The joint effort continued from Friday, August 19, through Sunday, August 21.

According to local law enforcement efforts, human trafficking and child exploitation is a growing problem and can occur everywhere, no matter the size or location of the community. The Kings County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, California DOJ, and Breaking the Chains set out to curb this activity in Kings County.

Investigators spoke to numerous individuals through the internet, and via those conversations, several people arranged to meet to pay for sex, receive money for sex, meet up with underage girls for sex, and to procure underage girls to enter into Human Trafficking. As a result, law enforcement arrested 12 people on various charges related to human trafficking and child exploitation.

The Kings County Sheriff’s Office hopes to raise awareness about these growing issues through enforcement, education, and advocacy. If you are a victim or know someone who is/has been a victim of Human Trafficking, please contact Breaking the Chains at (559) 456-1566.

Suspects arrested included:

Van Patrick Lazaro, 29 yrs old, PC 288.3, PC 288.4, PC 664/261.5d

Fabian Fernandez Arroyo, 29 yrs old, PC 288.3, PC 288.4, PC 664/261.5d

Marshall Scott, 27 yrs old, PC 647b

Luis Gomez, 55 yrs old, PC 288.3, PC 288.4, PC 664/261.5d

Adam Vang, 22 yrs old, PC 236.1(C)(1), PC 266h, PC 266i

Amadeo Alzola, 33 yrs old, PC 288.3, PC 288.4, PC 261.5d

Steven Davis, 53 yrs old, PC 647b

Joseph Flores, 29 yrs old, PC 288.3, PC 288.4, PC 664/261.5d

Fresno Co. Jerry Beard, 26 yrs old, PC 236.1(C)(1), PC 266h, PC 266i