Enbridge workers arrested in trafficking sting, STOP LINE 3
The Issue
February 23nd, 2021
Seven men were charged Friday Feburary 19th, following a three-day human trafficking operation in Itasca County, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. During the operation, suspects, from Minnesota, Texas and Missouri, chatted with undercover agents and investigators on several sex advertisement websites, where the men believed they were chatting with minor girls. Investigators arrested the suspects as they arrived at an arranged meeting place for a commercial sex crime. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension led the operation in partnership with the Tribes Against Sex Trafficking (TRUST) Task Force and the Itasca County Sheriff's Office.
I am a survivor of human trafficking and have been doing research on the links between extractive industries like the Line 3 pipeline and human trafficking. Instinctively, as a researcher and trafficking survivor highly opposed to Line 3, I did some preliminary research and was able to confirm that 3 of 7 of the men arrested are in fact working on the Line 3 pipeline. Derek Wayne Jokinen of Sawyer, Minnesota is currently working on the Line 3 pipeline, an anonymous member of his family confirmed that with me personally.
In a news release from Duluth News Tribune, an Enbridge spokesperson Tuesday, February, 23rd confirmed what I had already found out that both Michael Kelly West of Rolla, Missouri, and Matthew Ty Hall of Mount Pleasant, Texas, were employed by a contractor working on Line 3 and that the men were arrested as part of the Itasca County sting. (https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/crime-and-courts/6901823-2-arrests-in-human-trafficking-sting-were-Line-3-workers
On February 8th, 2021 I reached out to Enbridge officials inquiring about their safety protocols, and specifically the sex trafficking training they were supposed to be taking. I asked about the training to ensure the safety of residents and youth in communities along the Line 3 pipeline. I did not receive a response. I reached out a second time after hearing that some of their workers have been arrested in a sex trafficking sting, asking for them to provide a statement. Still, no response.
I was informed by a previous Enbridge worker that the sex trafficking training they were required to do only comprised of a 2 hour video, that did not involve any testing afterward. This previous worker also informed me that on the job site many of the men often made crude jokes about the training and about prostitution. One of these men making these crude jokes was one of the foremen at the job site. Also, the background checks that Enbridge runs on these workers were only looking for charges such as theft. The background checks do not include sex crimes or violent crimes. Bruce Duane Jones of Goodridge, Minnesota has a history of sex crimes and Chad Dockendorf has a history of domestic abuse crimes. It is very clear and evident that Enbridge does not care about the safety of the communities they are infiltrating with this pipeline.
At the Public Utility Commision meetings for the environmental impacts of this pipeline, a member of Minnesota Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Taskforce, Sheila Lamb, testified on the dangers this pipeline will pose to our natural resources and the heightened risk of sex trafficking of Native people. Enbridge representatives sat in the back at her testimony and laughed at her. Not once were they asked by anyone in that room to stop. Sheila recalled that testimony as traumatizing and has been retraumatized by the unfolding of these arrests.
When asked by the Star Tribune about trafficking along the Line 3 project, an Enbridge spokesperson said: "Enbridge absolutely rejects the allegation that human trafficking will increase in Minnesota as a result of the Line 3 replacement project," "Enbridge will not tolerate this exploitation by anyone associated with our company or its projects." (https://www.startribune.com/sex-trafficking-could-spike-near-enbridge-pipeline-project-minnesota-warns/600008533/
Enbridge has yet to return my emails regarding this situation, nor have they issued any type of public statement regarding the arrest of their workers attempting to solicite sex from minors.
We, the undersigned, are demanding the IMMEDIATE revocation of permits for the Line 3 project, as it poses serious threat and direct imminent danger to our youth. The arrests of these men is direct proof that this pipeline is directly endangering our people and our children. We also demand that judges hold these predators accountable for their crimes. All too often we see dangerous offenders let off with a slap on the wrist. We want them held accountable because the lack of accountability and prosecution give perpetrators the notion that they can target Native youth, women, and Two-Spirit people and get away with it. The lack of accountability and convictions of violent crimes against Native people is a huge reason why we have the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people.
It is outrageous that Enbridge employees are harming life, as evident by their employees' attempt to buy an underage youth for rape.
We demand convictions of the dangerous men listed below:
Chad Arther Dockendorf, 45, of Grand Rapids, Minn., was charged with solicitation of a person believed to be a minor and 4th degree DWI.
Matthew Ty Hall, 32, of Mount Pleasant, Texas, was charged with solicitation of a person believed to be a minor.
Derek Wayne Jokinen, 44, of Sawyer, Minn., was charged with solicitation of a person believed to be a minor.
Bruce Duane Jones, 54, of Goodridge, Minn., was charged with communication of sexually explicit materials to a minor.
Rusty James Marek, 56, of Grand Rapids, Minn., was charged with solicitation of a person believed to be a minor.
Saihou Adrisa Sissoho, 20, of Chisholm, Minn., was charged with solicitation of a person believed to be a minor.
Michael Kelly West, 53, of Rolla, Missouri, was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit and solicitation to engage in prostitution.
We demand the IMMEDIATE revocation of the Line 3 permits. The children in our state are in real danger.
Signed,
Jessica Smith- Gidagaakoons Research, Sovereign Bodies Institute Survivor Leadership Council, MN350 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Solidarity Campaign
Jessica Smith- Breaking Free
Chris Stark- member of Minnesota MMIW Task Force, member of Ogichidaa Namana, and author.
