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OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) are hosting the third annual Human Trafficking & Drug Abuse Awareness Conference today in Kissimmee.
The event's purpose is to educate and raise awareness among members of the hotel and hospitality industry about the warning signs of human trafficking and drug-related abuse.
Education and awareness
What we know:
The OCSO said hotels and motels are often sites of trafficking activity, making it essential for frontline staff to be properly trained in recognizing indicators and reporting suspicious behavior.
Lopez will be joined by expert presenters to provide valuable insight into how traffickers operate, how narcotics are used to control victims and how hospitality staff can play a critical role in assisting law enforcement efforts to combat these crimes.
Those joining will include Kim Figueroa, a human trafficking survivor, OCSO Detective Justin Akins and Agent Al Rodriguez.
Osceola County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Marcos Lopez is hosting the event with other experts. (Credit: Osceola County Sheriff's Office)
What they're saying:
"The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is committed to fostering collaboration between law enforcement and the hospitality industry to prevent and combat human trafficking and drug-related crimes," OCSO leaders said in a press release. "Together, we can help protect vulnerable individuals and bring perpetrators to justice."
What you can do:
Those who wish to report a crime can call the OCSO at (407) 348-2222.
When and where will the event take place?
Timeline:
The event is taking place on Wednesday morning.
The event will kick off with a meet and greet from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
The main event with opening remarks and presentations will begin at 10 a.m. and run through noon.
The event is taking place at the Holiday Inn Resort located at 3011 Maingate Lane, Kissimmee.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) in a press release on May 20, 2025.