2 Danville Residents Held On $4M Bail In Alleged Sex Trafficking Ring Case
DANVILLE (CBS SF) -- Two Danville residents who authorities allege led a large-scale sex trafficking ring are each being held on $4 million bail, a Contra Costa County deputy district attorney said Wednesday.
San Ramon police, along with the district attorney's office and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, arrested 50-year-old James Joseph Jr. and his common-law wife Avisa Lavassani, 34, last Thursday on suspicion of human trafficking, Deputy District Attorney Aron DeFerrari said.
Also arrested was 42-year-old Oakley resident Anthony Reynolds, who authorities allege aided the Danville couple. Reynolds is being held on $1 million bail, DeFerrari said.
The large-scale operation spanned the country and served some high-end clients in cities including Cleveland, Miami and New York, according to DeFerrari.
So far, authorities have been able to identify at least six women victimized in the sex trafficking ring over the past 14 years, he said.
San Ramon police began investigating Joseph and Lavassani in April, launching a months-long wiretap and field surveillance probe after receiving information from prior victims, DeFerrari said.
Authorities said the human trafficking ring netted Joseph and Lavassani "tens of thousands of dollars a week" and used multiple trafficking victims at one time.
San Ramon police Chief Joe Gorton said the investigation demonstrated that human trafficking often crosses jurisdictional lines and isn't confined to big cities, ports or truck stops.
"Human trafficking can occur anywhere and it can be hidden in plain sight," Gorton said in a statement.
Contra Costa County District Attorney Mark Peterson lauded the efforts of the San Ramon police and FBI investigators.
"There is no room in our society for treating human beings as slaves and property that can be bought and sold," Peterson said.
The FBI Safe Streets Task Force consists of police officers and investigators from the FBI, Richmond, Antioch, Pittsburg and San Ramon police departments, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, the Contra Costa County Probation Department and the California Department of Corrections.
The suspects are scheduled to appear in court on Friday for arraignment.
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