Human trafficking is everywhere, including in Blair County.
It was the topic of a recent presentation at the Blair County Chamber of Commerce’s Committee on NonProfit Businesses, Best Practices Forum.
Guest speaker Ashley Owens, Children’s Advocacy Center director at Family Services Inc., said it is hard to tell how big the problem is here.
“We have heard from survivors that the Altoona area is a place there has been trafficking because we were not looking for it. Now we are working to spread education and trying to notice red flags to notice situations as trafficking. Blair County, since 2014, has had four arrests for human trafficking including the (Stephen) Apostolu case,” Owens said. “We have been able to identify children who are victims of human trafficking that didn’t reach the court system. We know it is there but are not sure how prevalent it is. No one has come forward saying they are a victim of human trafficking. Human trafficking is not what you see in Ho
kstephens@altoonamirror.com
HOLLIDAYSBURG An Altoona woman who engaged in the creation of child pornography through photography and sexual activities, apologized Friday in Blair County court where she was sentenced to 9.5 to 25 years’ incarceration.
“I’m sorry for my actions,” Kara Tornatore, 31, told Judge Daniel J. Milliron, who later told Tornatore that her apology rang hollow.
“You provided the opportunity for Mr. (Stephen) Apostolu to prey on these children,” Milliron said. “The court does not accept your apology.”
Milliron sentenced Apostolu in December to his recommended sentence of 12 to 25 years’ incarceration, followed by five years’ probation. His charges included aggravated indecent assault of a child, indecent assault and numerous counts of manufacturing child pornography, possession of child pornography and trafficking of minors.
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