Sex-Trafficking Special Investigation Team-Up Lands a Handful of Johns
INDIAN WELLS – A citywide demand reduction sex-trafficking collaboration-operation was conducted on May 19th at 11:00 AM. The team-up consisted of members from the Indian Wells Special Enforcement Team (SET), with the assistance of the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (RCAHT), Palm Desert Business District Team (BDT) and Palm Desert Special Enforcement Team (SET).
While operating in undercover capacity, Indian Wells SET, RCAHT, Palm Desert BDT and Palm Desert SET members posted decoy classified advertisements on several popular common sites used for online prostitution solicitation. When prospective customers replied the prostitution advertisements, the task force members responded.
After agreeing for paid sex acts, and upon their arrival at the pre-determined meeting location – the following “Johns” were arrested on misdemeanor prostitution charges:
Felipe Cabral (32), of Anaheim
Travis White (34), of Beaumont
Richard Ables (43), of La Quinta
Haig Akian (40), of Rancho Mirage
Jinder Singh (41), of Yucca Valley
As a result of this enforcement effort, the five Johns were booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio.
Indian Wells SET is urging anyone with additional information regarding the demand reduction sex trafficking operation incident #J211390042 to contact Deputy Bugarin at (760) 836-1600, or call anonymously at (760) 341-STOP (7867).
MISSION STATEMENT – Prostitution is not a “victimless” crime. Those victimized by commercial sexual exploitation frequently have long histories of emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse or trauma in their backgrounds. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates 1 in 6 endangered runaways reported are likely victims of sex trafficking. Sex trafficking victims are often subjected not only to severe forms of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse at the hands of their trafficker but are also frequently physically and sexually assaulted by those that solicit them for prostitution. Report Human Trafficking activity or tips to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at (888) 373-7888.
