Two women accused of running a brothel in Desert Hot Springs
Two women are out on bail after being arrested on suspicion of prostitution-related crimes in Desert Hot Springs.
The arrest happened after the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (RCAHT) served a search warrant at the 13000 block of Palm Drive regarding a sex trafficking investigation, the Sheriff's Department announced on Tuesday.
One of the two women, identified as a 55-year-old from Upland, was arrested for pimping, pandering, maintaining a brothel and solicitation of prostitution.
The second woman, identified as a 61-year-old, was arrested for solicitation of prostitution and maintaining a brothel.
The two women were transported to the John J Benoit Detention Center in Indio, but were released after posting bail hours later, jail records show. Both are scheduled to appear in court in February 2022.
During this investigation, no victims of sex trafficking were identified, the Sheriff's Dept. confirmed.
The Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force is asking anyone with additional information to contact RCAHT Task Force Investigator Aron Wolfe at (760) 836-1600 or call anonymously at (760) 341-STOP (7867) and reference incident # R213130008.
"Prostitution is not a “victimless” crime. Those victimized by commercial sexual exploitation frequently have long histories of emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse or trauma in their backgrounds. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates 1 in 6 endangered runaways reported are likely victims of sex trafficking. Sex trafficking victims are often subjected not only to severe forms of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse at the hands of their trafficker but are also frequently physically and sexually assaulted by those that solicit them for prostitution.
The Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force seeks to disrupt and dismantle sex trafficking rings operating within Riverside County and will aggressively identify, pursue, and apprehend those who seek to exploit those who are most vulnerable. Through proactive enforcement operations, RCAHT works to reduce future demand for sex trafficking by identifying and arresting sex buyers.
Report Human Trafficking activity or tips to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at (888) 373-7888"
- Riverside County Sheriff's Department
