Attorney General Bonta Together with Recently Established Sacramento Regional Human Trafficking Task Force Secure 12 Arrests in Online Child Sexual Predator Sting

TURLOCK – California Attorney General Rob Bonta in partnership with the recently established Sacramento Regional Human Trafficking Task Force (Sac HTTF), today announced the arrest of 12 individuals for allegedly attempting to contact a minor for sex and other related crimes. The arrests are the result of a partnership between state and local law enforcement and have been referred to the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office for potential criminal prosecution.

“I have a simple message for all those who target children for sex online: If you go after children in California, we’ll go after you,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Today’s announcement makes it clear that child sexual abuse will not be tolerated. I’m extremely grateful to all of our partners for their dedication and commitment to keeping our communities safe. When we work together, we get results. My office always stands ready to work with our partners across California to stand up for our children and for public safety.”

"The Sacramento Police Department stands unwavering in the fight against human trafficking, a crime that strips victims of their freedom, dignity, and humanity," said Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester. "This is why our partnership with the Sacramento Regional Human Trafficking Task Force is so critical. By working alongside our local, state, and federal partners, we are attacking this crisis from every angle, relentlessly pursuing traffickers, rescuing and empowering survivors, and making our communities safer."

“CDCR is proud to be part of this task force, which is making significant strides in keeping our communities safe,” said Bryan Bishop, Deputy Chief of the Office of Correctional Safety at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. “CDCR is committed to using its expertise to hold human traffickers accountable.” 

During the sting, law enforcement personnel worked undercover, posing as children on various websites, as young as 13 years old, to identify, contact, and arrest anyone who may be trying to target children for sex. In these encounters, suspects allegedly used sexually explicit language and sent graphic photos to undercover personnel. Once suspects requested to meet with a child, law enforcement directed them to a predetermined location and arrested them. The operation was carried out in early March and targeted individuals across Stanislaus County. Many of the arrests involved individuals who allegedly attempted to meet with undercover personnel.

The sting was conducted by law enforcement personnel with the Sacramento Regional Human Trafficking Task Force (Sac HTTF), Turlock Police Department, Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office, and the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation. The suspects are facing multiple felony charges including lewd and lascivious conduct with minor, contact with minor sex acts, meeting with minor with the intent to commit sex acts, harmful matter sent to a minor, manufacturing child pornography, and possession of child pornography. 

Child sexual abuse remains a significant public safety problem. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, child sexual abuse includes instances where the child does not fully comprehend, does not consent or is unable to give informed consent, or is not developmentally prepared for and cannot give consent to sexual activity. In particular, online enticement — communicating with someone believed to be a child via the internet with the intent to commit a sexual offense or abduction — is a growing problem and form of exploitation, which can include children being groomed to take sexually explicit images or meeting face-to-face with someone for sexual purposes. This type of victimization can occur on a wide array of online platforms, including social media, messaging apps, or online games. 

Many children wait to report or never report child sexual abuse and research on the subject likely underestimates the true impact of the problem. Although estimates vary across studies, the research shows that about 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 20 boys in the United States experience child sexual abuse. Ninety-one percent of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone known and trusted by the child or child’s family members. Experiencing child sexual abuse can affect how a person thinks, acts, and feels over a lifetime. This can result in short- and long-term physical, mental, and behavioral health consequences.
 
It is important to note that criminal charges are only allegations against a person. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.