KANSAS CITY, KAN. - U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister today announced that more than $65 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities combat human trafficking and serve adults and children who are victimized in trafficking operations.

 

“Our nation is facing difficult challenges, none more pressing than the scourge of human trafficking. Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety and countering this threat remains one of the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs.

 

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs that support human trafficking task forces and services for human trafficking survivors. 

 

A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future. 

 

Missing and Exploited Children Training and Technical Assistance Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17351

Total Available $1.8 million            Deadline 4/6/2020 (Extended)

 

Multidisciplinary Task Force Program to Combat Human Trafficking

Total Available $22 million             Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Preventing Trafficking of Girls

Total Available $1.7 million                          Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons          https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17324

Total Available $2.5 million                       Deadline 4/20/2020     

 

Services for Victims of Human Trafficking

Total Available $16.5 million                   Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking                                                                             

Total Available $2 million                        Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Program

Total Available $5 million               Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking      

Total Available $6 million                             Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Integrated Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking

Total Available $8 million                        Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

 

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities

WICHITA, KAN. – Gage H. Clausen, 21, of Cheney, Kansas, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c), Interstate Communication of a Threat.  Clausen previously communicated a threat via the internet on the life of a juvenile.  

“Gage Clausen threatened serious bodily harm against another person via the Internet,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard. “His plea of guilty today should send a message that, you cannot hide behind a computer keyboard and make threats against another person with impunity. These threats are taken seriously, they are investigated and people are held accountable.”

Google has several App Engines, none of which are located in the State of Kansas.  These engines are located in Iowa, South Carolina, Virginia, Oregon, California, Utah, and Nevada.  In order for Clausen’s communication to be received by the victim the communication would have traveled through one of these engines, thus Clausen’s communication traveled in interstate commerce before reaching the victim. 

Sentencing is scheduled for May 25, 2021 at 2:30, before U.S. District Judge John W. Broomes.  

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting the case.

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