LEWISBURG – During a special Saturday morning Anti-Human Trafficking Conference held at Mifflin County High School, Sen. Cris Dush (R-25) focused a significant portion of his presentation touting a game-changing, AI-driven tool called Transaction Intercept (TI), which he is currently working with Street Grace Pastor Nick Lembo to bring to Pennsylvania law enforcement.
“It’s really no secret that the Internet is an unparalleled hunting ground where criminal human traffickers savagely prey upon innocent children and minors,” said Dush, the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 44 which was unanimously advanced and signed into law (Act 39 of 2023) to ensure sexually exploited child human trafficking victims have full access to necessary services and support for healing and recovery. “Already implemented in 25 states and nearly 80 cities, absolutely free of charge, Transaction Intercept is empowering local law enforcement to shut down the demand side of human trafficking (the buyers of child pornography and sex) like never before.”
After identifying potential buyers or “johns,” Transaction Intercept communicates with these individuals through an artificial intelligence chatbot named Gracie. Developed using predator and victim transcripts from ongoing investigations, text chats from students at local universities, and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Gracie has the capability to disrupt tens of thousands of conversations using one of hundreds of different adolescent personas.
Once the intent to purchase is confirmed, Transaction Intercept communicates a powerful warning message and informs potential buyers their information, including the chat conversation, has been stored in a permanent file with local law enforcement. Later, Transaction Intercept sends links to trauma and therapy resources to aid buyers in taking the first step in receiving help.
“One of our strongest and most gracious allies in combatting Human Trafficking for several years now is Pastor Nick Lembo,” said Dush. “After joining Street Grace, a non-profit ministry based in Georgia, his CEO, Bob Rodgers, approached Microsoft with the hope of developing more powerful AI technology to combat human trafficking. In approximately six months with the help of approximately 100 engineers around the world, Microsoft delivered a $2 million tool to help all levels of law enforcement crack down on sexual predators via the Internet. Not only are Transaction Intercept and Gracie free to use, they are empowering both rural and urban areas to more effectively handle the explosion of next-door predator Internet and social media threats that young children are encountering on a daily basis.”
Dush, a retired law enforcement officer, was instrumental in securing dedicated state budget funding for the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Section. He pledged to continue shepherding and supporting several high-priority, bipartisan, anti-human trafficking initiatives including providing safe harbor for human trafficking victims and defining pornography as “child sexual abuse materials.”
“This brings to me to the most powerful force, and one we cannot not do without: our belief and trust in almighty God to win this battle,” emphasized Dush. “It is faith-based organizations and individuals such as Pastor Nick Lembo who are having the greatest impact in rescuing and restoring the lives of human trafficking victims. Much like the prophet Daniel, it is the ceaseless prayers and charitable actions of churches and faith-based organizations that give lawmakers and community leaders the strength, resources and inspiration to bring the fight against flesh-trafficking pimps and modern-day ‘Babylon’ slave owners who will stop at nothing to prey upon innocent children.”