Inside the Capitol in Washington DC

Departments of Justice, Labor and Homeland Security Announce Phase II of Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team Initiative

Phase II Will Build on Momentum of Highly Effective Phase I to Further Enhance Interagency Anti-Trafficking Efforts The Departments of Justice, Labor (DOL) and Homeland Security (DHS) today announced the launch of Phase II of the Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam) Initiative aimed at streamlining federal criminal investigations and prosecutions of human trafficking offenses. Phase II ACTeams will be convened in up to six selected districts around the country, following a competitive, nationwide, interagency selection process. The ACTeams, comprised of federal prosecutors and investigators representing multiple federal enforcement agencies, will implement a joint strategic action plan to develop high-impact federal investigations and prosecutions, vindicate the rights of human trafficking victims, bring traffickers to justice and dismantle human trafficking networks. “Human traffickers prey on some of the most vulnerable members of our society to exploit them for labor, for sex and for servitude of all kinds,” said Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch. “Their crimes, appropriately described as modern-day slavery, have no place in a nation that has overcome the scourge of slavery. That’s why the Department of Justice is committed—and I am personally determined—to hold human traffickers accountable, provide support to trafficking survivors, and stand up for the rights and the dignity that they deserve.” “Labor trafficking affects workers who are vulnerable to exploitation for a number of reasons, who may not know their workplace rights, and may be afraid to raise their voices,” said Secretary Thomas E. Perez of DOL. “The challenges we face as a nation and a government demand unprecedented levels of interagency collaboration. Through these ACTeams, we’re bringing our respective departments’ collective resources and expertise to bear, building a whole even greater than the sum of our individual parts. DOL will remain a vigorous and unfaltering partner during phase II. Together we can ensure workers receive the wages they’ve earned, restore victims’ basic human rights and bring traffickers to justice.” “The ACTeam Initiative has been an important tool in our collective ability to combat sex trafficking, forced labor and domestic servitude here in the United States,” said Secretary Jeh Johnson of DHS. “This is not a problem that we can afford to ignore which is why, under a banner of shared responsibility and collaboration, the Departments of Justice, Labor and Homeland Security are recommitting ourselves to the fight against human trafficking by expanding the ACTeam Initiative. Through the unified voice of the Blue Campaign, the Department of Homeland Security will continue to combat human trafficking through the guiding philosophy that we are at our best when we work together.” These departments collaborated to develop the ACTeam Initiative to streamline rapidly expanding human trafficking enforcement efforts, focusing on forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking of adults by force, fraud and coercion. Project Safe Childhood and the Innocence Lost National Initiative continue to focus on sex trafficking of minors and sexual exploitation of minors. Drawing together federal prosecutors and federal agents from multiple investigative agencies, ACTeams streamline coordination on the front lines of federal human trafficking investigations and prosecutions, while also enhancing collaboration between front-line enforcement efforts and national human trafficking subject matter experts in the Justice Department’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys and FBI Civil Rights Unit, DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, DOL’s Wage and Hour Division and the Office of the Inspector General. In 2011, the Attorney General and the Secretaries of DHS and DOL announced Phase I of the ACTeam Initiative and the designation of six Phase I Pilot ACTeam sites in Atlanta; El Paso, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Los Angeles; Memphis, Tennessee; and Miami, following a rigorous interagency selection process. During the ACTeam Phase I period, Fiscal Years 2012-2013, federal human trafficking prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking of adults rose by 35 percent nationwide, reflecting strong partnerships among U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, and non-governmental victim assistance organizations and task forces led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. The ACTeams played a significant role in leading these nationwide advances. In ACTeam Districts, prosecutions of forced labor, international sex trafficking and adult sex trafficking rose even more markedly than they did nationally, due to the force-multiplier effect of interagency commitment to implementing coordinated, joint anti-trafficking strategies and due to advanced training, expertise and operational support provided to the Phase I ACTeams. Comparing federal forced labor, international sex trafficking and adult sex trafficking prosecutions during the ACTeam Phase I period of Fiscal Years 2012-2013, to the pre-Phase I period of Fiscal Years 2010-2011: Cases filed increased by: •119 percent in ACTeam Districts, •18 percent in non-ACTeam Districts; and •35 percent nationwide. Defendants charged increased by: •114 percent in ACTeam Districts, •12 percent in non-ACTeam Districts; and •28 percent nationwide. Defendants convicted increased by: •86 percent in ACTeam Districts, •14 percent in non-ACTeam Districts; and •26 percent nationwide. 15-800 Office of the Attorney General Download ACTeam Fact Sheet (585.67 KB) Download ACTeam Graphic (774.71 KB) Updated June 25, 2015

