Photo: Stock Image
Originally Published By: Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office
Image of suspects Jacob Reyes and Itzel Medina-Nieto | Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office
“In October of 2023, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Bureau Detectives initiated a sex trafficking investigation involving a 12 and 14-year-old minor. Detectives identified a male suspect as Jacob Reyes. During the investigation, they learned that Jacob had repeatedly sexually assaulted the 14-year-old minor while also victimizing both of them as sex workers in Sacramento, San Francisco, and Oakland.
Detectives later learned that Reyes’ girlfriend, Itzel Medina-Nieto, was also involved in the victimization of the 14-year-old minor. Detectives, in collaboration with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Unit, authored arrest warrants for Itzel and Jacob.
Yesterday, Detectives located and arrested both Jacob and Itzel. They were booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail, where Jacob is being held on $1,000,000 bail, and Itzel is on $500,000 bail. They are both scheduled to appear in court on February 2, 2024.
California law hampers law enforcement’s efforts to investigate the human trafficking of minors. Fortunately, both juvenile victims were willing to receive help and cooperated with detectives in this case. Sadly, this is rare as most minor victims do not cooperate due to the influence, fear, and force used by their traffickers. Traffickers are acutely aware of California laws which have decriminalized childhood prostitution, using these very laws to their advantage to further exploit the most vulnerable in our communities.
Detectives are concerned these suspects may have trafficked or attempted to traffick other minors and are requesting the public’s assistance to identify other possible victims. Anyone with information about these two individuals is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (916) 874-5115 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357). Tips leading to an arrest are eligible for a CASH reward of up to $1000, and tipsters remain anonymous. Tips are paid in cash, and you are never asked for identification. Contact Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357), 1-800-AA-CRIME, or **TIPS. Use the “P3 TIPS” app or online at www.sacvalleycrimestoppers.com. Tip information may also be left anonymously at www.sacsheriff.com or by calling (916) 874-TIPS (8477).”
