5 people arrested for alleged human trafficking in undercover operation led by Berks County DA's Office
READING, Pa. (CBS) -- Five people were arrested by Berks County officials for allegedly agreeing to meet up with minors for sex in exchange for money during an undercover human trafficking operation administered by the District Attorney's Office.
Four of the five people were charged with trafficking an individual, statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor, prostitution and more related offenses. The fifth person was charged with promoting prostitution and other related offenses.
Detectives with the Berks County District Attorney's Human Trafficking Task Force began the undercover operation by posting on websites that are typically known for sexual advertisements on Monday, DA John Adams said in a release.
The group of five allegedly responded to the advertisements under the guise that they were meeting up to have sex with 14- and 15-year-olds throughout Berks County in exchange for money.
The DA's Office said when the time came for the meet up, the five people were arrested in Berks County and charged with several offenses.
"The harsh reality is that human trafficking is happening in our community," DA Adams said in the release. "Future perpetrators should take heed that the person they're interacting with on these websites, could be a member of our Human Trafficking Task Force. And if caught, we will arrest and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law."
The group of people arrested in the operation range in age from 34 to 70 years old. All of them were arraigned at the Berks County Sheriff's Department Central Processing Center.
Two of the five people are from Berks County, the remaining three are from Lancaster and Lehigh counties in Pennsylvania and Hudson County in New Jersey, according to the release.
The Human Trafficking Task Force is made of up homeland security, state, city, and county police departments, the DA's Victim Witness Unit and Zoe International.
Anyone with information about human trafficking is asked to contact the Berks County District Attorney's Office at 610-478-7171. Your information will be kept anonymous.
