A human trafficking and prostitution operation resulted in dozens of citations and a handful of arrests over the weekend, according to the Stockton Police Department.
On Saturday, Stockton police were on the lookout for people engaging in sex work. The department said its operation targeted Sierra Nevada Street, Wilson Way, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard corridor — all areas known for prostitution and related issues.
“By conducting targeted operations in high crime areas, the department is able to disrupt and dismantle human trafficking networks, rescue victims, and bring perpetrators to justice,” the Stockton Police Department said in a statement.
The operation resulted in 39 sex workers being cited and processed, 36 traffic citations to men for solicitation of prostitution, four warrant arrests, one DUI arrest, 15 vehicles towed, and one vehicle pursuit arrest.
A 17-year-old human trafficking victim was also returned to her family, according to police. Minors can’t consent to commercial sex acts and are considered a victim of this crime, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security states.