INSIGHT, An NBC San Diego Investigative Podcast

Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking or exploitation. In Into STOLEN Episode One, Monica Dean and Tom Jones explain the issue in a new way by hearing from a survivor. And an expert in the field goes into the psychology behind this complex issue, how it happens, the myths surrounding the issue and how virtually anyone can become a victim.Show Notes: Link to Watch Episode OneWho’s at risk and warning signsWhat do you do and where do you turn if you believe someone you love is a victimQUIZ - what do you know about sex trafficking?

Go into how the NBC7 STOLEN team uncovered never before seen evidence linking exploitation to nearly every school district in San Diego County. Also, a behind-the-scenes discussion about an unforgettable moment in the STOLEN series that happened during a ride-along with a survivor pointing out well-known sex trafficking hot spots in San Diego.Show Notes: Link to Watch Episode TwoWhat do you do and where do you turn if you believe someone you love is a victimLink to Journey to Freedom ExperienceQUIZ - what do you know about sex trafficking?

“Does your child have social media? Because if they do they’re being targeted.” Those are words from an undercover sergeant with San Diego County’s Human Trafficking Task Force who joined us in-studio to share some advice for parents. Hear his first-hand experience about what they’re seeing on the streets, online and the overwhelming task of trying to police this issue.Show Notes: Link to Watch Episode ThreeQUIZ - what do you know about sex trafficking?11 Lesser Known Apps that Could Expose Your Child to TraffickingWhat do you do and where do you turn if you believe someone you love is a victimLink to Journey to Freedom Experience

Learn the back-story behind how NBC7’s Monica Dean and Tom Jones found a wealthy San Diego CEO who faced no criminal charges after admitting to prosecutors he had sex with two teenage girls. Hear more of the jailhouse recordings of a convicted trafficker that cracked this case open and learn how journalists gathered the elements for this story in a year-long investigation.Show Notes: Link to Watch Episode FourQUIZ - what do you know about sex trafficking?What do you do and where do you turn if you believe someone you love is a victimLink to Interactive ‘Journey to Freedom Experience’

Since the coronavirus pandemic sent more kids online than ever before, thousands of teenagers are vulnerable to exploiters through their social media profiles. NBC7's Tom Jones and Monica Dean go in-depth with an expert who is using technology to spot the vulnerable online. He shares risk factors and warning signs everyone should know about. Show Notes: Link to Watch Episode FiveTrafficking During COVID-19Who’s at risk and warning signsWhat do you do and where do you turn if you believe someone you love is a victimIt Starts With A Conversation: How to Protect Your Child From Trafficking11 Lesser Known Apps that Could Expose Your Child to TraffickingQUIZ - what do you know about sex trafficking?Link to Interactive ‘Journey to Freedom Experience’

What role does our culture play in driving the illegal sex trade? We’re taking you behind the scenes of San Diego County’s “traffic school” for convicted sex buyers and talking with a Grammy award-winning musician who’s hoping to shift pop culture to help fight sex trafficking. NBC7 Investigates Executive Producer Tom Jones and NBC7 Anchor Monica Dean go into episode six of the documentary series "STOLEN."Show Notes: Link to Watch Episode SixWhat do you do and where do you turn if you believe someone you love is a victimLink to Interactive ‘Journey to Freedom Experience’QUIZ - what do you know about sex trafficking?

What’s being done to help prevent sex trafficking, educate our youth and support survivors? Is it enough? NBC 7’s Monica Dean and Tom Jones sit down with Marjorie Saylor and Susan Johnson, two leaders in the fight against trafficking in San Diego County to learn more about what's being done and how you can be part of the solution.Show Notes: Link to Watch Episode SevenHow You Help In The Fight Against TraffickingWhat do you do and where do you turn if you believe someone you love is a victimLink to Interactive ‘Journey to Freedom Experience’QUIZ - what do you know about sex trafficking?

