Marine Corps Reserve officer credited with saving human trafficking victims in Virginia
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (7News) — A Marine Corps Reserve officer from a company based at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in D.C. is being praised as a hero for breaking up a suspected transnational human trafficking operation. His attention to detail likely saved multiple young women from a life of slavery.
The commander of that unit tells 7News the officer is a Virginia State Trooper and had been staying at a hotel off Richmond Highway in Alexandria with other Marines in town the weekend of May 5, for their annual physical that Saturday morning.
However, instead of shut-eye, the reserve officer's eyes were wide open to signs of crime.
"Saw a young lady who seemed to be acting a bit differently, was dressed a bit differently," Marine Corps Col. John Cowart said. "And he saw a '13' tattooed on her arm, which really set off his alarm bells."
Cowart commands Marine Corps Advisor Company A.
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He said Marines who deploy around the world are trained to watch for signs of human trafficking.
"Everyone knows that when you see a victim like that, it could be somebody’s sister, it’s somebody’s daughter," Cowart said. "So we absolutely think about it in human terms."
The reserve officer, a lieutenant colonel who is not being identified by name, kept watching the young woman. He jumped into action when a car arrived to pick her up.
"Our Marine officer saw her getting in the car and knew we were about to lose contact," Cowart said. "This young lady, whatever her mindset is at that moment, is not engaged in something that anybody really wants to be in.
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"He made the decision to abandon his plan to get a good night’s rest and got in his vehicle," Cowart added.
Cowart said the officer followed the car to a location just a few minutes away, called for backup and then shared information with police. Cowart said the Marine eventually joined state officers as they entered the building, only to find more young women tattooed with the number 13--and drugs, which Cowart said are commonly used to sedate and control human trafficking victims.
The rescue happened around 1 a.m. The officer's physical was scheduled for 6 a.m. He took it and passed. The Marine Corps reported he scored 278 out of 300.
"It’s more than respectable, it’s really outstanding," Cowart said.
Later that same weekend, the officer was presented with a medal for his heroism.
"When I looked at him and pinned that award on his chest, I said, 'Look, we don’t know where these young ladies came from, we don’t know their family situation, but right now, maybe there’s a grandmother, great grandmother in heaven looking down and she was cheering you on, all the way.'"
