Missing San Diego girl & 3 women, including Moreno Valley victim, rescued from sex trafficker
INLAND EMPIRE, Calif., — Authorities say a Lakewood man suspected of trafficking a missing San Diego girl and three women, including a 22-year-old Moreno Valley woman, was arrested in Colton as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation Friday, April 22.
The four rescued victims have all been provided with access to medical care and resources, and the juvenile victim was also provided assistance to safely reunite her with her family in San Diego, according to officials.
Friday’s sex trafficking arrest came on the heels of another human trafficking related arrest that occurred the day before, after seven trafficked juvenile victims were rescued as part of an ongoing investigation that led to the apprehension of an Indio man at the at the San Ysidro border crossing in San Diego County.
LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:
Local motorcyclist, 30, ID’d after deadly Murrieta crash
Local motorcyclist who ran red light ID’d after deadly Riverside collision
Wrong-way SR-60 crash leaves two dead, two injured in Badlands area near Beaumont
Death investigation underway after man found dead inside Norco gas station bathroom
2021 Miss Young Philippines USA candidate killed after crashing into Murrieta light pole
Investigators from the San Bernardino County Human Trafficking Task Force were alerted to an ongoing investigation into the alleged human trafficking of a minor around 6 a.m. after investigators from the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force notified them that they had tracked a missing juvenile to the 400 block of North Sperry Drive in Colton, according to San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Moreno.
The 17-year-old juvenile had been missing since the beginning of April, according to the deputy.
Investigators responded to the area where they located the victim, Moreno explained, adding that while interviewing the victim, three other women were contacted and identified as human trafficking victims.
Although none of the victims have been identified by name, the adult victims have been described as a 22-year-old woman from Moreno Valley, a 20-year-old woman from Redondo Beach, and a 20-year-old woman from Colton.
Through the course of the investigation, Task Force deputies identified 33-year-old Devon Stewart as the man suspected of trafficking all four victims in the commercialized sex industry and arrested him. Subsequent to his arrest, he was found to be in possession of a loaded, un-serialized 9mm handgun, commonly referred to as a “Ghost Gun”, and MDMA (Ecstasy) pills.
SEE RELATED: Accused of sex trafficking at least 7 juvenile victims, Indio suspect nabbed at border checkpoint
Stewart was booked into the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino County on suspicion of human trafficking, possession of narcotics, and possession a firearm.
Online jail records indicate he has since been released on bail or bond and is no longer in custody.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to immediately contact the San Bernardino County Human Trafficking Task Force at (909)-387-8400. Callers can refer to incident file number 662200127 and can remain anonymous. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can also contact “We-Tip” at 1-800-78-CRIME or leave the information on the We-Tip Hotline.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS). Both are stringer organizations, providing breaking news coverage and community interest stories for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
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 30 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 18 grandchildren.