Our goal for Into San Diego was to create a series highlighting some of San Diego’s most under-reported stories. And in the next week, we’ll be doing just that with a new mini-series that our NBC 7 team has been working on for more than a year. It’s called STOLEN. The documentary series lays out a year-long investigation into the sex trafficking and exploitation of children in San Diego County and across the U.S. STOLEN is told from the perspective of survivors, advocates -- even traffickers and sex buyers. The series celebrates the strength of survivors and their families, as they struggle to break the bonds of sex trafficking. And with kids going back to school online, experts say they are at risk now more than ever before.You can watch the documentary series here on August 20. Afterwards, come back to this podcast feed. Here, we’ll have companion episodes that go behind the scenes of each episode of STOLEN, including conversations with some of the experts and survivors featured in the series.

On April 27, 2019, a 19-year-old walked into the Chabad of Poway synagogue and opened fire; killing one woman and injuring others, including the synagogue’s Rabbi. Through the sorrow, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein had a message for San Diego and grew to become an international symbol of peace. But prosecutors say he had a dark secret. Just weeks ago, Rabbi Goldstein pleaded guilty for his involvement in an elaborate scheme to steal thousands of dollars from taxpayers and his own synagogue. In this week’s episode of Into San Diego, we’re breaking down how investigators say the scheme worked, the major players involved, and the response from the local community. Join us as we go Into Years of Fraud: A Wounded Rabbi Admits to Wrongdoing.Do you have an idea for a future episode of Into San Diego? Email us at IntoSanDiego@NBC.com

A San Diego Starbucks barista had his world turned upside down when he was at the center of a viral Facebook post that captured the nation and users online across the globe. In the post, the local barista refused service to a woman who wasn’t wearing a mask. The woman shared a photo of him online, trying to shame him for doing his job, but the plan backfired when thousands of strangers came to the barista’s defense. In this week’s episode of Into San Diego, we’re going into that viral phenomenon and hearing directly from that barista, Lenin Gutierrez. Hear why he thinks he garnered the support of millions of people online and the exact moment his life changed from the generosity of people he never met. Lenin’s full story hasn’t been told, until now. Do you have an idea for a future episode of Into San Diego? Email us at IntoSanDiego@NBC.com

As we move into the second half of 2020, it’s clear the coronavirus has exhausted us all. Despite a record number of new cases, patience with the pandemic is dwindling each day. In this week’s episode of Into San Diego, we’re going into COVID complacency and how our actions this summer are crucial in fighting the outbreak. San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher explains why he thinks we reopened local businesses too soon and compares our situation to a pandemic that happened back in 1918. Plus, we’ll hear from local researchers and students studying the long term effects COVID-19 and how it can leave life-long scars on those infected.

"Insight" is focusing deep "Into San Diego." Join NBC 7 as we take you into the stories and topics making headlines in our community. Hosts Tom Jones and Dorian Hargrove take you “Into San Diego” with the under-reported stories that matter most to our community. Whether it’s into the courtroom, the classroom, or into our economy, “Into San Diego” breaks the mold of traditional local news reporting by creating a fully immersive audio experience that informs our listeners on the local topics they want and need to know more about.

A La Mesa Police Officer detained a young Black man as he was waiting outside of his friend’s apartment. A physical altercation ensued and the man, Amaurie Johnson, was arrested for battery on a police officer. The video of his arrest went viral and transformed the small city of La Mesa into the epicenter for protests of police brutality and use of force in San Diego County. We speak with Amaurie Johnson and hear his thoughts of what occurred that day, and the realities for Black people when dealing with law enforcement.

The closing of dining areas in mid-March resulted in countless restaurants forced to shut down throughout San Diego County. Now, those that rode the viral storm are opening their doors once again, but with limited capacity and numerous guidelines to follow. In this week’s episode of INSIGHT, show hosts Tom Jones and Dorian Hargrove revisit a popular restaurant whose owner is welcoming diners in after two months. The team also chats with well-known San Diego food writer Candice Woo about the challenges for San Diego’s restaurant industry down the road.

Testing for the coronavirus has been a major talking point and benchmark for when life can start to return to normal. California recently announced more than 75 new testing locations across the state, including three locations in San Diego County. We wanted to know how the process works and what we found may surprise you. In this week’s episode of INSIGHT, Dorian Hargrove and Tom Jones walk through the process of getting a test. From appointment delays to missing results, we look at whether the state’s system is built to produce the results we desperately need.To find out where you can get a COVID-19 test, click here.

