Every year hundreds of thousands of people are victims of human trafficking. They’re forced into slave labor and prostitution. Two Florida Gulf Coast University students heard some of the stories and decided to create an art exhibition about it. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez has this report.

Attorney General Bill McCollum is taking aim at debt relief companies. As James Call reports the AG’s Economic Crimes Division is taking legal action
against five Florida companies - and is formally investigating another five that purportedly offered credit counseling, credit repair and debt management services.

Five Immokalee residents pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of enslaving Mexican and Guatemalan farm workers. Now, a federal lawmaker says he’s introducing legislation that would make Florida growers more accountable for what happens in their fields. WGCU’s Valerie Alker has this report.

Attorneys for two teens accused of beating homeless men in Broward County are requesting a change of venue. Margie Menzel reports.

The trial date has been delayed for a former Department of Children & Families spokesman charged with paying children for nude photos. Margie Menzel reports.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office will provide crime prevention talks about the growing trend of medical identity theft. WGCU’s John Davis reports…

A Charlotte County man was charged this week with illegally burying nearly five tones of hurricane debris and other waste on his property. WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.

A Florida Gulf Coast Professor is back from a trip to Moldova in Eastern Europe – where he spent a week teaching Moldovan justice officials how to combat human trafficking. Justice Studies professor - Dr. Johnny McGaha – told WGCU’s Mike Kiniry that while most victims of human trafficking found in Southwest Florida come from Guatemala and Mexico, it’s a global issue that’s hit poor nations like Moldova especially hard.

Investigators say the eight men whose skeletons were found last year in Fort Myers are the victims of homicide. They made the announcement the day before the television show America’s Most Wanted will feature the case, including new artist reconstructions of the men’s faces. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more.


To see pictures of the facial reconstructions click on the image to the left.

Lee County narcotics detectives recently busted an alleged heroin distribution operation at a house in North Fort Myers. They arrested two women and one man, seized several thousand dollars worth of heroin - and more than 70-thousand dollars in cash. And there were 7 kids at the house ranging from 8 months to 12 years old. Narcotics detectives say it's one of the biggest heroin busts in the county in more than a year. WGCU's Mike Kiniry has this look at the broader heroin trends here in Southwest Florida.