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Tucson "child trafficking camp" on Cemex land

In late May 2018, the group Veterans on Patrol said an encampment on Cemex property in Tucson was a child sex-trafficking camp. QAnon and Pizzagate followers spread the claim. Tucson police, ICE and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found no evidence of trafficking.

Jun 4, 2018 ·

What the record shows

Veterans on Patrol, led by Michael Lewis Arthur Meyer (who NBC reported is not a veteran), found the site on May 29, 2018 and pointed to straps on trees, toys and a buried tank as evidence. On June 4, 2018, Tucson police said they found no indication of criminal activity, including human trafficking, at what they described as an abandoned homeless camp, and a cadaver dog found no remains. Sgt. Pete Dugan said straps like those are common in homeless camps and are used to hang food out of animals' reach. ICE said it agreed that nothing at the site validated the trafficking claims, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children also rejected the claim. In July 2018, Meyer was arrested for trespassing on the Cemex property and on an outstanding warrant. PolitiFact rated a 2022 revival of the claim "Pants on Fire."

What the record doesn’t support

No law enforcement agency reported evidence of trafficking at the site. The children's items found there are consistent with homeless families. No separate Pima County Sheriff's finding was located; the investigation was conducted by Tucson police with ICE.

Sources

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