Episode 64, the Fight Against Human Trafficking with Austin Berrier

One of the most insidious and disturbing crimes are those committed against children and other vulnerable populations. It is so important that we understand the precursors to these crimes and what we can do to prevent them from occurring. Additionally, we need to understand what these crimes look like in our homes, in the street, and how we contact law enforcement. In Episode 64 Austin Berrier and I talk about this difficult topic, his role as a Special Agent dealing with crimes against children and how pervasive this form of criminal activity has become. This is an uncomfortable topic but one that must be addressed head on, I hope you learn something of value. Thanks for listening!

A little about our guest:

Austin Berrier has been a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) since January 2003.  Special Agent Berrier has been assigned to both the Los Angeles, California and Phoenix, Arizona field offices.  During his time with HSI Special Agent Berrier has investigated commercial fraud, maritime smuggling, contraband smuggling and criminal street gangs.  He has been assigned to Crimes Against Children since January 2009.  During that time Special Agent Berrier has conducted both traditional and undercover online investigations across a broad spectrum of platforms such as peer-to-peer, social media, file-sharing and live-streaming platforms.  Special Agent Berrier is a recipient of the 2018 Assistant Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for Project Mercury, a 3 ½ year online undercover investigation that has led to the arrest and/or indictment of over 200 child predators globally, the identification of over two dozen victims of contact abuse and the safeguarding of nearly 6o additional children prior to abuse occurring. Special Agent Berrier has presented and instructed both within the U.S. as well as Internationally in Canada and at EUROPOL and INTERPOL.  Prior to his employment with the U.S. Government, Special Agent Berrier spent five years in municipal policing with the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office and four years as Military Policemen in the United States Marine Corps assigned to Security Company, HMX-1 (Marine One), Presidential Helicopter Squadron.

 

Other resources for interested listeners:

 

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

https://www.missingkids.org/HOME

 

United Stated Department of Justice, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (DOJ-CEOS)

https://www.justice.gov/criminal-ceos

 

Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crime Center (HSI-C3)

https://www.ice.gov/partnerships-centers/cyber-crimes-center

 

Department of Homeland Security Center for Countering Human Trafficking

https://www.ice.gov/features/ccht

 

 

 

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If you would like to contact today’s guest...

in: Austin Berrier

Austin J. Berrier, Jr.
Special Agent
Homeland Security Investigations - Phoenix
3010 N. 2nd St., Suite 201
Phoenix AZ, 85012
602.391.8677
Austin.Berrier@ice.dhs.gov

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