Nine people were arrested during a prostitution bust in Pomona on Tuesday.
The sting operation targeted sex purchasers and human trafficking in the area near East Holt Avenue and Indian Hill Boulevard, according to the Pomona Police Department.
During the operation, undercover officers posed as sex workers and were “contacted by sex purchasers” in the area, police said.
Nine people were taken into custody for allegedly soliciting prostitution:
-John Vazquez, 19, from Riverside
-Cesar Barrios, 24, from Covina
-Edwin Alberto, 25, from Ontario
-Jorge Gallegos, 26, from Baldwin Park
-Anthony Trinh, 28, from Chino
-Carlos Ponce, 33, from Wildomar
-Jeronimo Munozpastrana, 38, from Pomona
-Martin Carrillo, 42, from Lennox
-Jess Maldonado, 82, from Pomona
The operation was a joint effort by the Pomona Police Department Special Investigations Unit and the Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Team.
“The Pomona Police Department takes a proactive approach to combating human trafficking and utilizes the assistance of other agencies to provide a victim-centered approach,” authorities said.
In 2022, Pomona Police rescued 11 juvenile victims of human trafficking along with several adult victims.
Investigators believe there may be more unidentified victims related to human trafficking and are asking anyone with information to contact Pomona Police at 909-622-1241.
Anonymous tips can be submitted to “Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 or lacrimestoppers.org. The public can also contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or via text message at 233733.