San Jose man accused of sex trafficking East Palo Alto girl found in trunk
SAN JOSE – Police in San Jose on Monday announced an arrest in connection with a human trafficking case involving a girl from East Palo Alto who was found in the trunk of a car earlier this year.
According to officers, the girl was reported missing on Feb. 25.
Exactly one month later, on March 25, detectives from East Palo Alto and San Jose officers found her in the trunk of a vehicle at a San Jose home.
"The female juvenile survivor was held against her will, threatened and forced to engage in commercial sex acts in exchange for money by an adult male suspect," police said in a statement.
Detectives were able to identify a suspect. On April 20, police pulled over the suspect on an unrelated traffic stop.
Police said the suspect fled his vehicle and was arrested following a foot pursuit. Officers were also able to locate a privately made firearm, or ghost gun, at the scene.
The suspect, identified as 22-year-old Jolaun Canton of San Jose, was booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of evading officers and for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Canton was also charged with child sex trafficking after detectives with the Human Trafficking Task Force and the Santa Clara County DA's office were notified.
According to jail records, Canton is being held without bail.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Reyes of the department's Special Victims Unit Human Trafficking Task Force over email or by calling 408-537-1999.