The STOPLight

Special agent speaks out

This is an interview with Ann Quinn-Robinson, a special agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). She investigates juvenile prostitution cases.

What is the role of the BCA?

The BCA is the state police agency. The main responsibility of the BCA is homicide and narcotics investigation.

A few years ago there was an investigation into a large-scale prostitution ring operated by the Evans family, based out of Minneapolis. Their method was to recruit kids off the street and take them across state lines to work in escort services, hotels, and strip clubs as prostitutes. That investigation brought to light that we had quite a problem of juvenile prostitution throughout the state of Minnesota, and it was basically untouched. The state awarded a grant to the BCA to work on this problem, and my position is the result of that grant.

Juvenile prostitution was untouched because resources were not allocated to work on it. As a result, it reached epidemic proportions. Do you close your eyes and say it is out of my control or do you try to do something about it? The BCA is trying to do something.

What does the problem of juvenile prostitution look like in Minnesota?

I would estimate there are at least a thousand children, probably many more, in the state of Minnesota at any given time that are in prostitution. It is a hard problem to tap because oftentimes the kids will run away from their rural areas and head into the city, hook up with a pimp, be in prostitution for a few weeks then go back home. They will leave home again, head back to the city, and again be in prostitution. Sometimes that goes unreported because the kids are just assumed to be runaways and no one delves into what they have been doing in the Twin Cities.

Prostitution goes on in all parts of the state. It goes on in farming communities where farmers will actually prostitute their daughters. It goes on in small communities where you see the strip clubs; those are often covers for prostitution. Pimps will go there to recruit girls and provide them with fake ID's. The owners think they are getting an adult or they don't check out ID's and then the prostitution goes on with the stripping. Owners will say, "We just have a strip club. This is 'adults only.' This is legal in the state of Minnesota." But they also add, "We don't really care what the girls do when they are off duty. That has no relation to my club." Well that is absolutely untrue because contacts with the prostitution customers are made within the strip club.

There is a pipeline that generally travels through the states along the Mississippi River, where kids will travel from Minnesota to those states and back. Sometimes girls in the northern part of the state will end up in Canada, actually taken across country lines. New York City used to be a hotbed for our juveniles. I think they still go there, but the awareness has really helped cut down on kids going there, because they know they are going to be hopped on by the local cops.

Because of my job being developed and the awareness throughout the country, pimps have had to change their method of operation. We are trying to shake them up and let them know that victimizing our youth is not going to be tolerated.

I'll add that this is not unique to Minnesota. It is going on all over.

What is needed for law enforcement to work better on this issue?

There needs to be tougher penalties for those who are caught promoting prostitution. Promotion of juvenile prostitution is a presumptive prison sentence, so the first time you are caught you are going to prison. It isn't that way for adults. We know that those who are pimping adults are also pimping juveniles. A mandatory prison sentence for pimping adults would be a big step.

Publication of the johns we catch would also help. Who would want to have his name published for being a customer of prostitution? Many of these guys are married men, and they don't want their wives to know what they are doing.

Improving communication between law enforcement in several states is one of our priorities. We want to keep better track of which pimps and girls have been in which states. That way we can figure out the trends in different states, so we know what might be coming our way.

What recruitment tactics have you seen?

The pimps are really good at recruiting kids, whether it is the kids who are the throwaway children, those with a multitude of problems, or those that appear to be normal. They know what to say to make the kids comfortable.

A pimp or a recruiter for the pimp ­ maybe someone that is the juvenile's age - will approach a juvenile. That person very quickly becomes a boyfriend or a good friend. He or she starts having the juvenile spend the night at his or her house. Within two or three days, the kid is involved in prostitution.

Pimps will find out what is going on at home and play off of that. They may say, "Your parents don't like you. I like you. I'm the only one who cares about you."

The pimps tell them, "I'll buy whatever you want." They flash big rolls of money, fancy clothes right away. They get the kids' nails and hair done. The kids just think this is an easy way to make money, and they also don't think it is that big of a deal until they are really caught up in it. If the girl wants to leave, the pimp will say, "Nobody wants you back. You can't leave. Your family won't want you now. If you tell your family, I will kill them." The kids believe the threats. They don't want their parents to know or their family to get hurt, so they don't leave.

Pimps will tell the girls, "You don't have to use other parts of your body. Just use your mouth. Sometimes people just use their hands." I've had juveniles tell me, "I'm not having sex, so I'm not a prostitute." They may be giving hand jobs or having oral sex, but the kids don't consider that sex. They don't think they are in prostitution because they are not actually having vaginal intercourse with these pimps or with these johns.

How can we prevent kids from being recruited?

Communities need to be aware of the vulnerable kids. A lot of prostitution have had some sort of physical or sexual abuse or severe psychological problems. A lot of these kids are throwaway kids that no one wants anything to do with, and prostitution is a means of survival for them. There are kids however from seemingly good families that end up, for whatever reason, falling prey to the pimps.

Be aware of where kids hang out. Pimps will go where the kids are, and one of the biggest recruiting grounds are malls, in any part of the state. Of special concern in the Twin Cities are malls where kids from all over the state come to hang out. If you work at a mall, be aware of who is hanging out there. Let the police know if something looks suspicious.

If you have a friend who has a run-away daughter or son ­ males also get into prostitution ­ direct them to an appropriate social service agency. Perhaps the child may be involved in prostitution, especially if they're heading to the city.

If you suspect your child is in prostitution, call your local police, a social worker, or school counselor. If the kid is on probation, call the probation officer and report the behaviors you are seeing.

People can also call me directly. I will refer them to their local police and assist that agency. I am the only person assigned state-wide to do this, so my plate is really full. That doesn't mean I won't assist and give advice.

What keeps you going in your work?

I like putting predators in prison, especially those who prey on children. Kids are our future, and what will happen if we're not working to save them?

Ann Quinn-Robinson may be contacted at:

Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
1246 University Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55104
651-642-0610