Cracking Down on Demand: Attorney General Bonta Targets Human Trafficking in Sacramento

SACRAMENTO - As part of the Sacramento Regional Human Trafficking Task Force (SRHTTF), California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the results of a human trafficking operation focused on quelling the demand for illegal commercial sex. The operation occurred on July 15 in Sacramento County with the goal of arresting sex buyers, assisting trafficking victims, and ultimately, arresting traffickers. As a result of the operation, 13 individuals were arrested. Additionally, SRHTTF recovered a juvenile trafficking victim reported missing by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and provided them with essential services.

"The California Department of Justice will continue to dismantle sex trafficking networks by cutting off the demand for these illegal services and supporting survivors along the way," said Attorney General Rob Bonta. "It is vital that our efforts remain rooted in a trauma-informed, culturally competent approach that prioritizes the dignity, healing, and diverse backgrounds of survivors. Human trafficking and sexual exploitation are profound violations of human rights that have no place in California. I am grateful for the dedication of our law enforcement and community partners here in Sacramento. This operation proves that when we work together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish to make California safer."

"We are proud of the strong regional partnerships that make operations like this possible," said Sacramento Police Department Interim Chief Zachary Bales. "Together, we remain committed to holding those who fuel exploitation accountable and protecting the most vulnerable members of our community."

"To end sex trafficking in the Sacramento region, we must confront the demand head-on," said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. "Every purchase of sex fuels exploitation, so holding buyers accountable is essential to protecting survivors and preventing future harm. We all have a part in this battle - we need our community to report suspicious activity, participate in the justice process, and support victims and the organizations that stand beside them. Together, we can reduce the demand, disrupt trafficking networks, and safeguard our most vulnerable."

"HSI in Northern California is committed to investigating, disrupting, and dismantling child exploitation, human trafficking, and forced labor operations," said HSI San Francisco Special Agent-in-Charge Jeff Brannigan. "Our success in these areas is only realized through close collaboration with our law enforcement partners in California and across the globe."

Twelve sex buyers were arrested for solicitation of a sex worker and cited. One sex buyer was booked at Sacramento County Jail for solicitation and resisting arrest. This operation is part of a regional strategy aimed at addressing human trafficking and sexual exploitation by concentrating on the demand for commercial sex services. It involves targeted enforcement that depends on both the surveillance of identified locations and the deployment of undercover officers. The cases are being referred to the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office for prosecution.

This announcement underscores the commitment of the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to fight against human trafficking through the efforts of three specialized teams, the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, Fresno Human Trafficking/Sexual Predator Apprehension Team and SRHTTF. SRHTTF is a cooperative effort involving DOJ, Sacramento County District Attorney's Office, Sacramento Police Department, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Homeland Security Investigations.

DOJ's Human Trafficking Task Forces have worked tirelessly to investigate, identify and recover victims exploited for profit and gain by human traffickers and sexual predators. Since 2021, DOJ has secured 1,109 arrests and rescued and offered assistance to 1,164 victims. Human Trafficking is the exploitation by force, fraud, fear, or coercion of vulnerable people, for mandatory labor, domestic servitude, or commercial sex operations.

DOJ Victims' Services Unit (VSU) works in conjunction with victim service providers and all across the state to provide victim-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally-sensitive support services to all crime victims, including underserved, at-risk, underrepresented, and vulnerable populations. More information about VSU is available at oag.ca.gov/victimservices or by calling (877) 433-9069 or visiting oag.ca.gov/victimservices/contact.

If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave, you can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 to access help and services. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. Additional information and resources to support survivors of human trafficking is available at https://oag.ca.gov/human-trafficking.