VALLEJO – On March 3 at approximately 12:18 p.m., the Vallejo Police Department (VPD) responded to the report a 12-year-old female victim being forced into human trafficking in the 400 Block of Fairgrounds Drive.
Vallejo Police Officers responded to begin their investigation and search for the child victim. As the active investigation continued, the child victim was observed returning to the area establishment with the male suspect, identified as 19-year-old Fidel Rodriguez-Navarrete of Vallejo.
The suspect and victim were inside of the establishment when Vallejo Police Officers planned and safely executed their peaceful surrender. Vallejo Police Detectives and Evidence Personnel later executed a search warrant of the location where they found evidence of human trafficking.
During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the child victim had been forced into human trafficking by suspect Rodriguez-Navarrete over the course of the last several weeks. The suspect was arrested and booked into the Solano County Jail on multiple charges including human trafficking of a minor, sex with a minor, and assault with a deadly weapon.
The juvenile survivor was provided with medical treatment and transported to a County agency to receive additional resources and support. Ultimately, she was placed back into the care and custody of social workers from her county of residence.
“I applaud the juvenile survivor for having the courage and fortitude to call for help,” Chief of Police Shawny Williams stated. All the credit for stopping this human trafficker belongs to her. Human trafficking is an evil and egregious assault against humanity and the human dignity of its victims. Our community has a moral duty to hold perpetrators of these heinous crimes accountable, defeat human trafficking through advocacy and help survivors rebuild their lives.”
“Furthermore, this despicable case of child sex trafficking and sexual assault against a minor reemphasizes the importance of victim advocacy, support and prevention in the City of Vallejo,” Chief of Police Shawny Williams stated. “The fact that a child victim has to be subjected to sitting on a cold police bench following a traumatic incident is unacceptable. We must take action immediately to protect the most vulnerable members of our community and answer the call to create safe spaces where victims can receive the trauma-informed care and support they so desperately need.”
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective Brian Murphy at 707-648-5430. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please reference the following resources for help:
- Solano Trauma Recovery Center: http://www.solanotrc.org/
24-Hour Hotline : 707-603-9065 - My Sister’s House (Sacramento): http://www.my-sisters-house.org/
- National Human Trafficking Hotline: https://humantraffickinghotline.org/
- See press release here: https://conta.cc/30j5cVa
