24-03-2025
Sacramento deputies bust johns, rescue sex workers in trafficking sting
( — With the hope of busting johns and rescuing sex workers, Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were out in full force Friday night for a human trafficking sting operation.
SCSO deputies, some armed and wired, and undercover cops posed as prostitutes in north Sacramento near Watt Avenue. The area has historically been a popular place for sex workers.
More than 100 arrests made in massive Northern California human trafficking bust
'Tonight, we're focusing on Johns, basically, in the county,' said SCSO deputy Shayn Bowen. 'There's lots of sex workers, especially underage sex workers that are out there.'
Investigators used drones during the operation, keeping a close eye on decoys and surrounding areas.
More than 100 arrests made in massive Northern California human trafficking bust
'This is just one night. And this stuff is happening every day. But we're doing the best that we can to at least mitigate it as much as possible,' Bowen said.
During the sting operation, one man attempted to solicit an undercover sex worker while his toddler-aged daughter slept in the back seat of his vehicle.
'We're going to contact the mother, which hopefully we can get a hold of,' Bowen said while holding the man's daughter. 'And we're not going to tow the car, especially because we found out, this is the only vehicle this family has.'
The man was placed under arrest.
In other parts of town, the operation worked by making sex deals with prospective johns. Once a deal was solidified, the John met law enforcement around the corner where they were arrested. Their vehicles were also towed.
'Over 600 arrests have been made doing these operations in the last two years. So, we're pretty happy with those results and that type of impact,' said SCSO deputy Carlos Rodriguez.
On Friday alone, SCSO said 53 total arrests were made. Additionally, officers seized one firearm, which was pulled out on female undercover cops. One sex worker was also rescued by a non-profit partner, a team of advocates, and social workers who helped fly her home out-of-state.
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