Suspicious Actions Raise Sex Trafficking Red Flags

TWO INCIDENTS OF TEENAGE GIRLS BEING FOLLOWED AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY SUSPICIOUS MEN IN ROSEVILLE ARE NOW CONSIDERED RED FLAGS OF POTENTIAL DANGER. THIS HAPPENED BACK IN JULY. IT'S CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF AN ORGANIZATION WORKING TO PREVENT HUMAN SEX TRAFFICKING. FOUR TEENAGE GIRLS ENJOYING THE END OF SUMMER AT SUN SPLASH. THEY SAY THEY WERE APPROACHED AND FOLLOWED BY A MAN IN HIS 20'S. LATER THAT DAY, THE TEENS REPORTED THE SAME EXPERIENCE AT THE ROSEVILLE GALLERIA. BUT IT WAS A DIFFERENT MAN. WELL-DRESSED, TRAILING THEM AND TAKING PICTURES. IN DIFFERENT SHOPS, THEY WOULD NOTICE HIM. AT FIRST HE WOULD FALL BACK. HE'D BE ON HIS PHONE OR HE'D DO SOMETHING THAT WAS -- IT DIDN'T SEEM OBVIOUS TO THEM. BUT ONE OF THE YOUNG WOMEN ESPECIALLY KEPT SEEING HIM. THAT'S THE STORY TOLD TO RUN FOR COURAGE, AN ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION, WHICH HAS GIVEN SAFETY SEMINARS TO THOUSANDS. ASHLEY SAYS THE ROSEVILLE INCIDENTS ARE SUSPICIOUS AND SIMILAR TO PREDATOR BEHAVIOR, WHICH ATTEMPTS TO FIND NAIVE YOUNG TEENS AND LURE THEM AWAY. PERHAPS PUT DRUGS IN THEIR DRINK IF THEY'RE DRINKING SOMETHING. WE'VE HEARD OF THAT. THEN NOW IF SOMEONE IS DRUGGED, IF A TEEN IS DRUGGED AND THEY'RE TAKING SOMEWHERE, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN TO THEM. UP AT GALLERIA, THE GIRLS SAID THEY COMPLAINED TO MALL SECURITY, WHO ESCORTED THE MAN OFF THE PROPERTY. IN A STATEMENT BY WESTVILLE GALLERIA, THEY SAID THE SAFETY OF SHOPPERS IS PARAMOUNT AND ALWAYS A PRIORITY. AT THE MALL IN SACRAMENTO, THE SECURITY CHIEF SAYS THEY'RE ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR POSSIBLE PREDATORS. WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE HARASSING FEMALES, HARASSING MALES. WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE HANDING OUT FLYERS. STEVE WAS A POLICE OFFICER FOR 20 YEARS BEFORE COMING HERE. HIS ADVICE TO PARENTS? I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE NOT TO LET YOUR KID COME TO SHOPPING MALLS BY THEMSELVES, ESPECIALLY YOUNG GIRLS. IF THERE'S SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS THAT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT, CONTACT SECURITY. EXPERTS SAY THEY LOOK FOR VICTIMS ANYWHERE KIDS ARE GATHERED. BRYANT TEACHES TEENS IN SCHOOL HOW TO BE AWARE AND SAFE. BUT SHE SAYS SHE MUST FIRST OVERCOME DENIAL. IT CAN HAPPEN IN INDIA AND CHINA OR COM BODE YA -- CAMBODIA, BUT NOT HERE. IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE. THAT'S THE THING WE NEED TO WAKE UP TO. IN SACRAMENTO, KCRA 3 NEWS. THE RUN FOR COURAGE ORGANIZATION OFFERS