Behind the Badge
Two undercover operations by the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force that stretched over 18 hours has led to the rescue of four females ages 14 to 17 and the arrest of four men, one a minor, suspected of forcing the juveniles into prostitution.
Late Friday, Jan. 15, task force investigators rescued a 17-year-old female from two suspected male traffickers in a motel in the 2200 block of South Harbor Boulevard, according to a news release.
From left, suspects Teantre Millro, Jonathan Hampton and Martrell Mahone. Photos courtesy of Anaheim PD
The undercover operation was launched after investigators received information from the Fresno PD about the female juvenile, a runaway. Police arrested Teantre Millro, 20, of Clovis, and a 16-year-old male. Millro was booked at Orange County Jail and is being held on $70,000 bail. The minor was booked at Orange County Juvenile Hall.
In the course of that probe, task force members developed leads regarding another group that allegedly was trafficking juveniles in Santa Ana, and a second undercover operation was launched, according to the news release.
In that case, a female, 17, had been brought to a motel in Anaheim by two other male suspects with the understanding she was going to be trafficked for sex, police said.
After detaining the two males, investigators learned they had two more female juveniles in their car, one 15 years old and the other 14. All three victims were rescued.
Arrested as a result of that second operation were Jonathan Hampton, 23, of Clovis, and Martrell Mahone, 19, of Fresno. Both were booked at the Orange County Jail on three counts of human trafficking of minors and are being held on $70,000 bail.
The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in August 2014, is a collaborative effort between the Anaheim Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Irvine Police Department, Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Santa Ana Police Department.
Following the arrests, representatives from Orange County Social Services and victim advocates with Community Service Programs Inc. responded and made contact with the juveniles.
They will coordinate the reunification of the victims with their parents or guardians, according to the news release.
The undercover operations illustrate the priority the OCHTTF places on rescuing victims of human trafficking, especially when it involves juveniles, official said. They also show the coordination that takes place between law enforcement agencies from throughout the state when it comes to rescuing juveniles victimized by human traffickers.
