Nineteen sex trafficking victims have been rescued from a slew of motels in Southern California as part of a massive sting that nabbed four alleged pimps, authorities said.
The women were found holed up at the motels in Chula Vista, National City and San Diego earlier this month during annual “Home for the Holidays” raids, according to the San Diego County District Attorney’s office.
“The ongoing efforts of the task force demonstrate that law enforcement will not tolerate this modern day slavery of vulnerable victims who are bought and sold like a slice of pizza,” District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement.
“The ugly truth is that sex trafficking remains a lucrative criminal industry fueled by demand that generating over $810 million a year in San Diego County.”
Four alleged perps, including a registered sex offender, were arrested over the three-day sting carried out between Dec. 10-12, officials said.
They were each slapped with pimping and pandering charges and are now facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
The raids unfolded as part of a multi-agency Home for the Holidays sting where law enforcement go undercover to identify sex buyers and victims by responding to various online advertisements for sex.
“HSI is committed to a victim-centered approach in the fight against human trafficking, prioritizing both the well-being of victims and the pursuit of justice against those responsible for these crimes,” said Kevin Murphy, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge.
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“Through the Human Trafficking Task Force, our collaborative efforts have led to the removal of dangerous offenders from the community and ensured that the 19 victims received the support and services they need.”
Over the past four years, 65 victims — including two juveniles — have been rescued in the same operation.
It wasn’t immediately clear how old the youngest victim was in the latest sting.
The arrests came just weeks before a new law goes into effect in California on Jan. 1 that will crack down harder on pimps by making it a felony to buy a minor for sex.
This year alone, 62 juveniles have been rescued in various Human Trafficking Task Force operations. At least 47 underage victims were saved in 2024, according to authorities.
“Operation Home for the Holidays is a key part of our efforts to keep our communities safe for the holidays and all year round,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said.
“Together, we will continue to disrupt human trafficking operations and achieve meaningful results that uplift vulnerable Californians.”
