A news release put out by the Salinas Police Department reports that on February 4, 2018, Salinas Police patrol officers responded to a
disturbance in the 200 block of Kern Street. The officers determined the disturbance was due to family members of a
14-year-old female runaway attempting to recover her from a vehicle. They
successfully recovered the juvenile and discovered the child had been exploited
for the purposes of Human Trafficking. Patrol officers positively identified
one of the suspects as 19-year-old Daniel Amaro of Soledad who fled the area to
an unknown location before he could be contacted.
Over the next few days, Detectives from the Salinas
Police Department’s Investigations Bureau followed up on information they had
received and identified other victims, as well as at least 3 additional
suspects. The suspects are 23-year-old Abriam Ibarra of Salinas, 25-year-old
Alfredo Hernandez of Gonzales, and 31-year-old Ruben Trujillo of Greenfield. So
far, more than 8 victims are believed to be involved, ranging in age from
14 to 18.
Early in the investigation, detectives requested
assistance from the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, which assigned
a Deputy District Attorney and a DA Investigator to the case.
The investigation revealed Amaro and Ibarra had
provided drugs and alcohol to the victims. They also took pictures and video of
the victims in different stages of undress, posted those pictures on social
media with the intent to prostitute them, and set up prostitution activity
between the victims and purchasers (the correct term for “Johns”). They
collected and kept any money received for prostitution deals and controlled
when and what the victims could eat and drink. They also made the victims walk near
hotels in the Kern Street, Roosevelt Street, and East Market Street areas to attract
purchasers. Meanwhile Amaro and Ibarra were fielding calls regarding setting up
the victims with purchasers.
Information led detectives to believe some of the
victims were transported out of the area for prostitution activity. One
destination was San Jose, where victims were given drugs and made to walk one
of the malls, while Amaro solicited possible purchasers.
Detectives contacted the Internet Crimes Against
Children (ICAC) Task Force associated with the San Jose Police Department. On
Friday, February 9, several Task Force members traveled to Salinas and were a
tremendous help. With their assistance, Amaro was located in Ceres, California. Ceres
Police arrested Amaro after a traffic stop at approximately 4:30 PM on February 9.
With Amaro were a 14-year-old missing female from Salinas, a 17-year-old from
Salinas, and a 15-year-old from Ceres.
Salinas Police detectives travelled to Ceres and
transported Amaro, the 14-year-old, and the 17-year-old back to Salinas. Amaro
was booked in the Monterey County Jail for multiple counts of Human
Trafficking, Pimping Victims Under 16 years of age, and Conspiracy. The 2 female victims were placed in a safe environment.
On Sunday, February 11 at approximately 2:30 am, a
Salinas Patrol officer was checking out an occupied suspicious vehicle in the
parking lot of Walmart at 1800 North Main Street. The officer contacted the
driver, 21-year-old Anthony Ramirez, a 15-year-old female from Salinas, Abriam
Ibarra, and a 20-year-old female. All were transported to the police station
for questioning. The 20-year-old female was found not to be involved and was
released. Ramirez was cited and released for Contributing to the Delinquency of
a Minor and a probation violation. The 14-year-old was ultimately released to
her family. Ibarra was booked into Monterey County Jail for several counts of
Human Trafficking and Pimping Victims Under 16 years of age, multiple charges of
Having Sex with a Person Under 16-years-old while being over 21-years-old,
Conspiracy, and a Probation Violation.
On Tuesday, Feb. 13, detectives arrested Alfredo
Hernandez (listed above) for 8 counts of Sex Crimes with a Child 14 to 15
years-old while being 10 years older than the victim. They also arrested Ruben
Trujillo (listed above) for 2 counts of Sex Crimes with a Child 14 to 15
years-old while being 10 years older than the victim. Both were booked into the
Monterey County Jail.
This complex and far-reaching case called for
additional resources, and the Salinas Police Department is grateful for the
expert assistance of the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, the San
Jose Police Department and its ICAC task force, the F.B.I., the Ceres Police
Department, the Monterey County Probation Department, and Monterey County
Social Services for their cooperation and continued assistance.
This investigation is ongoing and
we anticipate further arrests and identification of additional victims. If
anyone has information regarding this case or anything similar, you are asked
to contact Salinas Police Detective Ruben Sanchez at (831) 758-7927 or
rubens@ci.salinas.ca.us, or Detective Gabriel Gonzalez at (831) 758-7127 or
gabrielg@ci.salinas.ca.us. If you would like to remain anonymous, you can call
the Salinas Police Department Anonymous Tip Line at 831-775-4222, or the We-Tip
Line at 1-800-78-CRIME.
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