FACE Services Puts a Name with a Face

Recently, the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office sent a request to the Facial Analysis, Comparison, and Evaluation (FACE) Services Unit at the CJIS Division for help in identifying a subject believed to be a victim in a human trafficking case.

The request included pictures of the subject, a possible alias, and the city where she might be staying. FACE Services Unit staff conducted an image-based search of the Next Generation Identification Interstate Photo System and located a likely match. Two hours later, the FACE Services Unit provided a lead to the field office, which included a different name for the subject.

Further investigation revealed the name the FACE Services Unit provided was valid, and the female was identified as the victim in an Ohio human trafficking case. With this new information, law enforcement in Ohio is moving forward in prosecuting the woman’s trafficker. The case agent was able to provide additional investigative data to an already strong investigation limiting the overlap of investigative resources and allowing the other agency to maximize the prosecution.

In a correspondence with the FACE Services Unit, the case agent said, “Your assistance was significant because by learning the victim’s true name, the case agent was able to determine she [the victim] had already been identified. This victim will definitely get the needed resources from all of the partners involved in the investigation.”

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