You’ve seen and heard the protests in San Diego County, and across the country over lifting closure orders. Politics aside, everyone agrees that an idle economy is helping no one. In this week's episode of INSIGHT, a woman shares why she’s willing to face jail time and defy health orders to get a message across. Local leaders also share what they think is the best solution to combat high unemployment rates. Also, a psychiatrist shares how he’s already seeing a toll on the mental health of those forced to stay indoors during the coronavirus pandemic.

*This episode contains language that some may find explicit.The county of San Diego, along with cities across the region, have reopened beaches and popular parks. The next phase will likely see the reopening of businesses. But just how do those at the heart of San Diego’s music and culinary industries envision the future? Dorian Hargrove and Tom Jones speak to YouTube sensation, Sam The Cooking Guy on how restaurants, including his own, may look in a post-COVID-19 world. Also, Tim Mays, the owner of The Casbah, San Diego’s most revered rock venue, discusses the music industry and creativity amidst the pandemic.For general COVID-19 updates, including parks and other openings, click here.Listen to INSIGHT below and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts by searching “INSIGHT NBC” For a link to Sam the Cooking Guy’s YouTube channel click here. Also, to buy merchandise and shirts in order contribute to Sam’s employee fund click here.For a link to the Casbah’s website and also to buy merchandise aimed at helping out of work employees click here. For more information on the outdoor movie theater in Mission Hills ‘Cinema Under The Stars,’ click here.

On top of navigating a household’s income and health during the coronavirus pandemic, parents have an extra hurdle to overcome: home schooling their children. In this week’s episode, Tom Jones and Dorian Hargrove hear from two San Diego County parents on what’s working and what needs work when it comes to them keeping their children’s grades on track. NBC 7 Education Reporter Rory Devine, a former teacher herself, describes what her reporting has found and how she and her photographer, Elroy Spatcher, are navigating their reporting on the public education system during stay-at-home orders, and uncharted territory for school districts. For more tips on educating your students at home, click here.

With the announcement of nearly 17 million people filing for unemployment in the last month, can San Diego’s economy handle the major blow? What advantages, and disadvantages does our region’s market have going for it during the coronavirus pandemic. Dorian Hargrove and Tom Jones speak with Alyson Ma, an economics professor for the University of San Diego for historical context and guidance. Also, Tasha Williamson, a community activist, explains why she and her neighbors came together to help their neighbors in a time of need.

Coronavirus cases continue to climb in San Diego County, with more than 1,200 positive cases and 18 deaths as of April 4. In this episode of INSIGHT, Dorian Hargrove and Tom Jones speak with a local musician and bartender who describes his fight with the virus and the symptoms that led up to his positive test results, and what he thinks others should prepare for during this challenging time.Links to stories discussed in the podcast:COVID-19 Cases By San Diego County ZipcodeHospitalization/ICU Rates See Slight DecreaseHundreds More Suspected Of Having Coronavirus

Thousands of healthcare workers are exposed to illnesses each day, but none the likes of coronavirus. While the number of positive cases have grown in San Diego County, nurses are on stand-by, brace for the oncoming storm.Those on the front lines shared their message for San Diego in the latest episode of INSIGHT -- a podcast from NBC 7 Investigates.Three healthcare workers agreed to share their experience with an influx of patients and dwindling protective equipment with Tom Jones and Dorian Hargrove.Also in the episode, Hargrove and Jones discuss their recent reporting on the number of men testing positive for coronavirus and the number of ventilators available in local intensive care unit hospital beds.

The Coronavirus has arrived and with it has come major changes to our lives. NBC 7 Investigates looks at the region’s new normal of self-quarantine. The team offers some insight into how San Diego healthcare providers are coping with an expected surge in cases. We also speak to a local restaurant owner who has had to trim staff and hope that he and his business can weather the viral storm.

