3 Subjects Arrested for Conspiracy to Commit Human Trafficking
A joint investigation by Costa Mesa and Westminster Police lead to the arrest of three subjects for conspiracy to commit human trafficking in the kidnapping of a 26 year old woman.
Just after 6:00 p.m. on July 28, Costa Mesa Police received a call from a subject in another state reporting that a woman known to them was being held captive and tortured in a room at the Days Inn motel on Newport Blvd. The caller had apparently received a Facebook message from the woman asking for help. Arriving officers contacted a male and two female subjects at the room in question, finding one of the females, a 26-year-old with obvious injuries. The name of the female victim is being withheld for her protection given the nature of this incident. Two other subjects, identified as Renice Davis and Sierra Thompson were with the victim in the room. Officers recognized the three from information received the previous week from the Westminster Police Department, a brief synopsis of which is:
On July 23, Westminster Police had forwarded information to surrounding law enforcement agencies regarding a possible kidnapping and human trafficking. Information had been obtained by Westminster P.D. investigators that a woman (victim Jane Doe), was being forcibly held against her will for purposes of prostitution, at a motel in Westminster by a subject believed to be Renice Davis. Additional information provided indicated that Davis may be in the company of a woman possibly named Sierra and that both had last been seen leaving that motel, along with the victim, in a white Dodge pick-up truck. Upon receiving this information, Westminster Police officers immediately responded to the motel in question, determining that Davis and the reported victim had already left the location. The information included a license plate for the truck. Renice Davis was also listed as having an outstanding warrant for his arrest for a probation violation.
From the initial investigation conducted by Costa Mesa Police Officers at the Days Inn motel, Davis and Thompson were arrested for suspicion of kidnapping and human trafficking. Davis was also arrested in junction with his outstanding probation violation warrant. Costa Mesa detective personnel responded to investigate further and the victim was transported initially to Hoag Hospital for treatment of her injuries, which included contusions and burns inflicted on her allegedly by Davis. Investigating officers also learned that a second male suspect was involved and may still be in the area driving the previously described white Dodge truck.
A Police Helicopter unit was requested to assist in checking surrounding areas and other motels along Newport Blvd. Shortly thereafter the air unit located a possible matching truck parked at the Starr Inn motel further north in the 2600 block of Newport Blvd. Arriving officers verified that it was the truck in question and contacted the driver, Oscar Gonzalez-Salinas. Salinas was in the company of two females, who were determined at this time to have no involvement with the kidnapping. Based upon the totality of the investigation, Oscar Gonzalez-Salinas was taken into custody for conspiracy to kidnap.
Detectives learned from the victim that she had previously met Davis at a Costa Mesa motel, apparently for a drug transaction, and subsequently began working as a prostitute for him in various areas of Orange County. She related that about a week ago she had been forced to remain with Davis, along with Sierra Thompson and Oscar Salinas, at a motel in Westminster. There, Davis had become angry with her and had kept her tied up, often in a closet blindfolded, while physically assaulting her intermittently. In addition to beatings and verbal threats, the victim reported that Davis had tortured her by burning her with a heated glass narcotics pipe on various areas of her body.
She further disclosed that after coming to the Days Inn in Costa Mesa that Davis had inflicted a larger more severe burn with a hot electric clothing iron. Throughout her ordeal, the victim related that Davis had threatened to kill her and her family should she attempt to escape or contact the police.
At the time of her liberation by officers, the victim had evident, recent, burn injuries to her torso and other areas consistent with her description of the assaults. She additionally had a recent blackened eye and other contusions.
The victim was initially treated for her injuries at Hoag Hospital and with assistance of the Community Services Program was later transferred to a battered women’s shelter.
Renice Davis (26 years old of Costa Mesa), Sierra Thompson (27 years old with an LKA in Oregon), and Oscar Gonzalez-Salinas (33 years old of Costa Mesa), were all booked initially into the Costa Mesa Jail for the following crimes:
Conspiracy – Penal Code Section 182,
Kidnapping – Penal Code Section 207,
Human Trafficking – Penal Code Section 236.1 (b),
Aggravated Mayhem – Penal Code Section 205,
and Torture – Penal Code Section 206
All three were subsequently transported and booked into the Orange County Jail, where their bail is set at one million dollars ($1,000,000) each on those violations. Arrestee Davis is additionally being held without bail as a result of his previously existing probation violation.
Investigators from the Costa Mesa and Westminster Police Departments are conducting further follow-up into aspects of this overall investigation jointly, and in coordination with the Human Trafficking section of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
No photographs of Davis, Thompson or Gonzalez-Salinas are being released at this time.
Any persons with information regarding this investigation, or who may have also been victimized, are encouraged to contact the following Costa Mesa Police Department, Investigations Bureau personnel:
Det. Bang Le (714) 754-5361 or
Sgt. Ed Everett (714) 754-5395
Address/Location
Costa Mesa Police Department
99 Fair Dr
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 714-754-5252