DATE: December 28, 2017
LOCATION: The Holt Corridor
CRIME: Human Trafficking of an adult over 18 years
SUSPECT: Deshawn Sanders / 22 Years Old / Resident of Los Angeles
On December 28, 2017, Pomona Police Officers initiated an investigation involving three adult victims involved in the commercial sex trade. The victims were located walking on the Holt Corridor conversing with men loitering in the area for prostitution purposes. During the course of this investigation, it was determined these three women were all working as prostitutes at the direction of their pimp, who was later identified as Deshawn Sanders from Los Angeles.
This case was successfully filed by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit. He was arrested for this violation April 28, 2018. Investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department Human Trafficking Unit as well as the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Unit also had investigations involving Sanders trafficking victims in their jurisdictions. One of these cases involved a minor as a victim.
Sanders ultimately plead no contest to multiple charges stemming from all three investigations. These charges include:
236.1(b)PC Human Trafficking
266(h)PC- Pimping
245(a)(1)PC- Assault with a Deadly Weapon
Deshawn Sanders was sentenced to 30 years in prison and will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life for these crimes.
The Pomona Police Department takes a proactive approach to combating human trafficking and utilizes the assistance of other agencies to provide a victim-centered approach. The Pomona Police Department Sexual Exploitation & Trafficking Team (SETT) conducts enforcement and investigates cases of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Investigators believe there are other unidentified victims related to this case and urge anyone with information related to this investigation to contact the Pomona Police Department at (909) 620-2085. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477).
WRITTEN BY:
Officer Angela Torres
Pomona Police Department
Sexual Exploitation & Trafficking Team (SETT)
