CALIFORNIA — Richmond Police detectives and Homeland Security agents rescue a victim of Human Trafficking within 12 hours of being notified:
Richmond police detectives, working out of the new West Contra Costa Family Justice Center, received a voicemail from an agent from Homeland Security about a female who was being held against her will. The agent said the female victim was forced to live in a closet of a residence in the City’s Iron Triangle neighborhood. RPD detectives were also alerted about this incident by STAND! advocates.
Furthermore, detectives learned that the victim was sexually assaulted and physically abused on a daily basis.
RPD’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Unit (DVSU), led by SGT. Stonebraker, immediately went into action. They learned that the 35 yr old suspect from Richmond met the adult female victim through Facebook a year ago.
The suspect was able to lure the victim from Nicaragua to America, with promises of work and having a better life in the U.S. Once the victim arrived in the U.S., she was sexually and physically abused for approximately one year.
DSVU detectives Fonseca, K. Tong and McGirr worked tirelessly throughout the day, and they were able to reach the victim via a cell phone. With the assistance of Homeland Security, detectives were able to locate the victim’s location. RPD detectives and Homeland Security agents swarmed the residence and found the victim inside, frightened.
They arrested the suspect and his male relative at the residence as well.
Evidence at the residence confirmed all the information the detectives had obtained.
