Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said the charges were the result of collaboration between local law enforcement agencies and county attorneys in the region to identify and prosecute those who intend to buy sex from minors.
“Social networking sites like Craigslist and Backpage.com have become an easy way for sex traffickers to market their product, and for buyers to locate opportunitites to purchase sex,” Backstrom said. “My colleagues and I are committed to doing all we can with our great law enforcement partners to find and apprehend and convict those who are involved with this terrible and insidious trade.”
