Following their trafficking arrest, Anderson PD speaks on this issue in the Northstate

SHASTA COUNTY — On Tuesday, Anderson Police Detectives arrested a Bay Area man on human trafficking charges, drawing further light to an issue that is known to be prominent in the Northstate.

Following an investigation that spanned several months, APD Detectives arrested 24-year-old Juan Carlos Hernandez of Concord on several charges, including human trafficking of a minor, contact with a minor for sexual intent, and sexual exploitation of a minor.

Despite the fact that Hernandez never physically moved the minor—which is what most imagine when they hear the word “trafficking"—his actions still qualify as trafficking, per California law. And, according to Anderson police, Hernandez’s case mirrors the human trafficking cases police often see in our area, especially along Interstate 5.

"It’s the commercial sex rings, if you will," said Anderson Police Detective Sgt. Mike Hallagan. "Being between Sacramento and Medford, and I-5 running between us, there is potential for people out of the area to come up here for commercial sex acts."

"We have been proactive in conducting operations with our law enforcement partners, the Redding Police Department, Shasta County Sheriff’s office," continued Sgt. Hallagan. "It’s something that we have recognized is taking place in our community and we’ve tried to take a proactive approach to that and identifying those responsible."

Sgt. Hallagan could think of at least five trafficking cases Anderson police have handled this year alone, but he says they aren’t an everyday occurrence and usually are not reported to police.

However, Hallagan said whenever they do these “proactive enforcement operations,” their extensive work tends to produce one or two arrests on trafficking or other types of sex crimes, like pimping.

Sgt. Hallagan also shared a few tips to prevent trafficking and they center on knowing who to trust. Specifically, the Sergeant pointed to the ever-growing landscape of social media.

Hallagan says many trafficking cases involving minors start with a social media exchange; he advises parents cautiously monitor what their children do and who they speak with online.

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