San Jacinto man arrested in Temecula after 7 month human trafficking investigation

TEMECULA — A seven month investigation into human trafficking allegations resulted in an arrest earlier this week in Temecula, according to officials. Four victims, including three juveniles, were rescued in the case that involved a San Jacinto man, now accused of a number of felonies related to human trafficking.

Investigators believe there are other, unidentified victims related to this case and have asked for the public’s help identifying and locating any minors or adults trafficked by the alleged suspect.

LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:

PERRIS: Hanley Investment Group completes $2.81M sale of single-tenant Del Taco

MORENO VALLEY: Knife-wielding man who fought with deputies dies in custody

RIVERSIDE: Elk’s Lodge shooting leaves woman dead, man critically injured

Damian Lamont Beverly, 35, was arrested Monday afternoon, July 2, after leaving Temecula’s Best Western Country Inn, where officials say Beverly was trafficking his victims. The motel is located at 27706 Jefferson Ave., between Overland Dr. and Via Montezuma.

Beverly was later booked into West Valley Detention Center on eleven felony counts of pimping, pandering, and human trafficking of minors and an adult. He remains in custody, held on $1 million bail.

The investigation began November of last year when two juvenile girls reported to Ontario Police Department that they had been trafficked by Beverly while at an Ontario motel.

When the victims reported they were being trafficked they could only identify the suspect by Beverly’s alias “KD.” Despite their efforts, investigators were initially unsuccessful in identifying or locating Beverly.

Because officers were initially unable to identify Beverly, Ontario Police Corporal N. Lefler, a member of the San Bernardino County Human Trafficking Task Force, assumed the investigation.

As their investigation continued, Task Force members learned Beverly was continually posting website advertisements for prostitution and last month were able to positively identify Beverly as the alleged suspect.

On Monday, July 2, Lefler identified a website advertisement for prostitution allegedly placed by Beverly.

Task Force investigators initiated an undercover operation, contacting Beverly through the advertisement and were subsequently directed to Temecula’s Best Western motel.

“Task Force members responded to the location and were able to identify the motel room associated with Beverly’s advertisement, as well as his vehicle in the parking lot,” Lefler explained after Beverly’s arrest.

As investigators continued their operation they conducted undercover surveillance and spotted Beverly leaving the motel in his vehicle, according to Lefler.

With assistance from deputies assigned to the Temecula Police Department, Task Force members conducted a traffic enforcement stop and took Beverly into custody without incident.

Investigators returned to the motel room Beverly had just left and found another victim advertised by Beverly inside the motel room. She was taken in protective custody and later transported to Ontario Police Department for additional interviews.

San Bernardino County’s Human Trafficking Task Force and Ontario PD’s investigations are ongoing and officials are seeking additional potential victims in the case.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact the San Bernardino County Human Trafficking Task Force at (909) 387-8400. Callers can refer to Ontario PD incident file number 180401202 or SBSD incident file number 621700427. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact We-Tip at 1-888-78-CRIME or you may leave information on the WE-Tip Hotline at www.wetip.com.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 46, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations, including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook, as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and The Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.