Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - As part of a comprehensive effort to address human trafficking in the City of Pomona, police will begin publishing mugshots of men arrested on suspicion of soliciting prostitution. The announcement was made by Police Chief Mike Ellis Monday, November 23. The mugshots are being published on the city website in a report that will be updated every 15 days in a effort to deter prostitution-related activity, Ellis said. Click here to view all mugshots The publishing of offender mugshots is one aspect of a multifaceted approach at bolstering the fight against human trafficking.
At a November 16 Pomona city council meeting, a unanimous vote allowed for the ban on the hourly rental of hotels and motels in town. The ban takes effect December 16. In December, Police will add two more officers to the Sexual Exploitation and Human Trafficking Team to rescue victims of human trafficking and conduct direct enforcement on pimps and sex purchasers seven days per week, Pomona Police said. Pomona officers will also partner with the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Federal criminal filing opportunities will also be granted to the department’s SET Team, Pomona Police said. Lastly, lighting will be upgraded along the Holt Avenue corridor to brighter LED lighting. “E. Holt Ave. and the illegal activity that occurs on our City streets remains a top priority for our Department,” Ellis said. “With these changes, we will continue to work with federal, state, and local partners to hold those who engage in sexual exploitation activity accountable and seek justice for victims.” Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - Two 16-year-old girls were rescued from a life of trafficking on the Holt Avenue corridor, Pomona Police recently announced. The departments Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Team conducted anti-human trafficking enforcement along the Holt Avenue corridor when they discovered the two girls, Pomona Police said. One girl was rescued April 24. SETT members recognized the girl’s actions were consistent with prostitution and were worried she was a victim of human trafficking. “SETT officers contacted her. SETT took the young girl into protective custody after she revealed she was, in fact, underage and a victim. The girl was emotional during the investigation and explained she was only 16 years old and not from Pomona,” Pomona police said and a written statement.
Resources were provided to the girl. She was ultimately released into the custody of the Los Angeles County Probation Department for an unrelated warrant, Pomona Police said. Another 16-year-old girl was rescued from trafficking along the Holt Avenue corridor April 29. SETT members detained and interviewed the girl who confessed she was loitering along the street to commit prostitution. She was placed into protective custody. “The girl explained she was from Los Angeles and had been forced to engage in sexual acts for money at the direction of her exploiter. Her exploiter often used threats and violence to force her to engage in sex work for his financial benefit,” Pomona Police said. Resources were provided to the girl. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A man accused of pimping out three victims in Pomona recently pleaded no-contest to the charges against him. Deshawn Sanders, 22, pleaded no contest to multiple charges, including human trafficking, pimping and assault with a deadly weapon -- stemming from a December 28, 2017 investigation on the Holt Avenue corridor, Pomona Police said. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison and must register as a sex offender for life for another agency’s investigation of a minor being trafficked, Pomona Police said.
Sanders was arrested April 28, 2018 for his crimes. The Los Angeles Police Department Human Trafficking Unit and the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Unit also investigated Sanders trafficking victims in their jurisdictions. One of these cases involved a minor as a victim, Pomona Police said. |
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