Twenty-five suspected traffickers arrested. 53 survivors were recovered, including 11 children. While fans filled stadiums and millions watched the 2026 FIFA World Cup, another team of law enforcement, and Bend-based nonprofit In Our Backyard was working diligently behind the scenes.
Of the 53 Survivors recovered, the children were placed in the care of Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS), adult survivors were offered services and were grateful for the opportunity to be heard and given choices, some adults accepted services.
Commander of Santa Clara County DA’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force, Josh Singleton said, “In Our Backyard was an invaluable partner, providing the largest number of actionable tips received by our region. Those tips generated credible leads and directly supported active and ongoing human trafficking investigations throughout the Bay Area. Their dedication, expertise, and willingness to collaborate with law enforcement and intelligence analysts significantly strengthened our regional response and will continue to have an impact well beyond these operations.”
In Our Backyard worked along-side Santa Clara County DA’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force (HTTF), the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, New Jersey State Police and multidisciplinary partners that helped bring the operation to its successful end.
Operating from a regional intelligence center, In Our Backyard volunteers reviewed tips, connected information across jurisdictions, and developed actionable intelligence in real time. Working alongside local, state, and federal partners, totaling about 70 agencies, they helped identify survivors, locate missing and exploited children, and provided investigators with critical information that resulted in many suspected traffickers arrested in field operations.
These results mirrored In Our Backyard’s partnerships established during Super Bowl LX earlier this year, where participating agencies identified 73 survivors — including ten minors — and arrested 29 suspected traffickers. One victim who was recovered was a 12-year-old girl from Oakland. “This work is never about one organization,” said Cheryl Csiky, executive director of In Our Backyard. “It’s about collaboration. Every lead shared, every piece of intelligence analyzed, and every partner at the table represents another opportunity to help someone who may have nowhere else to turn.”
For In Our Backyard, the operation is a reminder that human trafficking doesn’t stop when the crowds go home. It happens every day, here in Central Oregon and beyond. Meaningful change happens when communities, nonprofits, businesses, and law enforcement work together to recognize the signs, share information, and take action.
In Our Backyard (IOB) is a national nonprofit anti-trafficking leader with more than 15 years of dedication to the fight against sex and labor trafficking. IOB links arms in the fight against human trafficking by empowering communities to prevent this atrocity and creating access to freedom for victims of human trafficking.
