Planned Parenthood May Have Helped Sex Traffickers in Indiana

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   May 16, 2011   |   3:26PM   |   Indianapolis, IN

With the arrest of people involved in a sex trafficking ring in central Indiana, a state pro-life group wants to know if the Planned Parenthood abortion business offered the operators abortions or other services?

Federal authorities announced multiple arrests on May 4 in connection to a multi-state human-trafficking ring in which women were brought across U.S. borders to serve as prostitutes in the Hispanic community on Indianapolis’ northwest side. According to U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett, the human trafficking ring had been operating in Indianapolis for several years.

While officials were monitoring the actual human traffickers, staff at the organization Live Action conducted a sting operation in other states to determine whether Planned Parenthood officials would help arrange abortions for the girls victimized by sex traffickers. In New Jersey, Virginia and other states, Live Action found Planned Parenthood staff not only willing to arrange for abortions but ready to help the sex traffickers avoid parental involvement laws and giving them advice on how to return the girls to the sex trade faster following the abortion.

On January 18, Planned Parenthood Federation of America president Cecile Richards told the media the abortion business sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder indicating that “multi-state visits [to Planned Parenthood offices] from men claiming to be engaged in sex trafficking of minors may be a hoax.” Richards’ letter was sent in advance of the release of undercover videos from Live Action showing the results of the sting operation.

In her letters, Richards said the abortion business found Live Action had conducted its undercover investigation in Indiana. However, Live Action has told Indiana Right to Life that it had no involvement with any undercover operations in Indiana in which they claimed to be involved in a human trafficking ring.

Knowing that, Indiana Right to Life president Mike Fichter said his group is concerned that Planned Parenthood may have helped actual sex traffickers in his state.

Indiana Right to Life today will formally submit a letter to Attorney General of the United States Eric Holder asking for investigation into whether the recently exposed human trafficking ring operating in northwest Indianapolis is the same group referenced in Richards’ letter and, if so, whether persons engaged in the Indianapolis human trafficking ring received any services from Planned Parenthood of Indiana.

“It appears that we have three parts of a puzzle,” Fichter explains. “Federal authorities have busted a major human trafficking ring in Indianapolis, Planned Parenthood claims a man approached one of its Indiana offices claiming to be engaged in a sex trafficking ring, and Live Action confirms it did not engage in such undercover activity in Indiana.”

“This leaves two major questions that must be answered: was the man referenced in Planned Parenthood’s letter actually from the recently busted human trafficking ring, and if he was, did Planned Parenthood provide any services to persons engaged in the human trafficking ring?” Fichter asked. “We will never know the answer to these questions without a thorough investigation from authorities.”

“While Cecile Richards’ letter does not specify which of its Indiana offices may have been approached by someone claiming to be involved with a human trafficking ring, Planned Parenthood of Indiana’s largest abortion center in Indiana is located on Indianapolis’ northwest side in the general area where the human trafficking ring was reportedly operating,” Fichter noted.

The concerns are not unfounded as, in December, 2008, Planned Parenthood of Indiana was forced to fire a staffer from covering up a case of statutory rape.