3 minors recovered, 11 arrested during Los Angeles-based operation combatting human trafficking

LOS ANGELES - Three minors were recovered and 11 people were arrested following a multi-day operation combatting human trafficking in the greater Los Angeles area, authorities said Tuesday.

Between April 19 and 23, members of the Los Angeles Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in the San Gabriel Valley conducted an operation along the East Holt Avenue corridor in Pomona, a known "track," a term commonly used to describe a location for commercial sex trafficking.

The operation focused on the identification, location and recovery of human trafficking victims with an emphasis on those suspected of having been trafficked.

On April 19, task force members saw two girls who appeared to be very young engaging with vehicles occupied by lone males. Members of the task force made contact with the girls, one of which was found to be a 14-year-old girl who had been reported missing. Authorities say that girl is six months pregnant. The other girl was identified as a 16-year-old.

Authorities also located a 17-year-old, who investigators determined had been reported missing.

In one case, the victim told investigators she had been working as a prostitute since the age of twelve.

All three juveniles were reported missing from cities outside of Pomona.

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All three of the victims were turned over to the care of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.

Throughout the remainder of the week, enforcement operations were conducted along Holt Avenue. In total, seven females and four males were arrested for commercial sex trafficking-related crimes, authorities said.

Five of the seven females accepted services from victim advocates.

Task Force Investigators believe there may be other unidentified victims related to the Holt Avenue operation and urge anyone with information to contact the Pomona Police Department at 909-620-2085 or the FBI. In Los Angeles, the FBI can be reached 24 hours a day at 310 477-6565.

Information about human trafficking victims can also be reported to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, via text message to 233733, or by visiting visit: https://humantraffickinghotline.org/.