Horrific Text Messages From Colombian Child Trafficking Network

A Colombian child trafficking network was recently exposed following the arrest in Miami of Stefan Andres Correa. The 42-year-old American citizen frequently visited Colombia to engage with a child trafficking network that supplied him with underage girls, some as young as 10 years old.

Police investigations uncovered shocking text message exchanges between Stefan Andres Correa and a child trafficker. In these explicit texts, the suspect detailed his preferences and the specific type of underage girls he was looking for. “You know my taste […] find a friend who is 11 or 10 years old, skinny, white, short,” he texted a member of the trafficking network. “Is she ready for everything?” he inquired, seeking assurance that the children would comply with his demands.

In the conversations, Stefan Andres Correa and the trafficker explicitly negotiated the price for sexual intercourse between him and the girls. The agreed price was US$150 and an iPhone for an opportunity to engage in sexual exploitation. “If she behaves well and takes good care of me […] each will receive 300,000 [COP, approximately US$75] … If all goes well, it could be an iPhone XS.”

Reportedly, Stefan Andres Correa admitted his involvement in these activities, and he is now under investigation for child sexual exploitation and attempting to travel with the intention of engaging in illicit sexual activites.

Child trafficking network in Medellin

Although child trafficking is a longstanding issue in Medellin and Colombia, deeply intertwined with poverty and social problems such as prostitution and drugs, it has only recently come to public attention following a case of sexual exploitation involving another American citizen.

Timothy Alan Livingston was discovered in his hotel room in Medellin’s most exclusive neighborhood, El Poblado, with two underage girls. After fleeing to the U.S., he is now sought by Colombian authorities and Interpol, which has issued a Blue notice.

The criminal business of these networks relies on the exploitation of local poverty. Capitalizing on the criminal desires of some foreign tourists, these networks exploit young girls for profit, at prices that may seem trivial but represent a fortune for many Colombians. To put things into perspective, the Colombian minimum wage stands at US$330, an amount that is insufficient to live on given the level of inflation.

Tourism is a powerful tool that can enhance local development and create numerous opportunities. However, activities such as sex tourism can be highly detrimental to local communities and exacerbate issues like gender violence and child abuse. In response, Colombian authorities are increasingly focused on promoting a model of tourism that emphasizes cultural and nature experiences, while seeking to reduce the prevalence of narcotourism and sex tourism.