Illinois officials address human trafficking - FOX 32 News Chicago

Illinois officials address human trafficking - FOX 32 News Chicago

Essay: A Father's Day Story by Gardenia c. Hung on ScribeSlice

Essay: A Father's Day Story by Gardenia c. Hung on ScribeSlice


                       “What Would My Father Say…If He Were Alive Today in June 2014?”

In Memory of Mr. Roberto Hung Juris Doctor

I were alive today, I would be 83 years old, enjoying retirement as a senior citizen and Lombard resident homeowner in District 5, York Township, County of DuPage, Illinois USA. 

During June 2014, I would have celebrated my 83rd birthday anniversary since June 7, 1931, along with my Niece Olivia Hung-Simons (Leaver) and god-daughter who was born on the same date, the first daughter of my eldest brother Miguel Hung and his wife, Silvia Hung-Simons.  My second Niece Mireya Hung Lee is also born on June 30^th.  When I got married in March 1957, my Nieces Olivia and Gertrudis were the flower girls at my wedding to G. Fong Ramos at the Cathedral of Santiago de Cuba in Oriente, Cuba.  All my Brothers, Sisters, Nephews, Family Relatives, Friends, Colleagues, and Associates attended the wedding celebrations and were invited to all family events. 

In retrospect, time passed by… my family relatives became adults and I did not attend the weddings for Olivia and Wayne Leaver, Miguel and Pam Hung, Santiago and Ileana, Guillermo and Millie, Mireya, Ileana, Santiago, Joaquin, Teresita, and/or the other family members.  All my Nieces and Nephews remember meeting with me when I visited them during travels to Miami, Hialeah in Florida and Queens, Flushing, Long Island, New York, USA.  My Sister-in-Law Silvia Hung-Simons did recall how I used to help her with Olivia who was my god-daughter, Miguelito, the second son, and the other two (2) children, Santiago and Raymundo when she lived at the house in Santiago de Cuba, Oriente, Cuba and I was studying at the University of Oriente.

Twentty (20) years ago, I purchased a second Lombard home at 502 South Westmore-Meyers Road and Washington Boulevard upon referral from Baird & Werner Realtor Paulette Weininger who contacted Century 21 Realtor Dino N. Lekousis at the Lombard Pines Shopping Center during August 1993.  My wife and son had already purchased the first Lombard home at 342 West Harrison and Elizabeth Street, near Finley Road near the Lombard Park District in DuPage County, Illinois USA. 

Linda Schuster who lived in Westmont was the girlfriend of Paul Rathe who referred my youngest son and wife to buy a house in Village of Lombard, also known as Lilac Town for the Lilac Parade celebration near Main Street. My youngest son and wife moved to the Village of Lombard in 1992 urged by the insistence of Paul Rathe, a boyfriend who lived on Roscoe St. near Halsted St., Lakeview area in Chicago, Illinois USA. 

My son’s friends and realtors wanted him to ask me for $10,000 cash in down payment for the Lombard home, coming from my IRA retirement funds and life-savings from working 4-5 jobs during the week and weekends; in addition, I had to provide monthly cash support for my wife and son while they lived in a Lombard home in DuPage County, Illinois USA. 

One year afterwards, my son and wife insisted that I moved to Lombard with my daughter and son-in-law in order to buy a second home with the remainder of my 401K and IRA retirement savings funds.The Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow at 502 South Westmore-Meyers Road and Washington Boulevard was built in 1927 in Lilac Town, District 5, York Township in DuPage County, Illinois USA.This Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow remained at the corner of Westmore Avenue and Washington Blvd. since the Ahrens Family built the Lombard property in 1927.

Two centuries later, on September 2nd, 1993, I purchased the Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow from Debra Y. Sekrecki, with an initial down payment of $2,000, as earnest money paid by personal check, added to the total cash payment of $88,000 at a fixed interest rate not to exceed 8.00% per year, amortized over a period of fifteen (15) years.

