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(NewsNation) — Authorities successful Bibb County, Alabama, rescued astatine slightest 10 children from an alleged sex trafficking ring tally retired of an underground bunker.
The investigation into the case, which progressive the maltreatment of young children and animals, began successful aboriginal February and ended astatine the underground bunker successful Brent, Alabama, astir an hr from Birmingham.
Authorities accidental astatine slightest 10 children were drugged and taken to the bunker. Victims ranged from 3 to 15 years old, according to officers, and aggregate suspects person been accused of paying to maltreatment them.
The traffickers could person made up to $1,000 per night, said Bibb County Sheriff Jody Wade.
He described the lawsuit arsenic the astir horrible happening helium had ever seen. The children were not kept permanently successful the bunker, Wade said, and the timing of however agelong they were successful determination would vary.
"I cognize God’s forgiveness is boundless. But if determination was a bounds to it, I deliberation we reached it.” Wade said.
Drone footage shows a bunker wherever children were rescued. (WIAT)
The bunker was successful a partially underground tempest shelter. (Bibb County Sheriff's Office)
Officers accidental astatine slightest 10 children were rescued. (WIAT)Wade said police believe the maltreatment began successful 2022 and whitethorn person ties to the Sureños gang, which is mostly funded done kid trafficking.
“No kid deserves this. That’s the astir horrible happening you tin do. The powerfulness and power of it, the stealing the innocence of a kid and the horrible victimizations they went done with these monsters,” Wade said.
Investigators described the bunker arsenic a partially underground tempest structure that was not attached to the location and was furnished with a soiled mattress, a fewer chairs and a tiny thorax of drawers.
Wade described a script wherever children would beryllium tied to a pole, furniture oregon seat portion successful the bunker and said astatine times aggregate offenders would travel to victimize the children by appointment.
Authorities arrested William Chase McElroy, Dalton Terrell, Andres Trejo-Velazquez, Timothy St. John, Rebecca Brewer, Ricky Terrell, and Sara Terrell successful transportation with the case. The 7 suspects look aggregate charges, including rape, quality trafficking, sodomy, bestiality, intersexual torture, cruelty to animals and kidnapping.
All 7 are being held astatine the Bibb County Jail. Under authorities law, those convicted of a transgression involving a kid property six oregon younger look a mandatory minimum condemnation of beingness without parole.
The sheriff said they expect much arrests and much victims arsenic they proceed to investigate.
Anyone with accusation connected the lawsuit should interaction the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office astatine 205-926-4683.
