RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENTSheriff Chad Bianco |
| Press Release: | Prostitution Sting Operation
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| Station Area: | Temecula |
| Written Date: | October 8, 2020 | Time: | 4:00 PM |
| Incident Date: | October 7, 2020 | Time: | 1:00 PM |
| Incident Location: | 27000 block of Jefferson Ave., Temecula
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| Reporting Officer: | Sergeant Collazo
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| File Number(s): | Multiple |
Details:
On Wednesday, October 7, 2020, members of the Southwest Station Problem Orientated Policing Team (POP), in partnership with personnel from the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (RCAHT) conducted a comprehensive prostitution sting in an effort to reduce the demand for sex trafficking in the city of Temecula.
Law enforcement personnel, operating in an undercover capacity, placed decoy advertisements and responded to existing advertisements on the internet that are commonly used for the solicitation of online prostitution. The undercover operators communicated with prospective customers replying to their posted prostitution (decoy) advertisements and females soliciting sex online. After brokering an agreement for paid sexual acts, the individuals were then arrested upon their arrival to the meeting location.
As a result of this enforcement effort, a total of 8 males and one female were arrested on misdemeanor prostitution charges.
All subjects arrested were booked and released from the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.
Prostitution is not a victimless crime. Ninety-five percent of sex trafficking victims are women or children. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that one in six endangered runaways reported are likely victims of sex trafficking. Sex trafficking victims are often subjected not only to severe forms of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse at the hands of their trafficker, but are also frequently physically and sexually assaulted by those that solicit them for prostitution. Southwest Station POP and the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force seek to disrupt and dismantle sex trafficking rings operating within Riverside County and will aggressively identify, pursue and apprehend those who seek to exploit those whom are most vulnerable. Southwest Station POP and RCAHT will also proactively work to reduce future demand for sex trafficking by identifying and arresting sex buyers.
Anyone with questions about this operation can contact Deputy M. Vega-Santos of the Southwest Station POP at (951) 696-3000.
For media inquiries regarding this incident please contact the Media Information Bureau.
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| Adrien Robinson | Terence Edwards | Ronald Dye |
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| Arjay Ramos | Christian Sliter | Andrew Chua |
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| Dennis Flores | Alexander Hooten | Thomas Thurman |