OAKLAND — The FBI offered a $10,000 reward Wednesday for information leading to the location of a 21-year-old Oakland woman who disappeared in January and is believed to be a victim of human trafficking, authorities said.
FBI officials are offering a $10,000 for information leading to the location of Heaven Desiree McGee, who was last seen in Stockton on Jan. 20. She has ties to Oakland and San Jose. (Courtesy of FBI)
Despite countless hours of investigation by Oakland police, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, including the distribution of fliers and videos and numerous media reports, Heaven Desireé McGee is still missing. Her case has also been publicized by the national Black and Missing Foundation Inc. (BAMFI) which recently named the Oakland Police Department its Law Enforcement Partner of the Year.
FBI officials said at a press conference Wednesday at Oakland police headquarters, attended by almost 20 family and friends of McGee, that they hope the reward will generate new information that will lead to finding McGee.
McGee was seen by family members on Jan. 17 on Thermal Street in East Oakland and was believed headed to Hayward.
FBI officials are offering a $10,000 for information leading to the location of Heaven Desiree McGee, who was last seen in Stockton on Jan. 20. She has ties to Oakland and San Jose. (Courtesy of FBI)
McGee, who was known to frequent Lathrop and Stockton in San Joaquin County, was last seen on a Stockton commercial corridor on Jan. 20.
The reward was announced by Sanjay Virmani, Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco office of the FBI.
He said the FBI believes McGee is a victim of human trafficking, last in the Stockton area. But because it is an ongoing investigation no additional details about why authorities believe she was being trafficked were released.
He did say that the FBI considers human trafficking “one of the top violent crimes” that is “a scourge on society.”
Virmani and acting Oakland Deputy Chief of Police Nicholas Calonge said possible cell phone leads have been followed up on and searches done at different locations in Oakland, San Joaquin and Solano counties, but McGee still remains missing.
Both vowed that the investigation would continue until McGee’s whereabouts are known.
“We remain steadfast on finding her and bringing her home,” said Virmani, who also praised McGee’s mother “for your strength, perseverance and love for your daughter” which he said are “deeply moving.”
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Calonge acknowledged that McGee is “missed terribly” and said Oakland police “have not given up or forgotten about her. We will follow any lead to bring her back.”
McGee’s mother, who asked to only be identified by her first name, Tamisha, said McGee is her only child “who disappeared out of my life in January never to be seen or heard from by me or her family. She was a genuine person who would never leave her family.”
Tamisha urged anyone with information to contact Oakland police or the FBI. “Be that someone who can help us find my daughter. I will never stop searching for my daughter until I find out where she is.”
Anyone with information may contact the FBI at 1-800-225-5324 or any local FBI office or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Oakland police can be contacted at 510-238-3641.
