Norco anti human trafficking / prostitution sting nets 20

August 15, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

NORCO, Calif. — Authorities say twenty men were arrested as a result of a day-long, Anti-Human Trafficking related prostitution sting at a hotel on the 3000 block of Hamner Ave. in Norco, Thursday, Aug. 13.

The 12-hour “sex trafficking demand reduction” operation was conducted by members of the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (RCAHT), in partnership with personnel from the Norco Sheriff’s Station.

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“Law enforcement officers, operating in an undercover capacity, placed decoy advertisements on several popular classified advertisement websites commonly used for the solicitation of online prostitution,” Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. John Sawyer has since said of the successful operation.

From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., “these same task force members then responded to prospective customers replying to these prostitution advertisements,” according to Sawyer; who explained that after brokering an agreement for paid sex acts, the men were then arrested when they arrived at the hotel.

“As a result of this enforcement effort, a total of 20 men were arrested on misdemeanor prostitution charges,” said Sawyer.

All those arrested were later booked into Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside. Most had been released with citations to appear in court at a later date as of this report.

“Prostitution is not a victimless crime,” Sawyer said in a written press release after the day-long operation. “Ninety-five percent of sex trafficking victims are women or children.”

“The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that one in six endangered runaways reported are likely victims of sex trafficking,” according to Sawyer; who said, “Sex trafficking victims are often subjected not only to severe forms of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse at the hands of their trafficker, but are also frequently physically and sexually assaulted by those that solicit them for prostitution.”

“The Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force seeks to disrupt and dismantle sex trafficking rings operating within Riverside County and will aggressively identify, pursue and apprehend those who seek to exploit those whom are most vulnerable,” Sawyer continued; saying, “RCAHT will also proactively work to reduce future demand for sex trafficking by identifying and arresting sex buyers.”

Formed in 2010 to address crimes involving the exploitation of victims via force, fraud, or coercion, the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force is a multidisciplinary task force which combines the investigative resources of both local and federal law enforcement.

These cases often involve the commercial sex trafficking of children, as well as incidents of forced labor, indentured servitude, debt bondage, or slavery.

The RCAHT Task Force also provides victim services and education/outreach through partnerships with the non-profit groups Operation SafeHouse and Million Kids.

The law enforcement component of RCAHT is currently composed of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with part-time participation of the Hemet Police Department, Riverside Police Department, and Desert Hot Springs Police Department.

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Million Kids CEO and Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force Training and Outreach Coordinator Opal Singleton recently told RCNS that operations such as this one are an important and integral part of stopping human and sex trafficking in Riverside County and throughout the world.

“Sex trafficking is a significant issue in Riverside County,” explained Singleton, who authored “Seduced: The Grooming of America’s Teenagers”, and hosts two radio shows dedicated to ending sex trafficking and child exploitation.

“Human trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the US and California is the number one state for sex trafficking cases,” Singleton continued. “Our County is fortunate to have an Anti Human Trafficking Task Force that focuses finding and stopping predators who prey on vulnerable victims.”

“All too often criminals lure in innocent young people who have little understanding of grooming and recruitment and they fall prey to pimps and predators who take advantage of them,” explained Singleton; who said the most vulnerable targets for predators are foster, homeless, and runaway kids, along with pregnant teens.

To learn more about Million Kids and the services the non-profit organization provides, visit them online or on Facebook.

If you suspect criminal activity involving the exploitation of minors or sexual trafficking within Riverside County, contact Sgt. John Sawyer of the RCAHT Task Force at (951) 955-1700. Callers can remain anonymous.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and 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.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.