ATTORNEY GENERAL BONTA, SAN DIEGO HUMAN TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE ANNOUNCE TRAFFICKING ARRESTS IN OPERATION BETTER PATHWAYS

During multi-day operation, task force makes 48 arrests, offers support to 41 individuals, and recovers two firearms

Source: Attorney General Rob Bonta

Tuesday, February 21, 2023 (San Diego) --  As part of a joint investigation through the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF), California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the results of Operation Better Pathways during a press conference in San DIego. The multi-jurisdictional operation, which concluded earlier this month, is part of a broader, regional effort to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation through targeted enforcement, relying both on surveillance of known locations and officers working undercover. 

As a result of the multi-day operation, 48 individuals were arrested for alleged human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and other criminal offenses, 41 individuals — including eight children — were offered support services, and two firearms were recovered, including a ghost gun.

Among other alleged violations, arrests during the operation ranged from human trafficking of a minor to assault with a deadly weapon. The arrests have been referred to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego City Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California for potential criminal prosecution.

“Human trafficking and sexual exploitation destroy lives,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Through Operation Better Pathways, we’re fighting to hold perpetrators accountable and help survivors get a fresh start. I’m thankful to all of our partners on the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force for their collaboration and I’m proud of our office’s work to help uplift vulnerable Californians. When we work together, we get results. At the California Department of Justice, we’re always ready to answer the call when it comes to standing up for public safety.”

“The San Diego Police Department is a proud member of the Human Trafficking Task Force. We will use every tool at our disposal to rescue survivors and hold traffickers accountable,” said San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit. “Operation Better Pathways is a reminder that the fight against human trafficking is an endeavor that requires continued collaboration and our ongoing commitment.” 

“I personally visited the National City and San Diego City locations that this operation targeted and what I saw was appalling,” said San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan. “Young women being openly trafficked in broad daylight, with individuals paying for sex lined up like they were going through a fast-food drive thru. As a result of this collaboration with our law enforcement partners, dozens of victims were offered services or were recovered, and trafficking was significantly disrupted in areas of the county that have been plagued with the negative ripple effect that this crime brings to a neighborhood.” 

“This operation sent a clear message: If you come to our neighborhoods to buy sex, be prepared to leave in handcuffs,” said San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott. “We are committed to cleaning up our streets by prosecuting sex traffickers and buyers, while obtaining help for victims forced into illicit activity.”

“The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is a proud partner in the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “By working together as a multi-jurisdictional team on important initiatives like Operation Better Pathways, we are holding more perpetrators accountable, and transforming lives by providing crucial resources and support to victims.”

“The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has been committed to fighting human trafficking in this region since 2015. Our focus is to rescue victims who are treated like property and abused by individuals who control them,” said San Diego County Sheriff Kelly A. Martinez. “We have a team of three detectives, a sergeant, and a full-time analyst assigned to the Human Trafficking Task Force. Our partnership with the DOJ, DA’s Office, FBI, HSI, National City Police Department, San Diego Police, and other regional partners has culminated in this case, which highlights how prevalent this crime is. We will remain dedicated to this effort. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking or is in immediate danger, call (888) 373-7888 or text BeFree (233733).”

“Investigating human trafficking is a national priority of the FBI, and we continue to take a proactive approach to identify human traffickers involved with the exploitation of adults and children alike,” said Stacey Moy, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “The FBI will never waver in its commitment to protect our society’s most vulnerable citizens and is grateful for the collaborative effort to protect our children. A first step in helping someone who may be a victim: Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 if you, or someone you know, has suffered sexual abuse.”

“This collaborative enforcement operation is demonstrative of the dedication and commitment of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and our law enforcement partners to the victims of human trafficking,” said Chad Plantz, Special Agent in Charge, HSI San Diego. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement community to help identify additional victims, offer support, and bring to justice the perpetrators committing such egregious crimes.”

“The San Diego Imperial Valley HIDTA is proud to provide vital resources to the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force to assist their efforts in combating the sexual exploitation of our most vulnerable members of society,” said Executive Director David King of the San Diego Imperial Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program. “‘Operation Better Pathways’ is a testament to how public safety can effectively intervene to stop the cycle of violence and abuse while sending a powerful message to those who seek to victimize others that their criminal conduct will not be tolerated!”

“I am so proud of our human trafficking task force,” said Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition Executive Director Marisa Ugarte. “We could not do it without them. It is an unbreakable partnership. Thank you for saving victims and fighting the demand.”

“As one of the victim services organizations that work with the SDHTTF, my team has the unique opportunity of participating in and collaborating with the SDHTTF on operations like these to provide immediate, in-person crisis intervention, victim advocacy, and access to basic needs and supportive services,” said Melissa Haupt, Director – Project LIFE, Lifeline. “The task force has been exceptional in their trauma-informed approach to working with victims, utilization of best practices, and keeping open lines of communication with victim services organizations, which is instrumental in engaging victims and getting them connected to necessary services. Through this collaboration, victims are able to regain control of their lives without fear of judgment or re-traumatization and begin their healing journey.” 

Through Operation Better Pathways, the task force sought to both hold perpetrators accountable and provide support services to victims and survivors to empower them — and help them regain their independence. During the operation, law enforcement personnel conducted targeted surveillance of areas known for sexual exploitation in San Diego and National City, utilizing various investigative techniques to directly identify and stop alleged human trafficking and sexual exploitation in real time. Simultaneously, law enforcement went after sex buyers by posing as individuals offering sex for sale at those same locations. Sex buyers were then generally directed to an alternate location and arrested.

Operation Better Pathways began on January 9 and was carried out intermittently over a period of multiple days through February 10. As part of the effort, San Diego County Child Welfare Services and adult and juvenile support service advocates were on scene to provide assistance as needed. All of the potential victims and survivors were offered access to resources and supportive services.

SDHTTF is a cooperative effort involving the California Department of Justice, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, National City Police Department, San Diego City Attorney’s Office, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Probation Department, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Police Department, Southwest Border High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. In addition to serving as the lead agency on the SDHTTF, the California Department of Justice has two regional Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Teams serving Northern California and Southern California.

Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery where perpetrators profit from the control and exploitation of adults and children for sex or labor through force, fraud, or coercion. Human trafficking does not require movement across borders. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were more than 1,300 human trafficking cases reported in California in 2021 — more than any other state in the nation. In California, human trafficking is prevalent in the hospitality, commercial sex, domestic work, and construction industries. Victims of human trafficking are also found among migrant and seasonal agricultural workers, providers of residential care, and in California’s garment sector. 

If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave, you can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 to access help and services. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.

Additional information and resources to support survivors of human trafficking is available here.