19-Year-Old Arrested In San Rafael Human Trafficking Case After Young Girl Texts Family Asking For Help
SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) -- San Rafael police on Tuesday arrested a 19-year-old woman in connection with a human trafficking case.
Samantha Johns, 19, of Vallejo, was arrested after officers received a call at 5:55 p.m. from the FBI, which had received information that a juvenile was being forced into prostitution by two suspects who were believed to be in San Rafael, police said.
Police said the juvenile victim had been sending text messages to her family asking them to help her because she was afraid to try to run away because she thought the suspects would hurt her.
The FBI provided police with a picture of the victim, the text messages and the victim's last known whereabouts in the Canal neighborhood of San Rafael.
Police searched the area but did not locate the victim. However, officers located the victim and the female suspect, later identified as Johns, a short time later at the San Rafael Transit Center.
Johns was arrested and booked into county jail on suspicion of human trafficking. Police have not located the second suspect, a male, and are still trying to identify him.
Police said the victim was provided with an advocate, was given medical attention and will be reunited with her family as soon as possible.
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