Two arrested in Anaheim for alleged sex trafficking of 15-year-old girl

(FOX 11) - Anaheim police say they've arrested two suspects involved in human trafficking 3 people after performing a sting at a local hotel.

Employees at the Ramada Inn on the 900 block of Harbor Drive in Anaheim say they watch on as police arrested a man and a women for human trafficking Thursday night.

The hotel is located just five blocks away from the police department.

Araceli Mendoza, 23, and Ariel Guizar, 35, are behind bars for human trafficking and weapons violations. Police say the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force received a call from parents in Los Angeles Wednesday night. They were concerned their 15-year-old daughter, who had runaway, was being forced to prostitute.

After an extensive investigation the 15-year-old girl was found at a hotel in Bellflower Thursday afternoon. Later that night, officers spotted the suspect's vehicle parked outside the Ramada Inn along Harbor Drive. Once police made entry they found two other victims; both 19-year-old girls.

All three victims are being held in protective custody before being returned to their families.

Sergeant Daron Wyatt says the 15-year-old girl was trafficked in the Orange, Ventura and L.A. counties for several weeks before being rescued.

"She's obviously traumatized. In her interview gave some horrific details about the experiences she had gone through being trafficked throughout Southern and Northern California. Threats of violence, being raped. Actual violence, having weapons pointed at her, all types of terrible horrific things that happened to here," Wyatt said.

FOX11's Christine O'Donnell spoke to people who live in the area and are staying at the hotel. No one said they had any idea what was going on.

As for the suspects, Mendoza is being held on $250,000 bail. Guizar is being held on $1 million. They were expected to be arraigned in court on Monday or Tuesday.

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