ReportWire

Tag: minors

  • Washington State Police: Battle Ground Child Exploitation Operation Leads To Arrests – KXL

    [ad_1]

    Acquired Through MGN Online on 05/20/2024

    BATTLE GROUND, WA – 12 people were taken into custody in Battle Ground last weekend as part of a multi-agency operation to identify those allegedly behind the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.  Dubbed “Operation Battle Ground,” the investigation was headed by WSP’s Missing and Exploited Children Task Force, which is part of the Internet Crimes Against Children.

    “This operation is a powerful example of what we can accomplish when local, state, and federal agencies come together with a common goal: protecting our most vulnerable,” said Chief John Batiste.  “I want to commend every agency involved for their dedication, coordination, and relentless pursuit of justice. The safety of our children will always be our top priority, and this operation sends a clear message, child exploitation will not be tolerated in Battle Ground or anywhere else.”

    The charges include sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted rape of a child in the first-degree and second-degree, and communication with a minor for immoral purposes.

    The people taken into custody during the operation were John Yee, 48, of Portland; Shadrick Monen, 24, of Salem; Bakary Berete, 28, of Portland, OR; Bryce Bennett, 43, of Goldendale, WA; Samuel Ramirez Guerra, 31, of Brush Prairie, WA; Michael Walton, 42, of Portland, OR; Jonathan Mahn, 57, of Liberty Lake, WA; Timothy Evers, 61, Eugene, OR; Nicorie Wade, 39, Medina, NY; Colin Ferguson, 41, Beaverton, OR; Victor Gurrola, 31, Longview, WA; and James Voreis, 40, of Vancouver, WA.

    The multi-day operation involved the Washington State Patrol, local Clark County law enforcement agencies, and several partner agencies.  The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will review the cases to determine which potential criminal charges will be filed.

    More about:

    [ad_2]

    Tim Lantz

    Source link

  • Experts Are Concerned about America’s Rising Youth Problem Gambling Rates

    Experts Are Concerned about America’s Rising Youth Problem Gambling Rates

    [ad_1]

    Gambling addiction in the United States is getting more and more serious as calls to get the situation under control grow louder. The Guardian spoke with experts who highlighted America’s concerns about the young people exposed to harm.

    Gambling organizations across the US have noticed a concerning number of teen and young adult patients seeking help.

    New Jersey, which has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to gambling, is currently dealing with an influx of harmed young patients. According to the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, the number of requests for support has more than doubled since 2018. This was also echoed by UCLA, which has been evaluating the trend.

    Many believe that the convenience mobile gambling provides has made it very appealing to young people Brad Ruderman, of the Beit T’Shuvah treatment center in Los Angeles noted that this would be the first generation to grow with mobile gambling.

    Keith Whyte, the National Council on Problem Gambling’s executive director, asked a room of 40 17-year-old boys in Virginia how many had sports betting apps on their phones. Thirty-six boys admitted to having one, further supporting T’Shuvah’s claim.

    Experts believe that young people, whose brains are still developing, might be much more susceptible to gambling’s tricks of attracting customers.

    Arnie Wexler, a counselor, fears that America might be “killing its youth.”

    The Situation Is Bad But Not Hopeless

    Rick Benson, the founder of the Algamus treatment facility in Goodyear, Arizona, believes that America might be headed into a “gambling addiction quagmire if not crisis.” He said that the nonstop betting opportunities provided by the local mobile operators are simply too convenient.

    Another aspect is peer and commercial pressure, Shekhar Saxena, ex-director at the WHO, believes. He pointed out that younger people easily influence one another, exacerbating the problem.

    For reference, in 2018 only 11.5% of the people who contacted New Jersey’s gambling support services admitted they were under 25. During the first 10 months of 2023, this number had increased to 19.6%.

    Luckily, the younger generation is more likely to seek help, according to UCLA’s co-director of the gambling studies program, Timothy Fong. The stigma among them is not so serious suggesting that there might be hope for solving the issue.

    The Guardian also spoke with Amanda Blackford, director of operations and problem gambling services at the Ohio Casino Control Commission. Commenting on the rising harm rates that followed the recent legalization of sports betting, Blackford said that problem gambling will always exist, so it is important to help as many people as possible.

    Many Believe Tougher Regulations Are Needed

    In the meantime, calls to better regulate the sports betting sector have increased. While many states now offer gambling, some believe that few of them are sufficiently engaged in the protection of customers.

    Felicia Grondin, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling, is one of the many supporters of restrictions on gambling ads. Ads are already talked about a lot in other modern markets as many believe that exposure leads to more harm.

    WHO’s Saxena, on the other hand, said that operators themselves should not exploit their consumers’ vulnerabilities. Saxena thinks that allowing the customers to choose how often and how much to wager is not enough.

    The industry, however, argues that an overwhelming majority of consumers wager safely. According to the American Gaming Association (AGA), legal operators offer a number of important safeguards to keep players safe.

    Overregulation, on the other hand, risks channeling people toward the black market, which offers few, if any, of these safety measures. The AGA urged for further research before proceeding with overregulation.

    [ad_2]

    Fiona Simmons

    Source link

  • The BMJ Survey Implies Links Between Social Media Use and Youth Gambling

    The BMJ Survey Implies Links Between Social Media Use and Youth Gambling

    [ad_1]

    A recent study by The British Medical Journal (BMJ) highlights the dangers social media presents to young people’s health. This, according to the experts, includes higher chances of participation in gambling and, by extension, higher risks of gambling harm.

