PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A bill is quickly making its way through the Legislature; it would provide more resources to help catch child predators lurking online.
The bill has a lot of support with Arizona lawmakers; it would allocate $4.5 million to the Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
It's called Alicia's Law, named after a young girl who was just 12-years-old when she was abducted and abused by a man she met online.
"We're talking about real children, real victims, real people... when I was 12-years-old I was groomed and lured from my home by a predator who abducted me and held me captive in his basement dungeon," said Alicia Kozakiewicz.
Kozakiewicz is the namesake of Alicia's Law which is quickly making its way through the legislature. She is from back east and met a man on a Yahoo! chatroom. After talking for a few weeks the man lured her out of her house. She was held for four days in his house where she was raped, beaten, and tortured countless times.
Pictures and videos of the crime were posted online by her captor.
"Somebody had seen this video, and they were able to recognize this little girl on the missing poster as the girl in the video and they contacted law enforcement," she said.
Fortunately Alicia was saved, but many children are not. That is why Representative Paul Boyer introduced this bill to increase funding for the task force.
"The bill will allow us $4.5 million in lottery money to help us protect and rescue children," said Rep. Paul Boyer.
The bill is getting the backing of some heavy-hitting politicians in Arizona.
"If we want to attack that evil in Arizona, we need to do more," said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery.
"What does it say about us as a society if we're not willing to commit the resources to help law enforcement help prosecutors prosecute those who commit unspeakable crimes," said Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich.
"I was given a second chance at life, and with that second chance at life I'm trying to save other children," said Kozakiewicz.
According to Rep. Boyer, there are only four investigators for the ICAC task force here in Arizona. With the additional funding, if the bill passes they would be able to hire up to 35 full-time investigators.
Source: http://www.fox10phoenix.com/story/28075492/2015/02/10/bill-would-boost-task-force-fighting-child-crimes
The bill has a lot of support with Arizona lawmakers; it would allocate $4.5 million to the Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
It's called Alicia's Law, named after a young girl who was just 12-years-old when she was abducted and abused by a man she met online.
"We're talking about real children, real victims, real people... when I was 12-years-old I was groomed and lured from my home by a predator who abducted me and held me captive in his basement dungeon," said Alicia Kozakiewicz.
Kozakiewicz is the namesake of Alicia's Law which is quickly making its way through the legislature. She is from back east and met a man on a Yahoo! chatroom. After talking for a few weeks the man lured her out of her house. She was held for four days in his house where she was raped, beaten, and tortured countless times.
Pictures and videos of the crime were posted online by her captor.
"Somebody had seen this video, and they were able to recognize this little girl on the missing poster as the girl in the video and they contacted law enforcement," she said.
Fortunately Alicia was saved, but many children are not. That is why Representative Paul Boyer introduced this bill to increase funding for the task force.
"The bill will allow us $4.5 million in lottery money to help us protect and rescue children," said Rep. Paul Boyer.
The bill is getting the backing of some heavy-hitting politicians in Arizona.
"If we want to attack that evil in Arizona, we need to do more," said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery.
"What does it say about us as a society if we're not willing to commit the resources to help law enforcement help prosecutors prosecute those who commit unspeakable crimes," said Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich.
"I was given a second chance at life, and with that second chance at life I'm trying to save other children," said Kozakiewicz.
According to Rep. Boyer, there are only four investigators for the ICAC task force here in Arizona. With the additional funding, if the bill passes they would be able to hire up to 35 full-time investigators.
Source: http://www.fox10phoenix.com/story/28075492/2015/02/10/bill-would-boost-task-force-fighting-child-crimes
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