Ohio Plastic Surgeon Sentenced in Sex Trafficking Case
In Toledo, Ohio, a former physician has been sentenced in a sex trafficking case. The court records against the man, a 50-year-old by the name of Manish Gupta, had previously run three of the local Toledo surgery centers. As he was working, Gupta had coerced and drugged a woman that came to his clinic, incapacitating her into doing sexual acts for them throughout August and September 2016.
As well as this, Gupta allegedly had hired escorts during his visits to medical conferences in Chicago back in 2013, as well as Cleveland in 2013, Los Angeles in 2016, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale in 2015 and 2019, as well as San Francisco and Detroit at various other times. When the escorts had visited him during his hire, he would incapacitate the escorts in a similar manner.
On March 6, 2020, FBI agents had been sent to execute a search warrant on Gupta’s location in Toledo, where the agents had found controlled substances, sedatives, recording equipment, and video recording memory cards. On one of the memory cards, there had been a recording of him committing a sexual assault. After more digging, the agents discovered that Gupta had 61 different videos of him doing similar assaults on at least 20 different unconscious women.
“Mr. Gupta meticulously planned his attacks, including which controlled substances to pull from his medical office so that he could incapacitate vulnerable women and record his sexual assaults. The brave women who spoke out, along with the dedicated work of the FBI and prosecutors assigned to this case, ensured that Mr. Gupta was brought to justice and will no longer be a threat to women."
U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan
Currently, Gupta has been sentenced to up to 235 months in prison, as well as given a $250,000 fine and over $57,000 in restitution.
“The FBI is pleased with the lengthy sentence given today to Manish Gupta for his heinous criminal behavior. He took advantage of these females and turned them into victims of sexual abuse. Gupta's incarceration may pave the way for other victims to come forward. The FBI encourages anyone that was sexually victimized by Manish Gupta to please contact the FBI at 1-877-FBI-OHIO."
FBI Special Agent in Charge, Eric B. Smith
As a result of what those who have been affected by Gupta have gone through and how their lives have been affected, it is integral that we understand how to recognize the signs of someone who has been forced into sex trafficking or has been getting sexually abused.
There are several myths that should be acknowledged when it comes to sex trafficking, according to polarisproject.org. These three myths are: only women and girls can be victims and survivors of sex trafficking, all commercial sex is human trafficking, and people in active trafficking situations always want help getting out. It is common for men and boys to be victimized by sex trafficking, especially those who are underneath the LGBTQ umbrella. Commercial sex involving a minor is considered sex trafficking, but any commercial sex between adults is only considered sex trafficking if someone involved in it is doing it against his or her will. Finally, every situation is unique. Some people who find themselves trapped in a sex trafficking situation can often be faced with feelings of fear, isolation, guilt, shame, misplaced loyalty, or expert manipulation. These things can prevent a person from seeking help or identifying themselves as victims, even if they are actively being trafficked.
There are several signs to help you identify if someone you know might be stuck in a sex trafficking situation. These signs are far and wide, and may sometimes be overlooked. A person stuck in sex trafficking may want to stop participating in selling or trading sex but could be too scared to leave the situation that they’re in due to the threat of them being harmed as a result. As well as this, the person may be reluctant to engage in selling sex and that they are being pressured into doing it.
If someone you know also lives where they work, or you notice that they are being transported between their home and their workplace by guards, this could also be a sign of sex trafficking. In this situation, those who are involved with it may be in a situation where those who are forcing them into it do not want anyone to see where they go or know what they are doing. These people often have pimps or managers in the sex trade who are watching over them.
If the person is a child who currently lives with or is supported by or is dependent on a family member with a substance abuse problem or a family member that is abusive at all in general, it is good to take a closer look and make sure that the child is not being put into a bad situation through this family member. As well as this, some younger people may have an older, controlling parent, guardian, lover, or sponsor who will not allow you to meet up with or speak with the person that you know alone. They may also monitor the movements, spending time, or communications that the person you know may have with you or others.
Finally, if the person you know works in an industry where it may be common for them to be pressured into performing sexual acts. These places may include strip clubs, illicit cantinas, go-go bars, or illicit massage businesses.