13 Human Trafficking Arrests Made In Contra Costa County

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Thirteen arrests were made by partners working in collaboration with the Contra Costa Human Trafficking Task Force during a weeklong statewide effort to recover survivors of human trafficking and apprehend their exploiters, the District Attorney's Office announced Friday.

As a part of “Operation Reclaim and Rebuild,” task force partners conducted eight separate antihuman trafficking operations throughout Contra Costa County from Jan.23 through Jan. 28. Their efforts yielded 13 arrests of suspected human traffickers and the identification of 30 survivors of human trafficking, according to a news release.

“My office stands ready to evaluate these cases for prosecution and hold traffickers accountable for their exploitation of vulnerable members of our community,” said District Attorney Diana Becton said.

The suspects were arrested on suspicion of one or more of the following human trafficking or human trafficking-related offenses: sex trafficking of an adult or minor, pimping, and pandering.

The names of those arrested were not disclosed.

All the victims had the opportunity to speak with a specialized human trafficking victim advocate and were offered services.

“Without the careful planning and collaborative efforts of a wide array of law enforcement and victim services partners, the important outcomes achieved through these operations would not have been possible,” said Task Force Director Katrina Natale.

Participating agencies included, in alphabetical order:

• Brentwood Police Department
• California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
• California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
• California Department of Industrial Relations
• California Employment Development Department
• California Highway Patrol
• Community Violence Solutions
• Concord Police Department
• Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office
• Contra Costa County FBI Safe Streets Task Force
• Contra Costa County Parole Department
• Contra Costa County Probation Department
• Contra Costa County Sherriff's Department
• Federal Bureau of Investigations
• Hercules Police Department
• Homeland Security Investigations
• International Rescue Committee
• My Sister's House
• Northern California Regional Intelligence Center
• Pinole Police Department
• Pittsburg Police Department
• Pleasant Hill Police Department
• Richmond Police Department
• San Pablo Police Department
• San Ramon Police Department
• Victim Services Division (FBI)
• Victim Witness Assistance Program (CCCDA)
• Walnut Creek Police Department

The Contra Costa Human Trafficking Task Force is co-led by the Office of the District Attorney for Contra Costa County and Community Violence Solutions, a community-based, 24-hour service provider for survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking. Founded in 2018, the Task Force aims to eradicate all forms of human trafficking in Contra Costa County through collaborative, multidisciplinary efforts to identify and support victims of human trafficking and to hold traffickers accountable through effective prosecution, according to the news release.

Authorities said anyone with information on suspected human trafficking — sex or labor — or related crimes can make a report to their local law enforcement agency or the District Attorney's Human Trafficking Tip Line at 925-957-8658.

The article 13 Human Trafficking Arrests Made In Contra Costa County appeared first on Walnut Creek Patch.