Joseph Charafi
Founder & President, Stop the Traffic Foundation | Founder, Charafi Entertainment
Joseph Charafi is a creative force and compassionate disruptor. By day, he leads Charafi Entertainment, an independent film company dedicated to impactful storytelling in Las Vegas NV. But his most personal and urgent work lives within the mission of the Stop the Traffic Foundation, which he founded in 2025 out of a deeply personal conviction.
Years ago, Joseph faced every parent’s nightmare: his son was taken illegally across state lines. It took months of legal battles, petitions across two states, and the mercy of a family court judge to bring his son home. That experience changed him forever. It made him ask:
“What about the children who don’t come back? What about the parents who never get that chance?”
When Joseph learned that Las Vegas ranks among the highest cities in the nation for child trafficking, the sickening reality demanded more than just awareness—it demanded action. He launched Stop the Traffic Foundation to merge film, advocacy, education, and technology into a movement that both exposes the truth and equips communities to fight back.
He doesn’t do this work because he has to.
He does it because he knows what it’s like to almost lose everything—
and because every child deserves to be found.
Tony Benton
Secretary, Stop the Traffic Foundation |
Entrepreneur, Financial Literacy Advocate, Real Estate Consultant
Anthony “Tony B.” Benton is a serial entrepreneur and financial literacy advocate who knows the power of turning struggle into purpose. From humble beginnings—when his family struggled to afford Christmas gifts—Tony developed a lifelong passion for helping others achieve financial independence and stability.
With a professional background in finance, insurance, marketing, and real estate, Tony has spent over a decade serving clients and educating communities about sustainable wealth and generational impact. His expertise in digital marketing and artificial intelligence also helps keep Stop the Traffic Foundation at the forefront of technological innovation in the fight against child trafficking.
Tony believes that education, access, and empowerment are essential to breaking cycles of poverty and exploitation—and he brings that mission into every area of his life and service.
David Gleason
Stop the Traffic Foundation |
Director, Producer, and Founder of Atmos Forces Productions
David Gleason is a director, producer, and production manager whose experience spans Hollywood film sets to independent projects of faith and purpose. As the creative mind behind the upcoming feature Atmos Forces, David’s mission is to bring multi-million-dollar Christian projects—and the message of the Gospel—into mainstream entertainment.
As a board member of Stop the Traffic Foundation, David uses his creative expertise and industry connections to help expose exploitation and champion the protection of children in peril both in Las Vegas and across the nation.
A devoted husband and father, David is driven by faith, family, and a vision to use storytelling as a weapon for light in a dark world.
Ben Richau
Spiritual Advisor | Montana
Benjamin Richau serves as Spiritual Advisor to the Stop the Traffic Foundation, bringing a deep commitment to biblical truth, Kingdom values, and the protection of the vulnerable. Based in Montana, his work centers on faith-driven leadership, prayer, and community ministry focused on serving those in crisis and strengthening moral clarity in difficult situations.
Gifted in spiritual discernment and leadership, Benjamin offers a unique combination of insight, wisdom, and conviction to every cause he supports. His ministry emphasizes prayer, worship, and empowering individuals to live with purpose, grounded in the belief that genuine faith compels action toward the broken, the marginalized, and the exploited.
Benjamin is especially passionate about the fight to end child trafficking. He believes protecting children is not merely a social responsibility but a moral and spiritual imperative that calls for courage, compassion, and unwavering conviction. Through his advisory role, he supports the Stop the Traffic Foundation by providing spiritual guidance, encouragement, and a values-based perspective as the organization works to defend and protect vulnerable youth.
Cody Whipple
Communications Advisor | Hiko, Nevada / Las Vegas, Nevada
Cody Whipple is a fourth-generation Nevadan, small business owner, and communications infrastructure specialist based in Hiko, Nevada. He founded and operates a regional digital two-way communications network that supports first responders, school districts, and emergency agencies across Nevada and the surrounding Southwest.
Through his communications business, Whipple has helped improve coordination between public safety agencies, rural communities, and emergency responders, strengthening infrastructure for crisis response and situational awareness. He also manages his family’s cattle ranch and has spent more than two decades building businesses that serve rural and urban Nevada communities.
Whipple’s work focuses on strengthening public safety communications, connecting agencies, and ensuring reliable coordination during emergencies. His background in rural operations, infrastructure development, and multi-agency communications provides valuable insight into response readiness and community resilience.
As Communications Advisor for the Stop the Traffic Foundation, Whipple supports strategy related to outreach, emergency coordination, and public safety communications.
Luke McCarthy
Crisis Management Expert | Las Vegas, Nevada
Luke McCarthy is a veteran firefighter and crisis management professional serving the Las Vegas community for more than two decades. He currently serves with the Clark County Fire Department and has held leadership responsibilities within the International Association of Firefighters Local 1908, where he has been involved in public safety advocacy and candidate evaluation efforts.
McCarthy holds academic degrees in political science and fire science administration, along with a master’s degree in crisis and emergency management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His career spans service in multiple fire departments including Atlanta and Arlington County, Virginia, before joining Clark County in 2006.
In addition to frontline emergency response, McCarthy has worked as a franchise consultant supporting first responders transitioning into entrepreneurship, and has been involved in community discussions around homelessness, housing, and public safety policy in Southern Nevada.
With extensive experience responding to emergencies, coordinating multi-agency operations, and managing crisis situations, McCarthy brings operational leadership and real-world emergency response expertise to the Stop the Traffic Foundation.
Our Team.
The Movement Behind the Mission
At Stop the Traffic Foundation, our team is more than staff, we are storytellers, survivors, strategists, and advocates bound by a single belief: child trafficking must end in our lifetime.
With backgrounds spanning filmmaking, nonprofit leadership, law enforcement collaboration, crisis response, and public policy, we bring both heart and precision to everything we do. From producing national awareness campaigns to crafting AI hotline systems and Safe Haven training kits, our team is committed to bold, collaborative, and measurable impact.
We’re not here to maintain the status quo —
we’re here to shift it.