19 alleged victims of sex trafficking rescued in sting operation

An anti-sex trafficking operation carried out by law enforcement agencies in San Diego, Chula Vista and National City earlier this month resulted in 10 arrests and the recovery of 19 alleged trafficking victims, authorities announced Tuesday.

Operation Home for the Holidays was conducted over a three-day period and involved undercover officers posing as sex buyers in order to encounter potential traffickers and trafficking victims.

Those arrested during the operation include four men charged with pimping, pandering and violating a protective order, who face anywhere between six and 20 years in prison if convicted, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Six others were issued misdemeanor citations for allegedly attempting to purchase sex.

The 19 recovered individuals were offered support services, which the prosecutor’s office said will “help them escape and heal from exploitation and human trafficking.”

Operation Home for the Holidays is an annual initiative conducted by the multi-agency San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement that the operation “is a key part of our efforts to keep our communities safe for the holidays and all year round.”

Similar operations are conducted throughout the year in San Diego County, including an annual operation held during Comic-Con weekend that resulted in 13 arrests and 10 victims recovered this year, and an operation conducted last month in National City and southern San Diego that led to the rescues of two minors.

“The ugly truth is that sex trafficking remains a lucrative criminal industry fueled by demand that generates over $810 million a year in San Diego County,” District Attorney Summer Stephan said.