MORENO VALLEY – An undercover sting yielded numerous arrests in Moreno Valley on Thursday.
The Moreno Valley Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Team (POP) and Special Enforcement Team (SET) conducted an undercover prostitution sting operation on December 5, 2013 throughout the day. Officers set up shop at a motel located in the 23000 block of Sunnymead Blvd, where they cracked down on reported prostitution. Complaints from the community including loitering, suspicion of illegal drug activity and prostitution prompted this operation.
Law enforcement in Riverside County has been cracking down on solicitation as a means of reducing the increased problem of forced prostitution and human trafficking locally. The human trafficking statute, which was expanded by Prop. 35 in 2012, carries a penalty of up to 15 years to life in prison.
The operation netted twenty-one male arrests for soliciting prostitution, including three who offered drugs as payment for sex .Two suspects were arrested for possession of methamphetamine and two other suspects were arrested for possession of marijuana. The suspects were primarily local residents from Moreno Valley and surrounding communities.
Felony Arrestees:
- Schiller, Tanner – 22 of San Bernardino Solicitation, Furnishing marijuana for purposes of solicitation of a prostitute
- James, Lamar – 31 Perris Solicitation, Felony Narcotics Warrant Service
- Abugherir, Abdul – 33 Riverside Solicitation, Furnishing marijuana for purposes of solicitation of a prostitute
Misdemeanor Arrestees:
- Paea, Ualingi, 38, Riverside, Solicitation
- Homsher, Ken, 19, Riverside, Solicitation
- Figare, Christopher, 20, San Bernardino, Solicitation
- Romero, Christian 23, Moreno Valley, Solicitation
- Navarro, Jose 47, Santa Ana, Solicitation
- Luna, Osvaldo 42, Riverside, Solicitation
- Crumpler, Frederic, 40 ,Moreno Valle,y Solicitation
- Tapia, Juan, 37, Colorado, Solicitation
- Salinas, Jesus 26, Moreno Valley, Solicitation
- Graciano, Disodado, 54, Fontana, Solicitation
- Verdugo, Robert, 43, Upland Solicitation
- Anadalla, Joseph, 55, Riverside, Solicitation
- Espiritu, Jeremy, 25, Moreno Valley, Solicitation
- Rayford, Nathanie,l 36, Moreno Valley, Solicitation
- Walton, Damian 38, Moreno Valley, Solicitation
- Maksemous, Boulos, 64, Moreno Valley, Solicitation
- Hernandez, Jose 45, Moreno Valley, Solicitation
- Akarim, Steven 28, Moreno Valley, Solicitation
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The Press-Enterprise: MORENO VALLEY: 21 men arrested in undercover prostitution sting