At the time, Debra Y. Sekrecki had two (2) children, a boy and a girl, lived with Stella, the tenant upstairs, and father Adam Sekrecki. Three months before, on July 11, 1993, I signed a Standard Residential Sales Contract from the Du Page Association of Realtors in agreement to purchase the Lombard real estate property at 502 S. Westmore Avenue in Lombard, Illinois 60148-3028 , owned by seller Debra Y. Sekrecki. The original closing date was scheduled on September 11, 1993. However, I was called by telephone to appear sooner on September 2nd, 1993, at 3:30 p.m., at the law office of Alan Dakoff, Telephone: 708-966-0488, located at 9291 North Maryland, in Niles, Illinois 60714 , U.S.A. Century 21, Action Real Estate provided a Buyer Service Pledge presented by Steve Block, Telephone: 630-627-5500, and Dino, the real estate agent with Roberto Hung and family, who signed in agreement.

Afterwards, I  received a copy of Rider 412, Buyer’s Inspection which he signed as buyer with Debra Sekrecki, as seller. In 1993, Century 21, Action Real Estate described in a listing the Highlights of the Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow at the corner of Westmore Avenue and Washington Blvd., owned by Debra Y. Sekrecki with tenant Stella. At the time, the Du Page County Real Estate Taxes were only $2,744 for the brick house.

After I purchased the same Lombard Brick House, the Lombard property taxes doubled for more than $4,000, without providing the senior citizens Homestead Exemption.

This Lombard Brick Home Parcel Lot is located near Westmore Elementary School and St. Pius X Church School, Jackson Middle School , and Willowbrook High School . George Hornbeck’s Parcel No. 06-09-315038 is a subdivision, spacious 4-bedroom brick home with a second floor in-law or potential income arrangement. There were nine (9) room available with hardwood floors. Full finished basement. Front and rear enclosed porches for added living space. Fully fenced yard with a gas grill. There was a 2-car garage. Public transportation is available. This Lombard home parcel lot is close to school and shopping, near the Eastgate Center and State of Illinois facilities for the Secretary of State Vehicle Licenses Center and the Illinois Employment and Training Center (I.E.T.C.). Action Real Estate for Century 21 was serving Du Page and Cook counties at the Lombard Pines Shopping Center, 1125-J South Main Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148, in care of realtor Dino.

On September 2nd, 1996, I completed full cash payment of the Lombard Brick Home at Maple Park State Bank, witnessed by my daughter, Gardenia C. Hung, and the bank manager. We  improved this Lombard Brick house by adding oak cabinets, an exterior halogen flood night light, (2) automatic garage door openers, changed all door locks, added gardening landscaping, apple trees orchard, and perennial flowers, and exotic plant species. Specifications for the Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow: Living Room: 25.4 X 11.10 sq. ft. Dining Room: 13.1 X 13.2 sq. ft. Kitchen: 11.6 X 10.8 sq. ft. Master Bdrm: 11.10 X 10.6 sq. ft. Bedroom: 11.5 X 10.6 sq. ft. Bedroom: 11.3 X 10.0 sq. ft. Bedroom: 15.8 X 10.0 sq. ft. Living Room: 13.10 X 12.2 sq. ft. Kitchen: 15 X 14 sq. ft. Pantry: 6 X 4 sq. ft. Utilities in the Basement. Basement Full Finished. Storage Rooms: 2. Closets: 10 

Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization — National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, United States, 2011

Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization — National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, United States, 2011

A Lombard Victim Injected and Abducted After Midnight - GHWittler - Open Salon

A Lombard Victim Injected and Abducted After Midnight - GHWittler - Open Salon



I am a resident homeowner and taxpayer, Lombard Victim of Crime After Midnight abused, injected, and kidnapped at 502 S. Westmore-Meyers Road and Washington Boulevard, in DuPage County, Illinois 60148, USA.



After midnight and while I was sleeping after working as a Certified Legal Court Interpreter and Translator, intruders would come into the house and inject me behind the right ear and on the rear of the right ear. I was unconscious and sleeping during the kidnapping.

Short Story: A Murder-For-Hire Target by Accident by Gardenia c. Hung on ScribeSlice

Short Story: A Murder-For-Hire Target by Accident by Gardenia c. Hung on ScribeSlice