Police tape blocks off the crime scene outside a church where a man shot dead four people, including three of his children, before turning the gun on himself, February 28, 2022 in Sacramento, California. A father shot dead three of his own children on February 28 before turning the gun on himself in a US church, police said. A fifth person also died in the shooting in Sacramento, California, though it was not clear if that person was related to what police said was a domestic incident. (Photo by Andri Tambunan / AFP) (Photo by ANDRI TAMBUNAN/AFP via Getty Images)
San Diego, California – Thirteen people were arrested in an anti-human trafficking sting held during Comic-Con International in San Diego, state officials announced Thursday, underscoring how large-scale public events can draw illicit activity alongside the crowds and spectacle.
The arrests were the result of a three-day operation conducted from July 24 to 26 by members of the multi-agency San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force. According to the California Attorney General’s Office, officers worked undercover to initiate contact with people seeking to purchase sex throughout San Diego County. Each of the 13 suspects was arrested on suspicion of solicitation.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose office oversees the task force, praised the work of investigators. “Solicitation is a crime, and these arrests send a clear message to potential offenders that we stand ready to hold them accountable,” Bonta said. He added that the demand for commercial sex is a driving factor in human trafficking, where victims can be coerced or exploited for sex or labor through force, fraud, or manipulation.
This year’s operation is part of a continuing strategy timed to coincide with Comic-Con, when the city draws more than 130,000 attendees and sees a spike in tourism and nightlife activity. Officials have said such gatherings can create an environment that traffickers exploit. The task force has made the annual Comic-Con weekend sting a regular part of its efforts to disrupt the market for illegal sex transactions.
Last year’s operation resulted in 14 arrests and the recovery of 10 potential trafficking victims, including a 16-year-old girl. Those victims were offered services ranging from shelter to counseling, part of a broader approach that combines enforcement with support for survivors.
The task force is composed of state and federal law enforcement agencies as well as prosecutorial offices. Members include the California Department of Justice, local police departments, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. By pooling resources and intelligence, the task force aims to address trafficking as both a criminal and social problem.
While not all commercial sex transactions are tied directly to trafficking, officials emphasize that demand for paid sex creates opportunities for exploitation. “We are grateful to all our dedicated partners involved in the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, whose collaboration has been invaluable,” Bonta said.
The arrests mark another step in what law enforcement views as a long-term effort: reducing the market that sustains trafficking and sending a consistent signal that San Diego, even at its busiest moments, will not look the other way.
