Sex trafficking victims helped in Sacramento as part of FBI-led undercover operation

Several arrests were made and authorities offered help up to 20 sex trafficking victims in the Sacramento area this month as part of a FBI-led operation targeting traffickers exploiting children.

The Sacramento portion of “Operation Cross Country” led to the arrests of two people suspected of human trafficking, the Sacramento Police Department announced Thursday in a news release.

The undercover operation also led authorities to open five new human trafficking investigations, three of which include the suspected trafficking of minors, that have arrests pending, police said.

The two-week operation, coordinated by the FBI and other federal agencies, involved state and local law enforcement. On Monday, the FBI announced that investigators found 84 underage victims and 37 missing children during the nationwide sting. They also found 141 adults who had been sex trafficked.

Sacramento police, Sacramento County sheriff’s detectives and FBI agents investigated seven people suspected sex trafficking operations in the Sacramento area during the first two weeks of August. The investigations resulted in two arrests for suspected gun violations, two felony vehicle pursuit arrests, two misdemeanor sex-buyer arrests, one arrest for drug possession, one felony warrant arrest and one arrest for misdemeanor probation violation, police said.

The Police Department said it would continue to conduct directed enforcement, along with work with community groups, to provide help to those victimized by human trafficking.

Investigators asked anyone with information about human trafficking activity to call officers at 916-808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at 916-443-4357. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the P3 Tips website and app.