Cheyenne Police Issue Statement On Zip Tie/Sex Trafficking Rumors

Cheyenne Police say there is no evidence that local women are being targeted for sex trafficking by having zip ties attached to their vehicles.

Rumors to that effect have been posted on social media in recent days. Townsquare Media on Friday contact Cheyenne Police Department spokeswoman Alex Farkas asking about those rumors.

In response, the CPD issued the following statement:

''The Cheyenne Police Department is aware of a social media trend that associates zip-ties with human trafficking. In videos and posts, it's alleged that traffickers place zip-ties on car door handles to target victims. However, at this time, there is no indication that this trend is related to human trafficking in our community.

Information spread through posts like these is dangerous because it misleads the public. There are websites available that provide accurate information and resources. https://humantraffickinghotline.org/human-trafficking/recognizing-signs

Of course, we always encourage citizens to remain alert and vigilant. Police suggest verifying information before sharing on social media.''

The Cheyenne City Council on Monday passed an ordinance making it a crime to interfere with legitimate emergency calls to the Laramie County 911 system. The interference could include trivial matters such s asking for directions as well as calls related to hoaxes.

Ward III councilman Richard Johnson specifically mentioned the zip tie sex trafficking rumors as the kind of thing he is hoping the ordinance will address.