Caravelle Inn & Suites, a hotel at 1310 North First Street in San Jose. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)
Three adults were arrested Oct. 1 on suspicion of pimping, pandering and conspiracy for allegedly running a sex trafficking operation out of a San Jose motel, authorities said.
Police and city leaders are drawing attention to the bust with major sporting events — including Super Bowl LX and World Cup matches, both to be held at Levi’s Stadium — which they anticipate will lead to an increase in human trafficking activity in the region, according to a press release from the San Jose Police Department.
“As San José prepares to step onto the world stage, we’re putting safety first — for residents and visitors alike,” San José Mayor Matt Mahan said in the press release. “Large bustling crowds and activity can become a magnet for bad actors, so we’re acting early to stop human traffickers and send a clear message that we will not allow exploitation in San Jose. I want to thank our Police Department for making sure San José is the safest big city in the nation — not just for the big events ahead, but for our neighbors every single day.”
The three suspects — a 62-year-old man, a 45-year-old woman and a 50-year-old man, all residents of San Jose — were arrested following a months-long investigation into the alleged sex trafficking operation at Caravelle Inn on the 1300 block of North First Street, authorities said. Two of the suspects were employed by the hotel, and the third was associated with the hotel.
The investigation was conducted by SJPD’s Human Trafficking Task Force and the Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Task Force. Detectives had recieved multiple tips regarding suspected sex trafficking at the motel, authorities added. In the investigation, authorities found that the sex trafficking operation included motel staff, and that multiple survivors had been housed in the motel long-term.
While serving a search warrant, authorities found six survivors of sex trafficking as well as two adults who recieved citations for solicitation, police said. The survivors were given resources by Community Solutions victims advocates.
Police also located $30,000 in cash, authorities added.
The three suspects were booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail.
SJPD added that the department is working in conjunction with San José Code Enforcement and the San José City Attorney’s Office to permanately address the motel’s blight issues and illicit activities.
“Human trafficking is a deplorable act that will not be tolerated in this city,” San José City Manager Jennifer Maguire said in the press release. “I commend the San José Police Department for their commitment to keeping our community safe, and for their preparation to ensure a welcoming and secure environment as our city prepares to host visitors from around the world for the upcoming major sports events.”
SJPD is also working to strengthen its prevention, enforcement and outreach efforts to protest vulnerable communities in the lead-up to next year’s sporting events. When Levi’s Stadium hosted Super Bowl 50 in 2016, city and county officials similarly geared up to combat a potential surge in human trafficking crimes.
“As multiple major sporting events quickly approach next year, I want to make it loud and clear that these illegal operations have no place in our city,” SJPD Chief Paul Joseph said in the press release. “We will stop at nothing to shut them down and protect our most vulnerable community members.”
The investigation into this incident is ongoing. Anyone with information about human trafficking activities in San Jose is asked to contact SJPD’s Human Trafficking Task Force at 408-537-1999 or stopslavery@sanjoseca.gov.
Originally published at Caelyn Pender