RICE LAKE, Wis. — FBI agents swept into Rice Lake and arrested a man accused of international sex trafficking related to hep lifestyle retailer Abercrombie & Fitch. Taken into custody was 71-year-old James Jacobson. Simultaneously in Miami, former Abercrombie chef executive Michael Jefferies and his partner Matthew Smith also were arrested. According to the indictments, Jacobson traveled widely, including abroad, to recruit, interview and hire well-toned and muscular young men for “sex events” for Jefferies and Smith. Details in the federal indictments are sordid: After “tryouts” with Jacobso., candidates would be submitted to Jefferies and Smith to make final selections and approve transportation to events.  Some events were in the Hamptons on Long Island and at hotels in England, France, Italy, Morocco and Saint Barthelemy in the. Caribbean. Many events were in New York City, where the flagship Abercrombie store was located. Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney for Eastern New York, said victims were led to believe that participating would mean modeling opportunities and, conversely, that not complying could harm their careers. The FBI said that 15 victims, one as young as19, have come forward and that more are expected. The prostitution enterprise, according to the indictment, spanned seven years between December 2008 and March 2015 with a combination of force, fraud and coercion. In Rice Lake, population 9,000, in northern Wisconsin, Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said he did not believe that any victims were local.

Jacobson. Taken to federal holding facility in St. Paul for arraignment.

Sheriff: “A normal person”

Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald described Jacobson as “a normal person.” The arrest was a big shock. About Jacobson, the sheriff said: “He’s been at fundraisers, at church functions, at different things” The surprise was that he was living “in our backyard.” The FBI enlisted Fitzgerald and his deputies to assist in the arrest, which was without incident. Said the sheriff: “It doesn’t matter much money, how powerful you think you are, if you do wrong, you’ll get caught.”

Hometown boy

Jacobson grew up in Rice Lake and graduated from Rice Lake High School. Most of his f his adult life was in New York. He moved back to Rice Lake five years ago. Around town he’s known personally as Jim or Jamie. In the sex trafficking operation, says the indictment, it was Jim Jake, Mrs. Cook or Todd.

Indictment “Abhorrent behavior”

The indictment alleges that Jeffries, Smith – along with Jacobson — used a referral system and interview process that did not inform men of the details of sex events for which they were being groomed. Many of the victims, at least one as young as 19, were financially vulnerable and aspired to become fashion models, the indictment alleges. Some victims had worked previously at Abercrombie stores or had modeled for Abercrombie. Before sex events, they were required to sign non-disclosure agreements. Their personal items were taken away, including clothing, wallets and cell phones. On more than one occasion when men did not or couldn’t generate an erection, their bodily integrity was violently invaded. On occasion, penises were injected with an erection-inducing substance, usually a nitric oxide. The injections can be momentarily painful but longer term, although not always, can be bruising and cause permanent scar damage to tissue.

Snub-nose syringe. Injection generally into the penile base. Image: Cleveland Clinic