Jackson Free Press

Unconfirmed reports indicate that The Clarion-Ledger has laid off 13 employees over the past two days. The report, from The Gannett Blog (which is not an official Gannett source), says that nationwide, the Gannett Company's U.S. Community Publishing newspaper division, the C-L's parent company, has fired an estimated 223 people at 37 sites. A few other subsidiaries are also affected, the blog states.

The Gannett Blog relies on its readers for layoff reports, and the post includes a link to a spreadsheet showing the specific numbers reportedly laid off at Gannett worksites. Hattiesburg, home of the Hattiesburg American, shows two layoffs.

"These figures remain preliminary and are almost certain to rise at least through Monday as more employees are notified," the blog states.

"Most of the job losses were through layoffs over the past 48 hours, with a much smaller number comprising open positions that have been permanently eliminated, according to these readers.

"It's unlikely Corporate will ever confirm these figures, because this round is being done under the radar. Asked for a comment yesterday, Corporate's chief publicist, Jeremy Gaines, told blogger Jim Romenesko only this: 'Some USCP sites are making cuts to align their business plans with local market conditions.'"

The blog entry is calling this round of layoffs "the biggest since about 700 newspaper employees were let go in June 2011."

Law enforcement in Hinds and Rankin counties and in the cities of Jackson, Ridgeland, and Pearl worked together with the FBI, the Mississippi Attorney General's office and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics to rescue victims of sex trafficking in Mississippi and bring traffickers to justice.

The local action was part of Operation Cross Country VII, a three-day enforcement action to address commercial child sex trafficking throughout the United States that encompassed 76 cities.

A 17-year-old Mississippi girl was among the 105 children rescued in the sting. The Jackson-area operation included the arrests of 10 pimps. Officials have charged 24 others "with related state and local offenses," the FBI stated in a release.

“Child prostitution is a threat to children not just in other countries, but across America and right here in Mississippi,” said Daniel McMullen, special agent in charge of the FBI in Mississippi. “This operation serves as a reminder that the FBI and its partners in law enforcement remain committed to identifying and rescuing any child who is being victimized in this heinous enterprise.”

Rankin County saw a total of 14 arrests, and charged three men with human trafficking: Christopher Jermaine Armstrong, 28, of Hattiesburg and James Edward Williams Jr., 27, and William Charles Toliver, 48, both of Jackson. Tolliver faces two trafficking counts while Armstrong and Williams are each charged with one count of trafficking and marijuana possession.

Jackson authorities arrested eight people. Among them are Square Jefferson, 24, and Gerald Knight, 25, who are charged with aiding and abetting prostitution--pimping--a felony.

In Ridgeland, the sting netted 12, including four Jackson residents arrested for promoting prostitution: Adrian Harris, 26; Travis Minor, 29; Randy Roberts, 29; and Jasmine Taylor, 20.

Ridgeland Police Lt. John Neal told the Associated Press that Taylor and a second woman both had children with them at the time of their arrests. Police charged the other woman with prostitution.

"Each of them had their two small children with them. There was one that was four years old, the other that was two years old in the car while her mother was up offering services," Neal said.

The number of alleged pimps arrested in Mississippi was fifth-highest in the nation, the AP reported, behind the FBI divisions in Detroit (18), San Francisco (17), Atlanta (17) and Oklahoma City (13).

To learn more about Operation Cross Country and the Innocence Lost National Initiative, visit www.fbi.gov, www.justice.gov, or www.ncmec.org.