A young girl is in protective custody after a multi-agency investigation and undercover operation regarding human trafficking lead to the discovery of the teen being prostituted, law enforcement officials reported today.
(Flickr/Scott Davidson)
According to a Riverside County Sheriff’s press release, the 14-year-old girl was a runaway and investigators were following up on her whereabouts.
Members from the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force discovered an adverstisement depicting the young girl on a social networking website.
“These postings offered sexual services in exchange for money,” Sgt. John Sawyer said.
Undercover officers made arrangements with a female contact listed in the advertisement and arranged to meet for paid sexual services.
The girl was found on Thursday March 7, in a Moreno Valley motel room located in the 23500 block of Alessandro Boulevard and taken into custody.
Kayla Jackson, 18, of Moreno Valley was detained at the scene and officers learned the 14-year-old victim was prostituting under the direction of Jackson.
Jackson was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on charges of human trafficking, pimping, pandering and procurement of a minor.
Sgt. Sawyer added the RCAHT was formed in 2010 to address crimes involving the exploitation of victims via force, fraud or coercion.
“These cases involve the commercial sex trafficking of children as well as incidents of forced labor, indentured servtitude, debt bondage or slavery,” Sawyer said.
Anyone with additional information regarding this ongoing investigation is urged to contact Sgt. John Sawyer at 951-544-7000.
Stephanie D. Schulte is a writer/photographer with SWRNN. She can be reached at stephanie.schulte@swrnn.com.
Loading ...
Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force you are commended for finding this young girl and also the person “using” her in such a horrible way. I pray there is more of you guys out there picking up on these people who prey on girls and boys who run away and get taken in by them for sex, dealing drugs etc. Some of these kids never make it home :/