Teen, 16, arrested in Tracy on human trafficking, pimping charges
TRACY - A 16-year-old Tracy teen has been arrested on human trafficking charges.
According to the Turlock Police Department, on October 15, authorities arrested a 16-year-old male at the Fresno County Fair on suspicion of human trafficking of a minor by force, pimping, and pandering. The teen, whose name has not been released due to his age, was booked the next day into Stanislaus County Juvenile Hall.
It's hard to imagine these charges being brought against a teenager, and while experts say this is fairly uncommon for a sex trafficker to be this young, the problem itself is significant in the Central Valley. A local faith-based organization, Without Permission, held a seminar to help bring awareness to the issue.
"It's very widespread and prevalent in our community and not a lot of people know about it," said a woman named Ashley, a nursing student who was at the seminar.
Police say that investigators found out about the suspect's involvement with human trafficking during another investigation, which remains active.
"He was probably groomed somehow himself in the industry, I'm not sure, and became familiar and from that, learned the industry and then through coercion and manipulation, brought him into the industry," said Troy Stein, the CEO of Without Permission.
Without Permission has helped rehabilitate more than 800 survivors. Stein said major highways put the Central Valley at risk.
"We find as traffickers are utilizing through transportation, all the way through Sacramento Valley, all the way to Las Vegas in the Central Valley," Stein said.
As a result of the teen's arrest, Tracy police warn parents of potential signs of human trafficking, which may include:
- Obvious changes of behavior; sudden detachment from friends and family.
- Fresh, unexplained injuries
- Possession of high-end clothing not purchased by parents
- Unexplained large amounts of cash
- Fresh tattoos in relation to names or human trafficking symbols, such as crowns
- Having more than one cellphone