2 Human Traffickers Arrested in Sacramento; 14-Year Girl Rescued
Sacramento, CA: A 31-year-old man and his 26-year-old girlfriend were apprehended by detectives on Wednesday for allegedly engaging in sex trafficking. The victim, a 14-year-old, was forced into sex work in Sacramento, San Francisco, and Oakland.
The recent arrests were made as a result of a sex trafficking investigation that was launched in October. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office revealed this information in a news release on Thursday afternoon.
The investigation involved victims who were 14 and 12 years old. The sheriff’s officials stated that both minors were open to receiving assistance from authorities and fully cooperated with detectives from the sheriff’s Special Investigations Bureau.
Jacob Andrew Reyes, 31, has been identified by the detectives as the suspect in the ongoing sex trafficking investigation. According to sheriff’s officials, detectives discovered that Reyes had engaged in multiple instances of sexual assault against a 14-year-old.
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Additionally, he exploited both minors by involving them in sex work in Sacramento, San Francisco, and Oakland. The Sheriff’s Office revealed that detectives discovered the involvement of the suspect’s girlfriend, Itzel Anahi Medina-Nieto, in the sex trafficking of the 14-year-old.
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office has filed a criminal complaint against the couple in Sacramento Superior Court. Arrest warrants have been issued for the couple.
The couple was apprehended by the sheriff’s detectives and taken into custody. They were then processed and booked at the Sacramento County Main Jail in the early hours of Thursday. Reyes was held in custody with bail set at $1 million, while Medina-Nieto’s bail was set at $500,000.
According to jail records, Reyes has been arrested on charges related to involving a minor in illegal activities, including engaging in a commercial sex act, pimping, and encouraging a minor to commit a crime.
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All of his charges are classified as felonies. Medina-Nieto was taken into custody for allegedly involving a minor in a commercial sex act, as well as for a misdemeanor offense of tampering with evidence.
Reyes and Medina-Nieto made an appearance in court on Friday afternoon for their arraignment. Both individuals were set to appear in court on Thursday morning.
Authorities have expressed concern over the alleged activities of Reyes and Medina-Nieto, suspecting their involvement in the trafficking or exploitation of minors. Detectives are actively searching for any potential additional victims.
If you have any information that could be helpful to the investigation, please reach out to the Sheriff’s Office at 916-874-5115 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at 916-443-4357.
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