Temecula, CA
Categories:
Tactics Used |
|
---|---|
Reverse stings | ✓ |
Shaming | ✓ |
Auto seizure | ✓ |
Community service | ✓ |
Public education | ✓ |
Neighborhood action | ✓ |
SOAP orders | ✓ |
John school | ✓ |
Letters | ✓ |
Cameras | ✓ |
Web stings | ✓ |
License suspension | ✓ |
Temecula is a city of about 105,000 residents, located near Lake Elsinore and Murrieta in Riverside County, California. Residents and local law enforcement have reported problems related to prostitution (particularly indoor prostitution)and sex trafficking in the city.
Temecula has also served as the operating base for a serial rapist of prostituted women 2012-2013. In 2008, four individuals were arrested and charged with conspiracy to kill a 16-year-old prostituted girl. Those involved were said to have planned to kill the girl after it was revealed she had “cooperated with investigators in a pandering case” against one of the perpetrators (who had previously acted as her pimp/trafficker).
In early April 2014, the Temecula Police Department (TPD) conducted an anti-prostitution detail targeting johns in “various locations throughout the city.” Seven sex buyers were arrested as a result; all had their names and arrest photos released to the public. In a statement to the press in the days following the operation, the TPD reported they “will continue to conduct operations in the city to concentrate on solicitation of prostitution and the men who seek their services… [and is] dedicated to maintaining a high quality of life and encourages citizens to report any suspicious activity they observe.”
In May 2014, the TPD conducted a web-based reverse sting, resulting in the arrest of five sex buyers, whose names and other information were publicly released. Officers assigned to the Temecula Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Team targeted men who arranged prostitution via social media websites. The police department said it continues to monitor social media sites in an effort to stop prostitution in the city. In early October 2014, the TPD conducted a second web-based reversal, netting seven johns in the process. As in the days following the May 2014 operation, the department released the names and mugshots of each of the arrestees to the public.
In January 2017, eighteen suspected sex buyers were arrested in sheriff’s department prostitution sting dubbed ‘Operation Reclaim & Rebuild’ in the cities of Temecula and Riverside. The collaborative undercover operation included the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, the Riverside Police Department’s Vice Unit and the Temecula Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Team. Undercover operatives placed ads online on a popular classified advertisement website commonly used for the solicitation of prostitution. The officers then responded to prospective customers who replied to the “advertisement” at locations set up in Riverside and Temecula. Mugshots and identifying information were publicly disclosed for all of those arrested.
In September 2017, ten men were arrested in a reverse sting for soliciting prostitution in Temecula. Temecula’s problem-oriented policing team and Riverside County’s Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force were involved in the enforcement effort, concentrating on catching people who arrange prostitution-related activities via social media websites and then choose a location to meet. The arrests were made in the vicinity of Winchester Road and Jefferson Avenue in the city’s commercial area. No specific meet-up locations were mentioned in police statements or press releases. The arrested men were booked at the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center in French Valley. They ranged in age from 22 to 59 and lived in Temecula, Murrieta, Wildomar, Menifee, Winchester and Jurupa Valley.
In August 2020 a joint task force conducted a web-based reverse sting operation that resulted in the arrest of 12 men in Temecula. The purpose of the sting was to focus on reducing the high demand for prostitution in the area. Upon being indicted, the men had their names, charges, and photos released to local media outlets. As in previous operations, decoy advertisements were set up on popular websites and the “johns” were arrested upon their arrival to a set location.
Key Partners
- Temecula Police Department
- Temecula Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Team
- Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force
- Riverside Police Department’s Vice Unit
- Temecula Homeless Outreach Team
- Riverside County Sheriff’s Office
Key Sources
- Reverse Stings and Shaming:
- Web-Based Reverse Stings and Shaming:
- “5 Men Arrested during Prostitution Sting in Temecula”, Fallbrook Valley News, May 24 2014.
- “Prostitution Sting in Temecula Targeted ‘Johns’, Police Say”, Murrieta Patch, May 24 2014.
- “TEMECULA: 5 Men Arrested in Prostitution Sting”, Riverside Press-Enterprise, May 24 2014.
- “Seven Men Arrested in Temecula ‘Johns’ Sting for Solicitation of Prostitution”, Fallbrook Valley News, October 3 2014.
- “TEMECULA: Eight Men Arrested in Sting for Prostitution Solicitation,” Riverside Press-Enterprise, July 3 2015.
- https://patch.com/california/temecula/list-18-suspected-johns-nabbed-temecula-riverside-sting (2017)
- https://patch.com/california/temecula/prostitution-sting-nets-12-johns-temecula (2020)
- Sex Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation in the Area:
- “Alleged Plan to Kill Local Teen Will Go to Trial”, Temecula Californian, January 6 2007.
- “Trial Opening in Teen Prostitute Plot”, San Diego Union-Tribune, September 29 2008.
- Documented Violence against Individuals Engaged in Prostitution in the Area:
- “Trial Opening in Teen Prostitute Plot”, San Diego Union-Tribune, September 29 2008.
- “Alleged Serial Rapist Behind Bars”, Temecula Patch, August 1 2012.
- “Murrieta Man to Be Arraigned on Charges of Raping Four Prostitutes”, Fallbrook Valley News, August 1 2012.
- “MURRIETA: Women Testify against Man in Serial Rape Case”, Riverside Press-Enterprise, January 11 2013.
- “Man Accused of Raping Women in Temecula Ordered to Stand Trial”, Temecula Patch, January 18 2013.
- Background on Prostitution in the Area:
- “Massage Rules Massaged, Tabled”, Riverside Press-Enterprise, June 25 1997.
- “Temecula Council OKs New Massage Regulations: The Rules Have Been Studied and Debated for About Two Years”, Riverside Press-Enterprise, September 29 1999.
- “Massage Parlor Rules Called Too Lax; A Sheriff’s Sergeant Says Temecula’s Ordinance Governing the Businesses Make It More Difficult to Police against Prostitution”, Riverside Press-Enterprise, January 18 2000.
- “Two Arrested during Prostitution Stings”, Temecula Californian, December 15 2004.
- “From the Police Blotter: Prostitution Arrest at Massage Business”, Fallbrook Valley News, March 31 2005.
- “Police Raids Try to Stem Prostitution; ARRESTS: Operations in Murrieta, Temecula and Lake Elsinore Also Target Some Massage Parlors”, Riverside Press-Enterprise, July 23 2005.
- “One Arrested in Prostitution Sting”, Fallbrook Valley News, September 16 2005.
- “Woman Arrested for Prostitution”, Fallbrook Valley News, May 7 2006.
- “Two Arrested for Prostitution”, Fallbrook Valley News, May 28 2006.
- “Murrieta Woman Arrested for Prostitution”, Fallbrook Valley News, June 5 2006.
- “Temecula Tightens Massage Rule”, Fallbrook Valley News, November 21 2008.
- “TEMECULA: Numerous Violations Spotted in Massage Parlors”, North County Times, February 9 2009.
- “Recent Changes to Temecula’s Massage Rules Praised”, Riverside Press-Enterprise, March 9 2011.
- “Two Arrests Made for Prostitution at Temecula Massage Parlors”, Fallbrook Valley News, May 18 2012.
- “2 Arrested in Prostitution Sting at Massage Parlors at Temecula”, CBS/KCAL-TV 9, May 19 2012.
State | California |
Type | City |
Population | 105208 |
Location |
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