. The podcast will be released by Uber later this month.

In April, the office, along with the Pennsylvania State Police, arrested Joseph “Jay” Pulizzi for operating a human trafficking ring across multiple Pennsylvania counties. Pulizzi used promises of money, housing, and security to exploit at least seven victims, many of whom suffered from substance use disorders, homelessness, and other hardships. This case is an example of the tactics often used by human traffickers to deceive vulnerable women into exploitative sex “work” and control them with threats and violence.

Last February, a Berks County man, Hector Rivera, was convicted of 15 charges related to trafficking a young woman in his community. Rivera exploited the woman’s battle with addiction and then coerced her to have sex with men in exchange for money. Rivera kept all of the money from these transactions for himself. In May, he was sentenced to 33 ½ to 69 years in prison.

If you are a victim of human trafficking or suspect that someone else is a victim, contact the Pennsylvania State Police Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-292-1919; email tips@pa.gov; or contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline by calling or texting 233733 (befree) to 1-888-373-7888.