Full Notification

On 01/14/15, at approximately10:00 a.m., a Pomona Police officer was flagged down by a 21 year old female (name withheld) who stated she had been kidnapped from her home in Oklahoma City in October of 2015. She said she was originally taken to Georgia by an unknown male and forced into prostitution. In early January 2016, she was brought to California and “sold” to Mark Payton. Payton had a female accomplice, Tasha Mcelrafth, who assisted him in maintaining emotional and physical control over the victim.

Payton and Mcelrafth continued to hold the victim captive by taking all of her identification and credit cards. They forced her to work as a prostitute in the City of Pomona while staying in a Claremont motel. The victim stated that she was under constant supervision by Payton or Mcelrafth and was unable to escape. The victim said the she was threatened with a knife and was told that Payton had a gun during her detainment.

In the early morning hours of Thursday, January 14, she had her first opportunity to escape when she was ordered to work on the East Holt corridor as her captors stayed in the motel room. At this time, she ran to the first Pomona Police vehicle she saw and was taken to the Pomona Police station were she was accompanied by law enforcement until representatives from Dream Center were able to provide services for her.

Members of the Pomona Police Department’s Major Crimes Task Force, who specialize in crimes such as Human Trafficking, responded to speak with the victim. Although the victim did not know their true names, she provided officers with the location of the motel room, a vehicle description, and physical descriptions of Payton and Mcelrafth. Officers spotted a vehicle leaving the Motel 6 in Claremont. A traffic stop was conducted and Payton and Mcelrafth were located in the vehicle, as well as a handgun and ammunition. The victim identified Payton and Mcelrafth as her kidnappers.

Payton and Mcelrafth were charged with human trafficking, kidnapping, pimping/ pandering, and numerous weapons related violations.

The Pomona Police Department continues to take a proactive approach to issues regarding Human Trafficking and prostitution along the Holt Ave corridor. The Major Crimes Task Force along with the FBI Innocence Lost Task Force, Dream Center, and local Law Enforcement agencies conduct numerous prostitution operations throughout the year to improve the quality of life for the citizens and business owners of Pomona. These types of details serve as an opportunity for victims of Human Trafficking to speak with officers about the dangers of this lifestyle and provide advocates the prospect to relocate them to safe locations.