Undercover operation at hotel results in 6 human trafficking arrests

CLOVIS, Calif. (KMPH) — Authorities in California announced the arrest of six men in connection to an ongoing human trafficking investigation.

The Clovis Police Department's Special Enforcement Team (SET) arrested the men during the weekend as part of an undercover operation at a hotel in Clovis.

The SET detectives have been posing as girls on social media and are targeted by male suspects.

On Friday evening into Saturday morning, SET detectives, assisted by the Department of Justice and Fresno County’s Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), arrested the men who are accused of going there to meet a girl they were targeting for human trafficking.

Once at the hotel, each of the suspects was taken into custody without incident.

These are people that are seeking out these what appear to be young females," said Lt. Jim Koch from the Clovis Police Department. "We don't go out seeking females they actually come and seek us."

Suspects include the following men:

Allen Brooks, 42

Darnell Banks, 31

Jaques Polk, 28

Ralph Jones, 28

Devontae Mitchell, 27

Emari Johnson, 26

All of the men are from Fresno. They were booked into Fresno County Jail for felony charges related to human trafficking.

Banks is facing additional charges for having a loaded gun, as well as cocaine on him, at the time of his arrest.

This is something that affects everybody in our community," said Koch. "This is something that we're passionate about and work very closely with other agencies and we know that this is something that if prevented or at least when we arrest people it does make a difference."

The United States is ranked one of the worst countries in the world for human trafficking, according to a report released by the Department of State in 2019.

Koch said the bottom line is it could happen anywhere.

There are people that live in nice homes and nice areas," said Koch. "It doesn't really have any type of boundaries and these girls get involved in this, they seem to kind of get trapped into it and then they can't get out of it."

Authorities said human traffickers typically target girls between the ages of 12 to 20 years old in every community. They contact girls on social media, at malls, group homes, and even at school.

Police said the investigation has shown that gangs sell girls in their communities to help fund their illegal activities. One girl can make a pimp up to $250,000 a year, and victims come from all walks of life.

The Department of State lists a few red flags that should alert you of a potential trafficking situation:

• Living with employer
• Poor living conditions
• Multiple people in cramped space
• Inability to speak to individual alone
• Answers appear to be scripted and rehearsed
• Employer is holding identity documents
• Signs of physical abuse
• Submissive or fearful
• Unpaid or paid very little
• Under 18 and in prostitution

Law enforcement has partnered with organizations such as Breaking the Chains, Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (Fresno EOC), and others to bring attention to human trafficking and help victims. If you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, local law enforcement, non-profit organizations are available to help 24 hours a day.

Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline, a national 24-hour, toll-free, multilingual anti-trafficking hotline. Call 1-888-373-7888 to report a tip, connect with anti-trafficking services in your area, or request training and technical assistance, general information, or specific anti-trafficking resources.