14 Arrested at Comic-Con in Sex Trafficking Sting

A string was conducted by the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force at Comic-Con last week, resulting in the arrest of 14 people and the rescue of 10 sex trafficking victims, the California Attorney General’s Office has announced.

The operation took place from Thursday, July 25th to Saturday, July 27th, with law enforcement personnel going undercover as sex buyers to arrest traffickers and identify and contact potential victims. Undercover advertisements soliciting sex were also posted to arrest sex buyers.

A cooperative effort between multiple agencies including the California Department of Justice, FBI, Homeland Security, and several local law enforcement departments, the three-day sting led to 14 sex buyers being arrested, who now face solicitation charges. Nine adult potential victims of sex trafficking and one 16-year-old juvenile were recovered.

“These arrests send a clear message to potential offenders that their criminal behavior will not be tolerated,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “We are grateful to all our dedicated partners involved in the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, whose collaboration has been invaluable. We take great pride in our office’s commitment to uplifting vulnerable Californians by offering them assistance and guidance when they need it most.”

In response to the operation, San Diego Comic-Con told NBC San Diego they found it “very disturbing” and were not aware it was taking place. “It is our understanding that the arrests were made outside of the event,” the organizers said. “We work closely with a variety of law enforcement entities throughout the year and stand ready to assist in any way we can.”