    Dubbed Social media use and health risk behaviors in young people: systematic review and meta-analysis, the study evaluates potential links between the use of social media and addictive tendencies. Primarily focused on people from 10 to 19, the study sought to understand how social media affects young and vulnerable audiences.

    The BMJ linked the daily use of social media to the use of alcohol consumption, drug use, tobacco use, anti-social behavior, multiple risk behaviors and gambling. The study also found out that content showcasing health risk behaviors led to increased odds of use of electronic nicotine delivery systems, unhealthy dietary behaviors and alcohol consumption.

    According to The BMJ’s findings, the daily use of social media increased young people’s odds of gambling by a whopping 200% compared to those who use social media infrequently. While the overall youth gambling in the UK is declining, the findings are a step toward further understanding of how to prevent it.

    The BMJ experts concluded that the regular use of social media is associated with adverse health risk behaviors among young people. However, the study added that further research would be needed to better understand these links.

    For reference, the study saw The BMJ evaluate over 126 previous surveys conducted between 1997 and 2022, involving millions of adolescents.

    Another Survey Shows Youth Gambling Is on the Decline

    As mentioned, the UKGC recently conducted another, more gambling-oriented study on younger people. Titled Young People and Gambling Survey for 2023, it probed into audiences aged 11 to 17 and learned that youth gambling is actually on the decline.

    The study engaged 3,453 online participants across the United Kingdom and recorded a decrease of 5%. The encouraging results attested to the efficiency of the UKGC’s latest efforts to protect younger Brits.

    For reference, some of the commission’s recent initiatives led to a 10% decrease in exposure to gambling advertisements among 11-17-year-olds.

    The survey identified only 0.7% of young players as problem gamblers. It also identified 1.5% of respondents as at-risk players and 23% as non-problem gamblers. In the meantime, 74% of the young people had not taken part in gambling over the past year.

    [ad_2]

    Angel Hristov

    Source link

  • UPDATE: Royce Reed Reportedly Avoids Prison In Child Neglect Case

    UPDATE: Royce Reed Reportedly Avoids Prison In Child Neglect Case

    [ad_1]

    Former ‘Basketball Wives’ star Royce Reed has reportedly avoided a five-year prison sentence after being charged with third-degree felony child neglect. As The Shade Room previously reported, Reed was arrested and charged with the crime on March 10, 2022.

    A few days later, the mother of one pled not guilty.

    RELATED: Royce Reed Reportedly Pleads Not Guilty To Recent Child Neglect Charge

    More Information Regarding Royce Reed’s 2022 Arrest, Subsequent Charge & Plea

    As The Shade Room previously reported, Reed turned herself in to Florida authorities in March 2022. At the time, it was alleged that Reed’s underage son had an “alleged history of inappropriate sexual conduct” with minors.

    Furthermore, things reportedly came to a head after Reed’s son allegedly forced a minor to perform sexual acts on him on two separate occasions.

    TRIGGER WARNING: This portion of the article contains content related to sexual assault.

    Reed’s son allegedly told authorities that he forced the child to “masturbate” him because he “was angry” at the child.

    At the time, it was reported that the two children were in Reed’s home during both alleged incidents. Furthermore, Reed’s son also informed authorities that “anger triggers him into acting out sexually.”

    After the alleged incidents, Reed’s son was instructed not to have contact with minors “two or more years younger than him.” The child reportedly did not comply, and Reed was charged with third-degree felony child neglect.

    Shortly after, the former ‘Basketball Wives’ star pled not guilty to the charge.

    The Former Reality Star Recently Revealed More Information About The Alleged Incident

    As Reed’s case remained ongoing, her ex-boyfriend and father of her son, Dwight Howard, made headlines in July. Howard shared a video of him encouraging his children in the gym at the time, per The Shade Room.

    The following day, Reed called Howard out for “pretending” to be a parent.

    Reed later stepped into The Shade Room’s comment section to reveal that her son’s alleged actions occurred at Howard’s home. Additionally, Reed alleged that Howard referred to their son as “gay” for not participating in sexual activity.

    At the time, Reed also accused Howard of being “evil” and trying to make her the “matriarch” of his “polygamy quest.”

    RELATED: Royce Reed Exposes Dwight Howard’s Alleged ‘Polygamy Quest,’ Says Son’s ‘Inappropriate Conduct’ Took Place At His Residence

    Read her complete statements below.

    Royce Reed Avoids 5-Year Prison Sentence

    Then, on November 21, RadarOnline shared an update regarding Reed’s child neglect charges. The outlet reports that Reed completed 100 hours of community service and a six-week parenting course as of November 8.

    Between the time of her arrest and the completion of her ordered programs, Reed’s son reportedly remained house at his grandparents’ home.

    Reed reportedly expressed her excitement for getting her son “back home.”

    “Getting my son back home in his own bed was important to me,” Reed reportedly explained per RadarOnline. “Now I’m waiting for the court to dismiss the case. It’s been over a year since I’ve waited for something to be done with this case. We kept addressing the state until finally, they offered diversion because I was fully ready to go to court.”

    According to RadarOnline, Reed will appear before a judge on December 6. The outlet adds that the former ‘Basketball Wives’ star has reportedly “met all the requirements needed to put the entire cases behind her.”

    RELATED: ‘Basketball Wives’ Alum Brittish Williams Reportedly Appeals Prison Sentence

    [ad_2]

    Jadriena Solomon

    Source link