| For Immediate Release Case # 14NF2336
May 28, 2014 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718Farrah Emami Spokesperson Office: 714-347-8405 Cell: 714-323-4486
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MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR TRAFFICKING MINOR TEENAGE GIRL FOR COMMERCIAL SEX
SANTA ANA – A man is scheduled to be arraigned today for trafficking a minor girl for commercial sex. John Phillip Hunt, 27, Hayward, is charged with one felony count of human trafficking of a minor and sentencing enhancements for a prior strike conviction for residential burglary in Alameda County in 2006. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 24 years in state prison. The People will be requesting he be held on $250,000 bail and must prove the money is from a legal and legitimate source before posting bond. Hunt is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.
Circumstances of the Case
Hunt is accused of being a pimp who exploits women and/or children for financial gain. Pimps often establish rigid rules that their victims are expected to follow including addressing the pimp as “Sir” or “Daddy.”
Between May 22, 2014, and May 24, 2014, Hunt is accused of trafficking 17-year-old Jane Doe by driving her from Oakland to an Anaheim motel, in an area known for prostitution, with the intent of having the victim perform commercial sex for the benefit of the defendant.
On May 24, 2014, a motel employee contacted the Anaheim Police Department (APD) after reporting suspicious behavior from the defendant. APD began investigating this case with the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF).
APD located the defendant sitting inside his car with the victim. The defendant is accused of possessing sexually explicit photographs of Jane Doe and previously using them to advertise commercial sex on a website known for prostitution. APD arrested the defendant.
OCHTTF and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office work proactively to protect victims, especially minors, from commercial sexual exploitation. With the rise in popularity of social media and ease of meeting people on the Internet, many pimps and human traffickers utilize these methods to locate potential victims
This case was investigated by APD and OCHTTF and Deputy District Attorney Daniel Varon of the HEAT Unit is prosecuting this case.