BILLINGS — Forced commercial sex and labor exploitation are two forms of modern slavery that exists both nationally and locally in 2025.
According to the Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force, human trafficking rates have spiked in Montana since 2015 to 2023, from seven cases to 143.
A Billings human trafficking awareness advocate shares the warning signs and explains the modern human trafficking environment, in light of recent national and local cases.
Learn what modern-day slavery looks like in Montana in the video below:
Penny Ronning is the co-founder and president of the Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force. She started the task force in 2016 after her own mother's experience with human trafficking in the 1940s.
Ronning says human trafficking is evident today, it just looks different.
"What happened to my mom in the 1940s in rural South Dakota was happening to children today... The actual act itself is sexual violence. So, that act has been around forever, and ever," she said Wednesday.
Ronning says that sex trafficking and labor exploitation happens in both large cities and rural areas, like Montana.
For instance on Wednesday, popular rap artist Sean "Diddy" Combs was found not guilty on two charges of sex trafficking, and guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
RELATED| 'Diddy' denied bail after mixed verdict in federal sex trafficking trial
Meanwhile, a Billings doctor is at the center of a similar disturbing case regarding commercial sex at the local level.
RELATED| Billings doctor pleads guilty to soliciting minor for sex
Last Monday, a former Billings doctor, Usman Khan, 52, who did contract work for Intermountain Health at St. Vincent Regional Hospital pleaded guilty to interstate transportation in aid of racketeering.
Leaders at St. Vincent Healthcare sent MTN a statement following his plead:
We were deeply disturbed by the recent report of the Department of Justice case against Usman Khan, MD. Dr. Khan has never been employed by St. Vincent Regional Hospital. He provided services at St. Vincent Regional Hospital as a contracted locum tenens physician, and is no longer part of our medical staff. We were not aware of the case against Dr. Khan until it was reported by the Department of Justice on June 23, 2025.
In April 2023, Khan arranged, paid for, and had commercial sex with a minor. Before the crime, Khan communicated with a Lame Deer woman named as Veronica Clarice Baker, 29, who helped him arrange the encounter.
On Wednesday, Baker pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor. Khan faces up to five years in prison and Baker faces at least 10 years. Their sentencing dates have not been announced.
Ronning said most human trafficking cases regarding commercial sex happen very similarly to the case of Khan and Baker. Ronning says the victim and trafficker typically have a pre-established relationship.
"That victim is most likely going to know that trafficker, and it's going to be through someone that they know, love, or trust," said Ronning.
According to a sworn affidavit filed by FBI Special Agent Aaron Christensen, one of the victims in Khan's case had been staying at Baker's house. Baker even paid the victim $20 to babysit her children.
In Ronning's experience, her own mother was sold into sex trafficking by a family member.
Ronning explains that modern sex trafficking typically involves a cell phone and social media: "Really, the invention of the internet and smart phones has changed trafficking from a street corner, or some other visible location, to an invisible location, where the trafficker and the buyer meet online," she said.
Ronning also noted that the buyers in sex trafficking situations, involving minors, are typically wealthy, well-established members in society.
"The younger the child, the higher the price. Think about who can afford that," she said. "It is most often times those people in power."
According to Ronning, the task force's work to end child sexual exploitation is far from over. However, the organization has made progress since 2016.
Ronning says that although the number of human trafficking cases have risen since 2015, it doesn't necessarily mean the crime is becoming more frequent. Instead, more data is actually being collected, and traffickers and buyers are being prosecuted more often.
"We've now had more than 40 federal convictions on human trafficking within the state of Montana. That's an enormous number," she said.
If you or a Montanan you know suspect human trafficking in the state, please contact the 24-hour victim services hotline at (833) 406-7867 or visit 406STOP.com.
