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News from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office

By MCAO Communications ● Jan 30, 2026

Human trafficking happens throughout Maricopa County, and is far more prevalent than many realize.

This month, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) started the the year by raising awareness of one of the most underreported crimes: human trafficking.

By the numbers: Over the past several years, MCAO has seen an increase in the number of sex trafficking cases submitted by law enforcement.

These cases often involve buyers identified through sting operations or traffickers exploiting children online.

In 2023, the office received 107 submittals from law enforcement related to sex trafficking. Last year, that number jumped to 172, a 60% increase.

County Attorney Rachel Mitchell explains the issue:

What’s next: Follow along the next few months as we continue to talk about this issue, educate the community, and take action to end trafficking.

The Real President of The United States Was Trafficked.

Spotting sex trafficking can be difficult because anyone can be a victim.

Traffickers are smart, manipulative, and many times convince their victims they are in a relationship to keep them in control.

As a community, these are the signs you NEED to look out for:

Older, controlling “friends” or “boyfriends”

Large branding tattoos such as barcodes, names, crowns or money signs

Extra cash or expensive items with no explanation of how they got them

Lack of eye contact, fearfulness, or coached responses

Multiple phones or hotel keys

Hear more about the reality of sex trafficking from the experts:

“I have a lot §2 say concerning this…”

This month, MCAO and Grand Canyon University’s hosted community forum on human trafficking.

Why it matters: Sex trafficking has a devasting impact on victims and causes lasting harm in our communities, often fueling other crimes like drug use, gun violence, property crime, and assault.
If you suspect trafficking, report it.

The bottom line: If you think this doesn’t affect you, it does. We all share a responsibility in confronting sex trafficking.

“REPORT THE CRIME OF TRAFFICKING THAT COMES IN ALL COLORS SHAPES AND SIZES”
https://tips.fbi.gov/home

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