“Prostitution is a criminal offense, and those who seek these illegal activities contribute to an illicit underground economy both locally and throughout the State of California,” according to a department statement.

The operation focused on rescuing victims of sexual slavery and human trafficking, identifying and arresting their captors, and disrupting demand for these vulnerable victims, they said.

During the Murrieta operation, one female was identified as a human trafficking victim and accepted outreach and diversion services. Her name was removed from the below list. She was one of the 177 victims rescued in the California statewide law enforcement operation where547 were arrested and 177 people were freed from sex slavery.

Additionally, nine males were arrested for solicitation of prostitution and one male was arrested for pimping.

Arrested during the operation for solicitation of prostitution were:

• Marco Antonio Cota, 42, of Murrieta
• Angel Llano-Trinidad, 42, of Riverside
• Brian Huff, 45, of Menifee
• Charles Hoffman Polhamus III, 37, of Murrieta
• Alexandre Daniel Bogdan, 22, of Fullerton
• Mauro Martinez, 22, of Temecula
• Jeremiah Castaneda Arapeles, 45, of Murrieta
• Christopher James Funk, 29, of Norco
• Matthew Deshawn Edmonston, 29, of San Bernardino, arrested for pimping

“Prostitution is not a “victimless” crime. Human trafficking is the second largest criminal enterprise in the world,” according to a Murrieta Police Department spokesperson. “Ninety-five percent of sex trafficking victims are women or children. 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 to severe forms of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse at the hands of their trafficker. Still, they are also frequently physically and sexually assaulted by those who solicit them for prostitution.”

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