BAKERSFIELD, California — In a significant victory, the California Department of Justice has reported the arrest of seven individuals in Kern County following a targeted operation aimed at apprehending sex predators on January 24, 2024. Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office announced on Monday, revealing that the arrests were a result of a two-day operation conducted last week.
The operation focused on adults who were allegedly seeking to pay for sex on websites commonly associated with victims of sex trafficking. Undercover agents, posing as minors, engaged with these adults to expose their illicit activities. State officials disclosed that the operation resulted in the rescue of three sex trafficking victims.
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Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer emphasized the importance of maintaining a robust law enforcement presence in social media dating apps and physical locations where human trafficking is known to occur. She stated, “Maintaining a strong law enforcement presence in social media dating apps, and physical locations where human trafficking is known to occur is an important element of suppressing human trafficking.“
While the California Department of Justice did not release the names of the seven suspects, it was revealed that they faced charges in Kern County for offenses including pimping, human trafficking of a minor to commit a felony, and meeting with a minor to commit a lewd act.
The success of this operation underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and protect the rights and well-being of women and minors in our communities.
