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VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 9 | SEPTEMBER 2025

Otsego County man arrested on 30 felony counts in ongoing trafficking case

DECATAUR N.Y. — A Decatur man is facing 30 felony counts after being arrested by the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office following a disturbing investigation into long-term domestic abuse, sexual violence, and labor trafficking. Click here to read more. 

11-year-old’s death in Carolina Forest gated community tied to trafficking case

An alleged child trafficking case that occurred in a gated community in the Carolina Forest area is tied to the death of an 11-year-old girl in Horry County last month, Solicitor Jimmy Richardson said. In June, three women were charged with obstruction of justice in the death of 11-year-old A’Kyri Bell from Bay City, Texas, who died in the emergency room from multiple blunt-force injuries, The Sun News previously reported. Click here to read more.

Cult leaders sentenced to prison camps after children rescued from labor camps

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - Half a dozen leaders of a former cult have been sentenced after children were rescued from labor camps, one of which was located in Kansas City. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas announced on Thursday, Aug. 7, that several individuals have been sentenced in connection with a forced labor conspiracy. Click here to read more.

TAT Board of Directors elects new member

Nikki Thomas, vice president of Industry Affairs at the American Trucking Associations (ATA), is the newest member elected to the TAT Board of Directors. 

At ATA, Thomas leads strategic initiatives that support and elevate the trucking industry. She oversees ATA's four national truck programs, including America's Road Team, as well as workforce development efforts such as LEAD ATA and Trucking U. Additionally, she was instrumental in launching Women In Motion, ATA's second-largest council, which promotes the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women from all sectors in the trucking industry, and she co-leads the national industry campaign, Nothing Without Trucking, highlighting the essential role of trucking in the American economy. 

Prior to joining ATA, she was vice president of Development, Marketing and Programs at the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and its Educational

Foundation. Earlier in her career, she worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation's D.C., Virginia, and Maryland chapter, where she led impactful events and fundraising initiatives in support of the foundation's mission. 

“I’m honored to join the TAT Board of Directors,” Thomas stated. “TAT’s mission closely aligns with my work at ATA, and I’m inspired daily by the power of education and empowerment. I look forward to advancing TAT’s goals and contributing to this exceptional team.”

TravelCenters of America (TA) employs multi-faceted approach to fighting human trafficking

A long-time TAT partner, TravelCenters of America (TA) consistently demonstrates its commitment to fighting human trafficking by training its employees, posting signage, co-hosting events with TAT and supporting TAT financially. TA also sits an employee on TAT’s Board of Directors, and several of its employees have been named Harriet Tubman Award winners for their actions in identifying human trafficking situations and helping recover victims.

TAT-training employees through Junction Briefings

In mid-August, TAT provided its fifth Junction Briefing and the second one hosted by TA. It was held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at the busy interstate junction of I-40 and I-44, with 123 attendees from four TA and Petro Travel Center locations across the city. Frontline employees, including cashiers, mechanics, restaurant and clearing crews, learned how to identify and respond to potential signs of human trafficking, as well as how to help a potential victim in need. TAT held three separate trainings to accommodate employees from all three shifts.

Louie Greek, TAT training specialist, provided three separate trainings to accommodate employees from all three shifts at the Junction Briefings in Oklahoma City.

Lonnie Holland, Profit Center manager at Popeyes/Fazoli’s at TA’s site 0059, said, “We have watched the TAT training videos, but they don't truly bring home the message as well as having someone with experience speak to us. We deal with many different OTR drivers and travelers on a daily basis, but, because of this event, I believe we are going to be more conscious of those around us and, if we see something that doesn't seem right, then we will say something! Thank you again for taking the time to come and speak to us; we truly enjoyed having you here!”

Supporting TAT through Charity Golf Tourney

On Aug. 15, TA hosted its 7th annual Charity Golf Outing to raise funds for TAT and the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund. Through sponsorships from TA partners and vendors, entry fees, a raffle and other donations, the golf outing will result in a donation of over $100,000 to TAT. The luncheon following the tournament also provided TAT an opportunity to present on its impact and the ways in which the truck stop and travel center industries may be intersecting with human trafficking. 

“Our annual charity golf outing brings our business partners and community together to make a real difference,” explained Debi Boffa, CEO, TravelCenters of America. “By supporting TAT, we are standing with professional drivers as they play a critical role in the fight against human trafficking, reminding us that their impact goes far beyond the miles they drive.” 