INSIGHT Episode 14 explores allegations from two women that a San Marcos dermatologist touched them inappropriately and that his employer, Kaiser Permanente, did nothing in response. The hospital chain claims the allegations were investigated thoroughly and not substantiated. The California Medical Board is now investigating those accusations. NBC 7 Investigates’ Tom Jones and Dorian Hargrove speak to an alleged victim, look at the evidence, and hear from the dermatologist himself during a 2017 recorded interview with law enforcement. To read more about the investigation, click here.

INSIGHT Episode Twelve describes NBC 7’s year-long investigation into a San Diego porn company and the civil trial that ensued. Reporter Mari Payton, Producer Dorian Hargrove and Producer Paul Krueger recap the scheme that changed the lives of women from across the country. The team describes the outcome of the civil trial and what could happen to the three men behind the scheme; all facing criminal charges, including one owner who remains a fugitive.

An NBC 7 Investigation finds Blacks in San Diego are nearly five times more likely to be prosecuted for minor drug offenses than Whites or Hispanics. The analysis mirrors national incarceration rates and points to what some call larger systemic issues in the country’s justice system. So, what are prosecutors doing about it? NBC 7 Investigates Reporter Mari Payton and Producer Dorian Hargrove hear from a former District Attorney who says the answer may lie in artificial intelligence.

INSIGHT Episode Eleven looks at the city of San Diego's use of thousands of small cameras installed on light posts. The city has touted the cameras, sensors, and the data those sensors collect as a way to improve city services, expedite traffic, identify available parking, and ensure pedestrian safety. But opponents say the way the program was rolled out lacked transparency, and now fears are mounting over the cameras "spying" on the public.To read more about this topic, click here.

In this episode of INSIGHT, Reporter Mari Payton and Executive Producer Tom Jones hear from the government whistleblower who shared internal documents with NBC 7 detailing surveillance tactics used against journalists, attorneys, and humanitarian aid workers tied to a migrant caravan. The story led to worldwide attention. Now, the Special Agent for Homeland Security is coming forward publicly. Read the full story here.Also, Tom Jones sits down with Voice of San Diego’s Jesse Marx to discuss their investigation into police officers across California charged with crimes. Read more about it here.

INSIGHT episode nine chronicles how the NBC 7 Investigates team found hundreds of buildings on the University of California San Diego campus could potentially collapse during an earthquake. The ratings came from an internal review of all UC campuses across the state. One structural engineer says everyone can learn something from this story, that preparation is key when getting ready for the next big earthquake in California, no matter where you live, work or study. Reporter Mari Payton and Executive Producer Tom Jones explain their findings.

INSIGHT episode eight offers new details about the owners and employees of a San Diego-based porn website accused of luring young women into having sex on camera based on false promises. In a follow-up to INSIGHT episode two, the civil trial of 22 women suing the website “Girls Do Porn” started in August 2019. It’s was the day that some of the women who were featured in the porn videos say they’ve been waiting years for. Then, on October 10, 2019, the women found out an owner and two employees of the website were arrested by federal officials and charged with sex trafficking. The owners of the website continue to defend themselves, claiming they did nothing wrong and all of the women knew what they were signing up for. NBC 7 Investigates Reporter Mari Payton, Producers Paul Krueger and Dorian Hargrove discuss the new information that’s come to light in the courtroom, and the surprising disappearance of one of the website’s owners, now considered a fugitive.

INSIGHT Episode Seven describes the team’s investigation into a woman who said she was raped when she was 16-years-old by her supervisor at a La Mesa grocery store. The woman’s attorneys say the grocery chain has a pattern of transferring employees accused of harassment or assault, rather than termination. Meanwhile, local studies have found a high percentage of teens face sexual harassment while working at their first job. Reporter Mari Payton and Producer Dorian Hargrove explain.

INSIGHT Episode Six centers around the challenges sexual assault survivors face in their pursuit of justice. NBC 7 Investigates found less than ten percent of rape investigations reported to San Diego Police since 2013 resulted in an arrest. But, this isn’t just a San Diego problem. Numbers nationwide show a vast majority of sexual assaults reported to police go unsolved. Tom Jones and Dorian Hargrove explain the local statistics and sit-down with Jessica Pride, an attorney whose focus is finding some form of justice for local survivors of sexual assault.

