State officials announce 46 arrested, 21 victims rescued in Ky. human trafficking sting

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) - It’s a fight that Kentucky has been working on for well over a decade - putting a stop to human trafficking.

On Wednesday, Governor Andy Beshear announced 46 people were arrested and 21 victims, including two minors, were rescued in Operation United Front.

“Labor and sex trafficking is one of the worst evils imaginable,” said Governor Beshear. “It subjects victims to unspeakable harms. It violates them over and over.”

The multistate human trafficking sting was carried out Aug. 26 by 29 agencies across Kentucky.

Kentucky State Police organized the sting in Kentucky. Four trafficking operations were carried out simultaneously in Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, McCracken County, and Northern Kentucky.

In 2019 Kentucky ranked 9th for new criminal human trafficking cases.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron and his predecessor, now Governor Beshear, both placed a large emphasis on cracking down on cases of human trafficking in Kentucky.

The 12-state human trafficking operation was led by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and Missouri Highway Patrol.

Governor Beshear said the scale of this operation was unprecedented and the Attorney General commended the organization and cooperation that made this possible.

“I cannot stress enough that when we break down silos this is what happens,” said Attorney General Cameron. “That bad actors are on notice that their conduct is not welcomed here. That our streets are safer and that our people can live more freely.”

A list of the names of those arrested can be found here.

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