On Friday, April 29, 2022, investigators from the Greater Portland Coalition Against Sex Trafficking and Exploitation (GPCASTE) conducted an operation to target peope who patronize human trafficking victrims.

Five men were charged with engaging a parostitute (Class E Crime) and one man was charged with Patroniing Prostituion of a Minor (Class C Crime) during a joint operation with officers from the Portland, South Portland,d WEstbrook, Gorham, Brunswick, Falmouth and Yarmouot Police Departments, along with agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the FBI Safer Street Task Force and prosecutors from the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office.

There are several resources available if you or someone that you know is a victim of Human Trafficking.  For access to immediate services in Maine call the National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888 or Text “BEFREE” or Help for 233733.

None of those charged are from Portland.  But they do include:

Jordan Nikina, South Portland; Sean McKenney, Glatonsuby, CT; Brett Norton, Casco; David Durrell, Hollis; Spencer Rchie, Freeport and Duane Lowe, New Castle.