Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

- In the criminal justice system,

sexually based offenses

are considered especially heinous.

In New York City, the dedicated detectives

who investigate these vicious felonies

are members of an elite squad

known as the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

[bell clangs, distant ship horn blares]

[rap music playing on car stereo]

- How much? - You tell me.

What're you looking for?

Everything.

100.

- That's a lot. - How much you got?

80.

Who's your friend?

- Why don't you get in the car and stop asking questions?

- NYPD! - Don't shoot!

- Hands on the steering wheel! - Don't shoot!

Please! Don't shoot!

- NYPD! Hands! Hands now! - Don't shoot!

Please, I'm married! I'm married! I have kids!

Please, I'm begging you! My wife will take the kids!

- Down! - My wife--please, I--

- Hey. Hey, I'm Tracy. - Down!

I'm a police officer.

You hurt? Come here.

Ah!

Ow! Ow! I swear I've never done this...

I'm here to help you.

You're not in any trouble, I promise.

That man's not gonna be able to hurt you.

Can you tell me your name?

Captain. - Hey.

Don't start.

- First of all, you don't look bad.

This--you look good. I mean, this is something.

- Oh, yeah, you can borrow it. - Mm, thank you.

- She won't tell me her name or her age or anything, really.

But she's young-- no older than 15, I think.

John's from Jersey--

swears she was already beat up when he solicited her.

- She won't let the doctor examine her?

- No. Only treated the busted lip.

But she's in no hurry to leave.

I think she might be ready to accept some help.

All right.

Hey, I'm Olivia. I'm a police officer.

Ouch.

That looks like it hurts a little bit, huh?

I'll get it. I'll get it.

Wow.

I like heels, but I don't think I could walk in these.

You know what I brought?

I always bring socks in case people are cold.

Feel them. They're my favorite.

Super soft, right?

You know what else I always have in my bag...

are these...

little makeup wipes, if you want to take your makeup off.

They smell really good. They're cucumber.

- You got any hot Cheetos in that bag?

- I'm happy to get you some when we're done.

That wig can't be comfortable.

Let me help you.

There you go.

Oh, that thing is heavy.

Here.

Yeah, get yourself comfortable.

Here, I'll take it.

Ah, I'll help you with that.

Oh, you got it. Great.

So what's your name? - Riley.

- Is there somebody I can call for you, Riley?

Mm.

- How about-- It's so cold in here.

I should have given you this earlier.

Take this.

There you go.

Here.

Okay, good.

So how old are you?

- Um, I'll be 15 in a couple of months.

Your parents around?

Um...

my--my mom died when I was little.

Oh, I'm sorry.

- My dad--I just don't live with him anymore.

- Okay. You in foster care?

Those lashes-- are they hard to get off?

No, not really.

Okay.

Oh.

Good, that was easy.

So, Riley... -

- I don't know you, and you don't know me,

but...

what happened to you isn't right.

It's not fair.

And you deserve to be protected...

and loved.

And I can't change the past, but what I can do is,

I can promise you...

that I'll do everything in my power

to make sure that you...

get to be the girl that you were supposed to be.

He said if I ever told anyone, I--

I'd never see my daddy again.

Who said that?

- He said I could never go home.

Please, I just-- I just want to go home.

Can you just take me home?

- Is it okay if I give you a hug?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

Oh.

I got you.

- She agreed to the physical exam.

- Oh, great. - I'll do it myself.

- Thank you. - Nice work.

Oh, so did she tell you

her last name or where she lives or...?

- No, but, uh, ACS is sending a social worker.

They may be able to ID her.

Oh, it would have been nice

if, uh, they checked on the child in their care

before she was pimped out.

Look, Ash, I know you're slammed,

but I really don't want her

to go to another foster home tonight.

- I'll--I'll find her a bed. - Oh, thank you.

- Oh, uh, I think that's the social worker.

Tell her I'll talk to her after the exam?

Don't bite her head off. - Yeah.

You're the detective?

- I'm the captain, Olivia Benson.

Vivian Parker, ACS.

When can I talk to the girl? - After you talk to me.

So do you know who she is? - I believe so.

From her age and description,

I think her name is Riley Williams.

- Okay, well, is there anything in here about her foster father

pimping her out?

- I don't think so. - No?

Did you bother to check on Riley

since she's been placed in that home?

- I'm new to this case. - Uh-huh.

Well, then let me bring you up to speed.

She got lost in the system.

She's been forced into prostitution.

So I need somebody on this case who actually gives a damn.

That's me, Captain.

I don't have to tell you the number of cases

ACS has to cover--

over 50,000 cases

and 6,000 kids in foster care alone,

and not enough hours in the day to keep track of them.

- Well, then get her out of that home

and tell me who the foster father is

so I can arrest him.

- Well, that's the thing. There isn't one.

She was placed with a single woman,

Monique Sherman.

- All right, well, I need to speak with Monique.

- You weren't concerned when Riley

didn't come home last night? - What?

Am I supposed to tie her to her bed?

I done told that social worker I cannot control that girl.

- You told the social worker two months ago

that everything was fine.

I don't know about that.

Look, there is a different one every single time.

- Okay. - That girl is a problem--

always has been.

I didn't know anybody was coming over.

I would have cleaned up.

- Who's Marcus? - Who?

- The guy getting bills at this address.

- I get the wrong mail every time.

Listen, my shift is gonna start.

You need to go.

- Well, there's two coffee cups here in the sink.

And there's two phone chargers.

- And a pair of size-12 work boots.

4 pairs of men's shoes.

Couple of men's jackets. - That is private.

Monique, where's Marcus?

You need to leave.

Somebody in this house

is forcing a child into sex trafficking.

And if Marcus doesn't exist,

that only leaves one other person...

doesn't it?

Marcus Boyd,

42, has a rap sheet that goes back for 20 years--

gambling, theft,

and he just finished a bid at Green Haven

last year for promoting prostitution.

- Looks like his first foray into trafficking kids.