A month-long, state-wide investigation into human sex trafficking resulted in the arrests of 62 suspects in San Bernardino County. The county’s Human Trafficking Task Force worked with 50 other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and 11 task forces to combat human trafficking. The task force conducted two to three operations per day, specifically in San Bernardino, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, and Victorville. Investigators selected areas where there was a high volume of activity and advertisements directly related to commercial sex trafficking. Those arrested were charged with pimping, pandering, prostitution, loitering, and other crimes. Investigators identified and rescued 14 victims of sex trafficking, including one minor. Four firearms were seized.
In the month-long period, January 1-31, San Bernardino County Task Force members successfully arrested 62 suspects for various violations associated with human trafficking, pimping, pandering, prostitution, loitering and/or other crimes. Of those arrests, six suspects were arrested for pimping and pandering of an adult, and one suspect was arrested for human trafficking of a minor. Four firearms were also located by investigators during suspect arrests and contacts. During the operation, investigators also identified and successfully rescued 14 victims of commercial sex trafficking. Of those victims, 13 were adults and 1 juvenile (17 years old).
The San Bernardino County Human Trafficking Task Force is made up of investigators from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, Ontario Police Department, Redlands Police Department, California State Parole, Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Task Force efforts during the operation were also supported by participating officers from the Ontario Police Department, Redlands Police Department, San Bernardino Police Department, San Bernardino Sheriff’s Gangs/Narcotics Division, Sheriff’s Central Station, City of Rancho Cucamonga, City of Victorville, San Bernardino County Probation, California State Parole, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Victim support and services were provided by the Open Door Program of San Bernardino. Open Door – Family Assistance Program, is a non- profit organization that supports victims of human trafficking within the County of San Bernardino. The Open Door Program empowers families, victims, and survivors who have been affected by human trafficking and/or sexual exploitation by providing the opportunity to heal and transform their lives. (www.familyassist.org)