Mysti Babineau- MN350 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Solidarity Campaign
Sheila Lamb- member of Minnesota MMIW Taskforce
Petition Closed
The Issue
February 23nd, 2021
Seven men were charged Friday Feburary 19th, following a three-day human trafficking operation in Itasca County, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. During the operation, suspects, from Minnesota, Texas and Missouri, chatted with undercover agents and investigators on several sex advertisement websites, where the men believed they were chatting with minor girls. Investigators arrested the suspects as they arrived at an arranged meeting place for a commercial sex crime. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension led the operation in partnership with the Tribes Against Sex Trafficking (TRUST) Task Force and the Itasca County Sheriff's Office.
I am a survivor of human trafficking and have been doing research on the links between extractive industries like the Line 3 pipeline and human trafficking. Instinctively, as a researcher and trafficking survivor highly opposed to Line 3, I did some preliminary research and was able to confirm that 3 of 7 of the men arrested are in fact working on the Line 3 pipeline. Derek Wayne Jokinen of Sawyer, Minnesota is currently working on the Line 3 pipeline, an anonymous member of his family confirmed that with me personally.
In a news release from Duluth News Tribune, an Enbridge spokesperson Tuesday, February, 23rd confirmed what I had already found out that both Michael Kelly West of Rolla, Missouri, and Matthew Ty Hall of Mount Pleasant, Texas, were employed by a contractor working on Line 3 and that the men were arrested as part of the Itasca County sting. (https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/crime-and-courts/6901823-2-arrests-in-human-trafficking-sting-were-Line-3-workers
On February 8th, 2021 I reached out to Enbridge officials inquiring about their safety protocols, and specifically the sex trafficking training they were supposed to be taking. I asked about the training to ensure the safety of residents and youth in communities along the Line 3 pipeline. I did not receive a response. I reached out a second time after hearing that some of their workers have been arrested in a sex trafficking sting, asking for them to provide a statement. Still, no response.
I was informed by a previous Enbridge worker that the sex trafficking training they were required to do only comprised of a 2 hour video, that did not involve any testing afterward. This previous worker also informed me that on the job site many of the men often made crude jokes about the training and about prostitution. One of these men making these crude jokes was one of the foremen at the job site. Also, the background checks that Enbridge runs on these workers were only looking for charges such as theft. The background checks do not include sex crimes or violent crimes. Bruce Duane Jones of Goodridge, Minnesota has a history of sex crimes and Chad Dockendorf has a history of domestic abuse crimes. It is very clear and evident that Enbridge does not care about the safety of the communities they are infiltrating with this pipeline.
At the Public Utility Commision meetings for the environmental impacts of this pipeline, a member of Minnesota Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Taskforce, Sheila Lamb, testified on the dangers this pipeline will pose to our natural resources and the heightened risk of sex trafficking of Native people. Enbridge representatives sat in the back at her testimony and laughed at her. Not once were they asked by anyone in that room to stop. Sheila recalled that testimony as traumatizing and has been retraumatized by the unfolding of these arrests.
When asked by the Star Tribune about trafficking along the Line 3 project, an Enbridge spokesperson said: "Enbridge absolutely rejects the allegation that human trafficking will increase in Minnesota as a result of the Line 3 replacement project," "Enbridge will not tolerate this exploitation by anyone associated with our company or its projects." (https://www.startribune.com/sex-trafficking-could-spike-near-enbridge-pipeline-project-minnesota-warns/600008533/
Enbridge has yet to return my emails regarding this situation, nor have they issued any type of public statement regarding the arrest of their workers attempting to solicite sex from minors.
We, the undersigned, are demanding the IMMEDIATE revocation of permits for the Line 3 project, as it poses serious threat and direct imminent danger to our youth. The arrests of these men is direct proof that this pipeline is directly endangering our people and our children. We also demand that judges hold these predators accountable for their crimes. All too often we see dangerous offenders let off with a slap on the wrist. We want them held accountable because the lack of accountability and prosecution give perpetrators the notion that they can target Native youth, women, and Two-Spirit people and get away with it. The lack of accountability and convictions of violent crimes against Native people is a huge reason why we have the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people.
It is outrageous that Enbridge employees are harming life, as evident by their employees' attempt to buy an underage youth for rape.
We demand convictions of the dangerous men listed below:
Chad Arther Dockendorf, 45, of Grand Rapids, Minn., was charged with solicitation of a person believed to be a minor and 4th degree DWI.
Matthew Ty Hall, 32, of Mount Pleasant, Texas, was charged with solicitation of a person believed to be a minor.
Derek Wayne Jokinen, 44, of Sawyer, Minn., was charged with solicitation of a person believed to be a minor.
Bruce Duane Jones, 54, of Goodridge, Minn., was charged with communication of sexually explicit materials to a minor.
Rusty James Marek, 56, of Grand Rapids, Minn., was charged with solicitation of a person believed to be a minor.
Saihou Adrisa Sissoho, 20, of Chisholm, Minn., was charged with solicitation of a person believed to be a minor.
Michael Kelly West, 53, of Rolla, Missouri, was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit and solicitation to engage in prostitution.
We demand the IMMEDIATE revocation of the Line 3 permits. The children in our state are in real danger.
Signed,
Jessica Smith- Gidagaakoons Research, Sovereign Bodies Institute Survivor Leadership Council, MN350 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Solidarity Campaign
Jessica Smith- Breaking Free
Chris Stark- member of Minnesota MMIW Task Force, member of Ogichidaa Namana, and author.
Mysti Babineau- MN350 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Solidarity Campaign
Sheila Lamb- member of Minnesota MMIW Taskforce
The Decision Makers
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on February 23, 2021