As part of Operation Cross Country, the San Rafael Police Department, Marin County Sheriff’s Office, Novato Police Department, Central Marin Police Authority, Marin County District Attorney’s Office, and the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center sought out victims of child sex trafficking and targeted suspects who were willing to pay juveniles for sex.
Two men were arrested during the operation, and one adult sex worker was provided resources. One in six of the more than 25,000 cases of children reported as runaways to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in 2022 were likely victims of child sex trafficking.
Operation Cross Country is part of the FBI’s Innocence Lost National Initiative, which began in 2003 as a coordinated effort among the FBI, other federal agencies, state and local police, and social services agencies across the country to find and assist victims of human trafficking, particularly child victims. Since its creation, the program has resulted in the identification and recovery of more than 6,000 children from child sex trafficking, and prosecutors have obtained 30 life sentences in cases against traffickers and their associates.
The focus of the operation was twofold and simultaneous, Marin law enforcement said. One part was to identify and arrest suspects who were willing to pay to have sex with a minor, and the other to locate and rescue victims of child sex trafficking.
During the operation, suspects responded to advertisements posted on the internet by investigators, and other investigators responded to posted advertisements of possible juvenile victims of human trafficking.
Suspects requested, via phone calls and text messaging, to engage in sex acts with a minor in exchange for money. One man arrived at a location after agreeing to meet with a minor for sex, and another man arrived after agreeing to meet with an adult for sex. The two men were arrested because of this portion of the operation.
Simeon Ramirez-Lopez, a 25-year-old San Rafael resident, was booked into the Marin County Jail for arranging to meet a minor for sex (288.4(b) PC), Ramirez-Lopez communicated with who he thought was a 15-year-old minor, with the intent to perform specific sex acts.
Fredy Paxtor, a 48-year-old Greenbrae resident, was arrested and released on a citation for arranging to meet an adult with the intent to engage in sex (647(b)(1)PC).
Others involved in the operation focused on locating child victims of human trafficking. One female from the Vacaville area believed to be a minor, responded to an arranged location with the intent to perform sexual acts for payment. Once at the location, investigators determined that the woman was an adult and not working against her will. She was provided resources and released.
The San Rafael Police Department is informing the public that human trafficking exists in Marin County. If you know someone who is or may be a victim, please contact your local law enforcement agency.
Leave a Reply