Nebraska officials warn of downside to CWS crowds, urge lookout for human trafficking

(Nebraska Examiner) – With a national spotlight and economic impact set to hit Omaha this week with the start of the men’s College World Series, a lineup of Nebraska officials met Monday at the baseball stadium to underscore the underbelly of such crowd-drawing events: human trafficking.

Leaders, including Gov. Jim Pillen, Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. and FBI Special Agent in Charge Gene Kowel, said the two-week NCAA tournament that begins Friday is intended as a fun-filled and family event for the throngs of fans that come to watch top-notch athletic play at downtown Omaha’s Charles Schwab Field.

But they and the state’s highest-level law enforcement agents also issued warnings about predators exploiting the circumstances. They asked spectators to be on the alert and to report strange behaviors to protect against forced labor and commercial sexual assault trafficking.

“The hard core reality is that … there are some bad people that come here,” said Pillen, while also praising the general safety of the state’s most populous city set to host its 76th men’s CWS.

“Criminals come to do trafficking and bad activities,” the governor said.

Hotels near full capacity

He and others in the group echoed similar concerns shared by officials in host cities of another huge sporting event, the FIFA World Cup. Matches are taking place across cities in North America as the soccer tourney runs this week through mid-July.

Andrew Caggiano, president of the New Jersey police chiefs association, in an opinion piece for the New Jersey Monitor, said traffickers depend on public indifference. Caggiano wrote that one of the most powerful anti-trafficking tools is public attention by hotel housekeepers, ride-share drivers, restaurant servers and dog walkers.

In Omaha, the CWS last year not only lured a record-breaking crowd, it generated a record $147.6 million in economic impact for the Omaha metropolitan area and $136.4 million for the State of Nebraska, according to a study by Goss & Associates Economic Solutions, LLC.

Economist Ernie Goss called the series a “grand slam” that in 2025 drew roughly 370,000 fans and athletes over the 10-day event, with nearly 71% traveling from outside Nebraska, “driving hotels to near-full capacity.” Top industries that benefited were restaurants, lodging, amusement and recreation, car rentals and real estate.

It is in the commotion of celebration, full hotels and other venues that human traffickers can exploit and try to operate furtively, the officials said.

Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly, who previously served as a U.S. attorney for Nebraska, the county attorney in Lancaster County and as criminal bureau chief for the Nebraska Attorney General, said Monday he is often asked whether sex and human trafficking have increased over the years. He said he answers by saying officials are better today at detecting the crimes.

Col. Bryan Waugh, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol and former police chief in Kearney, said the public is more aware, and tips to law enforcement are more plentiful.

He said the Nebraska Information Analysis Center today fields about 30,000 human trafficking-related tips a year, compared to a few thousand annually decades ago. Known as a fusion center, the NIAC hub shares information between law enforcement agencies and private sector partners to help protect the public.

Problem signs to look for, said Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, include controlling behavior, untreated medical issues and “things that don’t make sense.”

“Without a doubt, human trafficking is modern day slavery,” Hilgers said.

Drones, dark web, task forces

Mayor Ewing urged fans and others not to “second guess” themselves and instead report suspicious activity to trained professionals. He noted he is a retired Omaha deputy police chief and former commander of the special victims unit.

“There is nothing more personal and important for me than keeping our young people and women of this community and other communities safe as they come into Omaha,” Ewing said.

Meanwhile, the officials said drones will be in action over the next couple of weeks, along with additional surveillance. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said his department will be on the dark web monitoring for human traffickers in Omaha for the national baseball tourney.

The speakers said law enforcement will be tough on human traffickers. “We’ll get them locked up and will throw the keys away,” Pillen said.

Omaha police did not have any statistics readily available from similar CWS anti-trafficking efforts for last year’s tournament.

Omaha City Council member LaVonya Goodwin said it was paramount that families and visitors are safe. “And our most vulnerable populations aren’t exploited.”

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