TAT Senior Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives Annie Sovcik shared, "As traffickers keep their victims on the move, they are visiting the same truck stops, rest areas and gas stations as the rest of us, which makes truck stop employees critical allies in helping survivors of trafficking access resources and reporting tips to law enforcement that further the investigation and prosecution of traffickers. We love all the ways TravelCenters of America partners with TAT. They are making a difference in the fight to end human trafficking."

(L to R) Daria Gaither, TA Communications director, Diane Hutsell, Philanthropy director at St. Christopher’s Fund, and Annie Sovcik, TAT senior director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives, took a breather at the TA Charity Golf Outing.

More than 1200 UPS drivers and employees toured the Freedom Drivers Project (FDP) when the exhibit, along with TAT Mobile Exhibit Specialist Micah Larsen, spent the day at the UPS CACHE facility in Chicago on Aug. 14. This is the largest number ever to tour the FDP at a partner facility. 

A record crowd of over 1200 toured the FDP at the Chicago UPS CACHE facility. 

UPSers Carlos Huezo, Ryan Burton and Jim Alvarez, event coordinators, promoted the upcoming FDP visit for several months internally through flyers and a short video they created on TAT, human trafficking statistics and information on the FDP. Additionally, they lined up numerous UPS volunteers for the event itself to talk to each person entering and exiting the exhibit, cooking and passing out food and manning the TAT resource and merchandise table with Larsen. 

Huezo, from the UPS Foundation, commented, "TAT transforms highways into lifelines, empowering drivers to be the eyes and ears that rescue lives and restore hope." 

While Alvarez, the UPS Comprehensive Health and Safety Process co-chair, emphasized, "Traffickers may reach farther than we can see, but together, we’ll reach farther still to end their hold. We must prevail."

When an organization comes on board as a TAT partner, it rarely includes an opportunity for TAT to take part in a minor league baseball game, but National Truck Protection (NTP)/Premium 2000 provided that memorable moment. 

They joined TAT in April as a Platinum-level sponsor and invited Laura Cyrus, TAT’s senior director of Industry Training and Outreach, to come to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in mid-August to speak at “Ignite the Momentum,” their internal sales meeting, where she was able to present on human trafficking, TAT and how NTP could help spread the word. Part of this event also included an NTP associate appreciation celebration held at Truist Stadium, home of the Winston-Salem Dash minor league baseball team, where Cyrus was invited to throw the ceremonial first pitch. 

In a first, Laura Cyrus, TAT’s senior director of Industry Training and Outreach, threw out the first pitch at a minor league baseball game as part of the National Truck Protection sales meeting.

A leading provider of extended protection products for commercial vehicles across North America, NTP has shared about TAT within their dealer and customer networks, including a fundraising effort. Their employees have added a QR code and summary about their support of TAT to their email signatures, and NTP has used their social media channels, website and email communication to talk about TAT’s Harriet Tubman Award. 

"At National Truck Protection, we believe in protecting more than just trucks; we’re committed to protecting the people in our communities,” stated Craig O’Hare, senior vice president of NTP Sales and Marketing. “Partnering with TAT aligns with our core values and gives us the opportunity to stand with the professional drivers and dealers we serve in the fight against human trafficking. Together, we can raise awareness, empower action, and make a lasting difference on our nation’s highways."

NTP plans on hosting the FDP at their headquarters in December and is working on additional partnership opportunities, including an invitation to attend and exhibit at the Used Truck Association (UTA) Annual Convention in November. Rick Clark, vice president of Strategic Accounts at NTP and current UTA president, commented, "UTA is a not-for-profit organization in North America whose members are truck dealers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and related suppliers in our industry. Together, our organizations are a perfect fit to partner to get the word out about human trafficking and make our members aware of and attentive in our workplaces, as well as when we travel. Partnering with TAT will surely educate our members in the fight against human trafficking in truck dealerships and truck stops, as well as in our neighborhoods and businesses. We are extremely proud to be a part of TAT.” 

In addition to throwing out the first pitch at the game, Cyrus presented at the National Truck Protection/Premium 2000 sales meeting.

“We’re grateful for partners like NTP,” shared Cyrus, “who are eager to jump in with both feet and further our work, not only by financially investing in it, but also through careful consideration of the natural points of intersection their business has with members of the trucking industry and other potential key partners for TAT, like dealerships and OEMs. It was a pleasure to be a part of NTP’s summer sales training event and have the opportunity to get to know them as a company a little better. Thank you for the hospitality and enthusiasm for this work! Thanks, too, for the opportunity to throw the first pitch at the game! That was a ‘first’ for me … and while it was very fun, I think I should keep my day job!”

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

TAT