When a well-known San Diego horse rancher was convicted of having child pornography, the community was stunned. But as federal investigators looked further into the rancher’s lifestyle, they found him to be “dark and very predatory.” Now, for the first time, two women tell their stories of how they were groomed and molested while learning horseback riding at the ranch. One of the women was as young as 11-years-old when the abuse started.INSIGHT is a podcast that dives behind the stories making headlines in our community. The team behind INSIGHT and NBC 7's Investigative team are: Tom Jones (@TomJonesNBC), Dorian Hargrove (@DorianHargrove), Mari Payton (@MariNBCSD), Paul Krueger (@pkruegernbcsd), Rory Devine (@RoryNBCSD) and JW August (@JW_August).INSIGHT is produced and edited by Matthew Lewis (@MatthewLewis89).You can find NBC 7 San Diego's exclusive investigative content at NBC7.com/Investigates.

While much of the country is focused on the opioid epidemic, San Diego County is dealing with an old, but familiar problem: methamphetamine abuse. In the fourth installment of INSIGHT, NBC 7's Tom Jones and Mari Payton discuss the increase in meth-related arrests and deaths in San Diego County, resulting in law enforcement calling the region “ground zero” for the country’s meth problem. With the help of three other NBC 7 reporters, the team looks at the crisis from all angles, including support services for addicts and what border agents are doing to try to stop the drug from entering the country. INSIGHT is a podcast that dives behind the stories making headlines in our community. The team behind INSIGHT and NBC 7's Investigative team are: Tom Jones (@TomJonesNBC), Dorian Hargrove (@DorianHargrove), Rory Devine (@RoryNBCSD), Mari Payton (@MariNBCSD), Paul Krueger (@pkruegernbcsd), and JW August (@JW_August). INSIGHT is produced by Matthew Lewis (@MatthewLewis89).You can find NBC 7 San Diego's exclusive investigative content at NBC7.com/Investigates.

Solving San Diego’s crisis of homelessness if no easy task. One part of the city’s solution to the problem is to issue tickets to homeless people on San Diego’s streets. Data obtained by NBC 7 Investigates shows tickets have increased by more than 400 percent in the past five years. In the 3rd installment of INSIGHT, NBC 7's Paul Krueger and Dorian Hargrove talk about the rise in enforcement and potential legal ramifications it may present. INSIGHT is a podcast that dives behind the stories making headlines in our community. The team behind INSIGHT and NBC 7's Investigative team are: Tom Jones (@TomJonesNBC), Dorian Hargrove (@DorianHargrove), Rory Devine (@RoryNBCSD), Mari Payton (@MariNBCSD), Paul Krueger (@pkruegernbcsd), and JW August (@JW_August). INSIGHT is produced by Matthew Lewis (@MatthewLewis89).You can find NBC 7 San Diego's exclusive investigative content at NBC7.com/Investigates.

Episode 2 of INSIGHT goes behind the scenes of our investigation into a San Diego-based porn company that is accused of coercing and/or tricking women into having sex on camera. The company claims the women knew what they were signing up for. A lawsuit filed by 22 women against the company is heading to trial in June of 2019. Dorian Hargrove and Tom Jones explain how the team discovered this porn company and its ties to offshore shell companies later linked to Russian arms smuggling and drug cartel money laundering.INSIGHT is a podcast that dives behind the stories making headlines in our community. The team behind INSIGHT and NBC 7's Investigative team are: Tom Jones (@TomJonesNBC), Dorian Hargrove (@DorianHargrove), Rory Devine (@RoryNBCSD), Mari Payton (@MariNBCSD), Paul Krueger (@pkruegernbcsd), and JW August (@JW_August). INSIGHT is produced by Matthew Lewis (@MatthewLewis89). You can find NBC 7 San Diego's exclusive investigative content at NBC7.com/Investigates.

Documents show the U.S. government kept a secret database of journalists, activists, and “instigators” tied to the migrant caravan. NBC San Diego Investigative journalists Tom Jones and Mari Payton give insight into how they broke this story, the government's response and subsequent fallout.