East SBV Times

Between January 27 and January 31, 2025, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department took part in Operation Reclaim & Rebuild. This initiative is a multi-agency effort aimed at rescuing victims of sexual slavery and human trafficking, arresting their captors, and disrupting the demand for trafficked individuals.

The operation was overseen by Human Trafficking Investigators from the Sheriff's Department's Gangs/Narcotics Division. They collaborated with several agencies including the San Bernardino Police Department, California Highway Patrol, San Bernardino County Probation Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigations, and local victim advocacy partners.

During this period, investigators arrested 42 individuals for solicitation of prostitution and one person for pimping/pandering. Five victims of human trafficking were rescued and provided with necessary services and resources.

"The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department seeks to disrupt and dismantle sex trafficking rings operating within San Bernardino County," stated a representative from the department. "Through proactive enforcement operations, Human Trafficking Investigators diligently work to reduce future demand for sex trafficking by identifying and arresting sex buyers and rescuing those forced into sexual servitude."

Individuals who wish to report activities related to human trafficking can contact the San Bernardino County Human Trafficking Task Force directly at (909) 387-8400 or via email at [email protected]. Anonymous tips can be made through We-Tip at 1-888-78-CRIME or on their website www.wetip.com. The National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline is also available at (888) 373-7888.

Shannon D. Dicus serves as Sheriff-Coroner for the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department.