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Published
Nov. Feb. 28, 2023, 4:01 a.m. ET
A senior Pentagon official who oversaw America’s state-run school systems has been arrested in a human trafficking operation in Georgia.
The Coweta County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) last week announced the arrests of 26 individuals, including Stephen Hovanic, former chief of staff for the Americas Division of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), in connection with a suspected human trafficking ring.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Hovanic has apparently held the position since 2010.
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, authorities have charged Hovanic, 64, with pandering – a misdemeanor in Georgia – after he allegedly solicited sex with an undercover agent in a motel room.
“This type of operation is really important for us because, firstly, sex buyers are a big problem in the industry. Without sex buyers, there would be no market for the women to continue to be victimized,” an agent told Fox 5 on condition of anonymity.
“Second, and probably most important to all of us, is the victimization of these women. There is no good scenario for them in this lifestyle, so the goal is to get them out of this lifestyle.”
Senior Pentagon official Stephen Hovanic, who oversaw the entire U.S. military school system, was implicated in a human trafficking operation at a motel. Coweta County Sheriff’s Office
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The Coweta County Sheriff’s Office conducted a human trafficking operation on November 15 and 16, 2023 and requested assistance from HCSO Special Ops Div. During the two days, six human trafficking victims were rescued and brought to safety.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/KPI72aOKNm
— Haralson Co Sheriff GA (@HaralsonSheriff) November 20, 2023
Fox News Digital reached out to DoDEA on Friday but did not immediately receive a response.
However, the federal school system listed Hovanic’s previous position as chief of staff for the Americas as “vacant” on its website.
The two-day operation took place between November 15 and 16 and resulted in the rescue of six human trafficking victims who have since been “transported to safety,” said the Haralson County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) in Georgia, which assisted the CCSO investigation said a Thursday post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“In total there were 26 arrests, 12 for prostitution, 10 for solicitation and four for pimping. Three of the individuals are currently under investigation for human trafficking and drug charges,” HCSO said.
The two-day operation took place between November 15 and 16 and resulted in the rescue of six human trafficking victims. Coweta County Sheriff’s Office
The DoDEA told Channel 2 Action News in a statement that it was aware of “an alleged incident involving a DoDEA employee in the Americas region.”
“As there are ongoing legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time. All questions regarding the incident should be directed to the appropriate local law enforcement agency,” the company said.
The DoDEA is described as “one of only two government-operated school systems” that is “responsible for the planning, direction, coordination, and administration of educational programs from preschool through 12th grade on behalf of the Department of Defense (DoD). Website.
The DoDEA operates 160 schools in 11 countries, seven states, Guam and Puerto Rico.
The Coweta County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests of 26 people last week, including Stephen Hovanic. Coweta County Sheriff’s Office
The school system employs approximately 15,000 people and serves nearly 70,000 children from military and defense families.
“DoDEA is committed to ensuring that all school-aged children from military families receive a world-class education that prepares them for further education and/or career success and to become leaders in their communities and in our globalized 21st century society be.”, it says on the website.
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