Fifty-eight arrests connected to human trafficking were made over three nonconsecutive days late last month, the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office reports.
Multiple law enforcement and social services agencies and advocacy groups worked on "Reclaim and Rebuild," a statewide operation, to arrest the 58 men and women on an array of felony and misdemeanor charges in the Stanislaus area, a press release said.
The release, posted on Facebook, says suspects were charged with prostitution, pimping, violation of sex offender registration, attempting to contact a minor with the intent to commit a felony, and human trafficking.
"There were people arrested on prostitution charges who were provided resource referrals in case they're interested in getting out of particular that line of work," sheriff's Sgt. Luke Schwartz said. Eight women who were among those arrested "took advantage of the resource referral information provided to everyone," Schwartz told The Bee.
The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office thanked the Turlock Police Department and city, Ceres Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office, California Parole, California Department of Justice, Homeland Security Investigations, Stanislaus County Child Protective Services, and HAVEN (Healthy Alternatives to Violent Environments).
Operation Reclaim and Rebuild was conducted Jan. 22-28 in observance of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, according to the release.
"The operation focuses on rescuing victims of human trafficking, identifying and arresting their captors, and disrupting the demand for these vulnerable victims," according to the release.
Some identifiers of people being trafficked are: having few or no personal possessions, owing a large debt and being unable to pay it, inability to clarify where they are staying, losing time, and more, according to California State Attorney General, Rob Bonta's website.
Anyone with information about crimes related to human trafficking can call Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636 or go stancrimetips.org.
And anyone who is a victim, or knows of one, and needs immediate help, the Sheriff's Office advises calling 911 or the nonemergency dispatch line at 209-552-2468.
