232: Part 2: Chad Meli – Proactive policing, Parental awareness, & Online safety

Game of Crimes

True Crime

4.8 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 27 January 2026

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This powerful conversation with Chad Meli goes beyond headlines, diving into real-life trafficking cases, rescue operations, and the often-overlooked reality of victim support after recovery. Chad shares firsthand stories that reveal how traffickers exploit technology—and how law enforcement, NGOs, and community partners are using that same technology to fight back.

Chad and Murphy explore the critical role of proactive policing, international and local collaboration, and the emotional toll faced by investigators and advocates working these cases. Chad also breaks down why parental awareness and online safety education are now frontline defenses in protecting children from predators.

You’ll hear how NGOs and law enforcement work together to identify victims, dismantle trafficking networks, and provide long-term care for survivors. The discussion also addresses the mental health challenges faced by those on the front lines—and why community involvement can make a real difference.

Transcript

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0:00.0	One of the things he said to law enforcement is he says, he said, this has been going on for four years.
0:05.6	He said, this is tough.
0:07.7	He said, so this has been going on for four years.
0:10.9	He said, I know my dad's not a bad person.
0:12.9	I don't understand why he's been doing this to me.
0:17.1	He's like, but I knew one day it's not.
0:25.5	I'm Steve Murphy, DEA Special Agent Retired and now host of the Game of Crimes podcast.
0:29.8	If you've seen the Netflix series Narcos, then you know my story.
0:35.9	I now bring you stories of heroism and bravery from our law enforcement and military heroes and occasionally from the criminals that they faced.
0:39.8	Welcome to Game of Crimes.
0:53.3	Hey there. Welcome back to Part 2, this week's episode of Game of Crimes with Murph in the morning.
0:58.2	We're talking to Mr. Chadmelly. As you heard yesterday and you heard on Tyler Schwab's interview here a couple weeks ago, January every year is National Human Traffing Awareness Month.
1:09.5	And that's why I have these guys on here,
1:11.6	two of the episodes out of this month of four episodes, focus on anti-human trafficking. And guess what?
1:18.6	Last year in January, these same two guys are on here. That's how important this is. And if you
1:24.3	listen to Tyler, his episode two weeks ago was his fourth time here on the Game of Crimes, I'm going to continue to bring people back to talk about this.
1:34.5	We've had people come in from aerial recovery based out of Nashville, Tennessee to talk.
1:38.4	We had the founder and her husband both on separate episodes.
1:42.2	Another list of just other people along the way over the years here.
1:46.7	We're into our fifth year here on Game of Crimes.
1:49.6	We had Natasha Herzig, who was a victim of human trafficking when she was 19 years old out of San Jose, California.
1:56.7	She now, I've had her on a second show last year in May.
	...

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