The Foreign Service Journal, June 2018

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JUNE 2018 23 signed contracts that many could neither read nor understand, waiting in the next room, hoping their child would break into the modeling world. Instead, the photographer and his associ- ates were committing crimes for profit—taking repulsive and heartbreaking photos and threatening the children that they would kill their parents if they breathed a word about what was really happening. Ten hours later, after searching through every drawer, cabinet, loose floorboard and wall panel, we loaded up the evidence that definitively linked our suspects to the victims, websites and multiple crime locations, along with the names of more than 100 more potential victims. Later that afternoon, our five suspects appeared before a judge, and the two main perpetrators were remanded to custody for the duration of the investigation and trial. The photographer placed his head on the courtroom table and cried. The three additional suspects posted bail, but were prohibited from leaving the country. There was no pity to be found in the courtroom as he and the others were charged with crimes including human traffick- ing, rape of a minor, rape, sexual exploitation of a minor, money laundering and other charges that together carry a potential jail term of up to 50 years for each individual. Solving the Case: The TIP Working Group Diplomacy, relationship-building and international coopera- tion solved this case. The work in San Jose to combat human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of minors did not start with that call fromMauricio Boraschi and Angie Trejos. It took a concentrated effort by multiple government entities and agencies in various countries working together. This international coalition that proved to be so effective was the culmination of hard work by various sections of the U.S. embassy, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service and our Costa Rican counterparts. Inside the embassy, we created a Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Working Group to better coordinate our efforts to cooperate more effectively with our multiple Costa Rican counterparts. The Political section took the embassy lead in helping Costa Rica improve its rating in the annual TIP Report through changes in Costa Rican laws and policies that would better align the country with international standards. The Political section and the Inter- national Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs section (INL) worked together through various grant programs to enhance and improve Costa Rica’s capacity to provide victim assistance. This was done through private and government sectors, including the Trafficking in Person’s Immediate Response Team. The 27 victims received—and continue to receive—support from these various local groups. The Public Affairs section engaged with the TIP Working Group in 2016. In collabora- tion with the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, we devel- oped a special IVLP On Demand Project, in which Angie Trejos and six other TIP prosecutors and investigative agents par- ticipated, that we deliberately tailored to Costa Rica’s issues. The IVLP experience gave them a better understanding of the trafficking problemworldwide and the types of assistance the U.S. State Department and Dip- lomatic Security Service, along with various other agencies, can provide—not only to combat these crimes, but to better secure all national borders by building international coalitions to dismantle transnational traf- ficking and smuggling routes. Angel Watch My ARSO-I office has taken the lead on numerous projects, includingmultiple criminal cases, alongside our Costa Rican coun- terparts and the Angel Watch program. Run by the Department of Homeland Security, the programalerts countries that a U.S. citizen convicted of sexual crimes against aminor is traveling there. Over the past three years, the programhas been hugely successful, and is one of several ways Costa Rica is taking a proactive approach to combatting the exploitation of children. OIJ agents, Costa Rican prosecutors and the ARSO-I line up on the narrow road leading to the prime suspect’s residence to conduct the raid. KALABOKELMAN