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Unfortunately, we live in a society where human trafficking is everywhere. It exists not just across the world, but also in the United States.

Truthfully, there is no way to look at any one individual and be absolutely certain they don't have some involvement in human trafficking.

In recent years alone, cases have emerged of relatives and various communities being shocked about a person they know and love having involvement in human trafficking.

Unfortunately, yet another example of this has emerged. This time, it comes out of Fairfax County, Virginia.

Fairfax County police allegedly linked to sex trafficking

Four different ex-officers of the Fairfax County Police Department stand accused of hiding a sex trafficking ring, along with being direct participants in it.

The ex-officers facing these accusations are as follows:

• Edwin Roessler, the department's former chief
• Michael Barbazette
• Jason Mardocco
• James Baumstark, a deputy police chief in North Carolina

An illegal immigrant said to have been victimized by the aforementioned sex trafficking ring is bringing the accusations against the four men.

This woman alleged via court testimony that each of the officers helped keep the trafficking ring under wraps until 2019. This is the year when the FBI finally discovered and dismantled the illegal activities.

Reportedly, the women who suffered in this ring faced sexual assault from up to 17 men on a daily basis.

Also involved in the ring as a perpetrator was a woman and madam named Hazel Sanchez. Sanchez stands accused of luring the illegal immigrant to the United States from Costa Rica, with false claims of the latter being able to do nanny work.

Sanchez is facing an over-two-year prison sentence for her crimes. However, the migrant who testified before the courts claimed the four former officers of Fairfax County shielded Sanchez, rather than the women Sanchez trafficked.

Attorneys for the former police officers are now trying to paint the woman who testified as a willing sex worker now seeking money, rather than a survivor of human trafficking.

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Thus far, none of the former Fairfax County officers are facing criminal charges. However, they do currently remain on civil trial, in which the aforementioned migrant levied her claims against them.

In the cases of Mardocco and Barbazette, they reportedly conceded being clients of Sanchez. Both men also stepped down from the Fairfax County Police Department once their numbers were located on Sanchez's phone.

Anyone who wishes to report what they believe to be human trafficking can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline via phone at 1 (888) 373-7888 or by text at 233733.