Human Trafficking Case Debrief

Investigator Brian Robertson, Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force

Investigator Brian Robertson of the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force will be sharing the process of how an actual case  unfolds, from start to finish, using an actual Riv. County Case. Join us for this informative class to get a better understanding how a case is actually put together and prosecuted.

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About Investigator Brian Robertson:
Investigator Brian Roberston has been with the Riverside County Sheriff for 27 years.  He did 2 years in the jails, then was a field training officer, on the Station Gang Team, worked at the Hemet Station Investigations Bureau, and many years on the Human Trafficking Task Force. He’s also the Owner and Operator of Robertsons Training and Consulting LLC.  He also happens to be one of our favorite presenters on Justice issues.

Protecting Our Children Online

Senior Investigator Jason Polanco, Riverside County DA’s Office Bureau of Investigation (RCCET)

Senior Investigator Joel Pabelico, Riverside County DA’s Office Bureau of Investigation (RCCET)

Senior Investigator Jason Polanco and his partner, Senior Investigator Joel Pabelico from the Riverside County DA’s Office Bureau of Investigation (RCCET), will be sharing about the various ways exploiters target kids online, and how parents can better protect them

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About Senior Investigator Jason Polanco:
Investigator Polanco has a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Technology-Cybersecurity from Cal State San Bernardino. He has 18 years of Law Enforcement experience in the City of Indio, where he has worked as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, K9 Handler, and Detective. From 2014 to 2019, he was assigned to the Major Crimes Unit, working on Sexual Assault, Child Abuse, and Homicides. In 2021 he was hired by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and was assigned to an integrated Trial Team. In 2022 he was reassigned to the County’s exploitation Team and then partnered with K9 Solo as the office’s second ESD Handler. Investigator Polanco has an extensive background in computers, technology, and digital forensics, and has over 1,000 hours of law enforcement training related to sexual assault, child abuse, and forensic interviewing.

About Senior Investigator Joel Pabelico:
Investigator Pabelico Has over 21 years of Law Enforcement experience in San Diego County and as a Riverside County Sheriff. At the Perris Station he was a Patrol Deputy, Problem Oriented Policing Deputy, and a Field Training Officer.  He was promoted to Corporal in 2008, and then promoted in 2009 to Investigator, transferring to the Jurupa Valley Station. He primarily investigated Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Cases. He was assigned to the Riv. County Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE)/Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force in 2015. In 2018 he became Senior Investigator in the District Attorney’s Office. He then became part of the Riv. County Child Exploitation Team (RCCET), working on Electronic Storage Detection K9 team with K9 Chewie since August 2020.. He also conducts internet safety/online safety presentations.

Understanding the (TIP) Trafficking In Person Annual Report

Chris Lick, Former Law Enforcement Advisor for the Human Trafficking Institute

TIP report is published annually by the U.S. Dept. of State and is the U.S. government’s main diplomatic tool to engage foreign governments on human trafficking. IT’s the most comprehensive resource of governmental anti-trafficking efforts. Come learn how to better understand this report, what it means, and how it affects you and I.

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About Chris Lick:
Mostly recently, Chris served in Belize as the Law Enforcement Advisor on behalf of the Human Trafficking Institute (HTI).  While there, he assisted the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Unit of the Belize Police Department with trafficking investigations and the Belizean Government with policy and strategy to enhance the government's response to trafficking.  He also collaborated and networked with both local and international non-governmental organizations.  Chris served with Destiny Rescue in Southeast Asia assisting governments in their trafficking investigations and training.  Chris spent 28 years in law enforcement in a number of roles, mostly focused on investigations.

Labor Trafficking

Derek Marsh, Retired Deputy Chief and Co-Founder of the Orange County Task Force

Join retired Deputy Chief Derek Marsh, co-founder of the Orange County Task Force, as he shares about the current problem of labor trafficking, what it looks like, as well as the difficulties involved in identifying victims and prosecuting offenders.

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About Derek Marsh:
Derek Marsh retired from the Westminster Police Department, CA, in 2013, as Deputy Chief after more than 26 years of service. In 2004, he co-founded the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF). He served as the co-chair of the OCHTTF from 2004-12, where he developed and taught courses in human trafficking (HT), supervised HT investigations, assisted in creating anti-HT DVDs for state and federal grants, wrote and managed HT grants, and provided Congressional testimony as an expert witness.

Derek Marsh was the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Visiting Fellow in HT from 2015 through 2018, researching how HT task forces investigate labor trafficking cases and examining ECM Task Force collaborations and their dynamics across the United States.

He works now as the Associate Director of the GCWJ. He focuses on GCWJ’s online Anti-Human Trafficking Certificate program, grant writing and developing and providing local, national and global anti-HT outreach and training programs for first responders. He also teaches a variety of criminal justice courses for undergraduates. He has presented across California and the United States, Saipan, Italy, Argentina, Romania, Greece, Rwanda, and Kenya (the latter two as a consultant with the UNODC). He published a peer reviewed article this year regarding collaboration and labor trafficking investigations.

God's Heart For Justice

Cory Nickols, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships for Destiny Rescue

Join Cory Nickols, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships for Destiny Rescue, in an important conversation about God’s heart for Justice.  Why do we care so much about justice? Should God’s heart be ours? This is a much-needed conversation in the Church today.

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About Cory Nickols:
Cory Nickols is Destiny Rescue USA's Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships and one of Destiny Rescue's key spokespersons. His passion for the issue of child sexual slavery stems from his own story of abuse he experienced as a minor. As Cory moved forward on his healing journey, he desired to channel the pain of his past for great good, which compelled him to start writing for Destiny Rescue from their international headquarters in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Eventually, he became their International Media Director. While in this role, Cory saw horrific injustices done to children, ultimately stirring his heart to return to the U.S. to tell these child survivors' stories.

Today as a key communicator, Cory travels extensively throughout the United States to bring greater awareness to the pandemic of human trafficking and to inspire audiences to take action in defending children across our planet.

Talking to Kids About Human Trafficking: Empowering Our Children

Dr. Brenda Navarrete, Program Director at Alabaster Jar Project

This workshop will focus on strategies to talk to kids and adolescents about human trafficking and involve them in the protection and prevention process. The purpose of this workshop is to equip parents, teachers and anyone working with children to navigate these difficult topics through connection and effective, child friendly communication.

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About Brenda Navarrete:
Dr. Brenda Navarrete serves as the Program Director at Alabaster Jar Project, a long-term residential program and resource center for women who have experienced human trafficking and sexual exploitation in San Diego County. She is a professor of human trafficking and survivor care at the Global Center for Women and Justice at Vanguard University. Dr. Navarrete has provided anti-human trafficking awareness training, conducted research, and developed human trafficking aftercare programming in her local community and internationally in Rwanda, Honduras, and Spain. She is the former president of the Inland Empire chapter for the California Psychological Association and has taught graduate psychology at several universities in Southern California.