The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office made four arrests in a human trafficking sting operation that took place in early November.
On Tuesday, the sheriff's office announced that four sex buyers were arrested in the sting. Three female victims were contacted by officials.
A Human Trafficking Task Force conducted the sting operation with the goal of rescuing trafficking victims and connecting them with resources, identifying and arresting traffickers and disrupting the demand for trafficking.
The task force was established in 2016 with a $1.34 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. An additional $1.2 million was granted for the program when the program was renewed for an additional three years in 2020.
Because the investigation is ongoing, the sheriff's office has not released names of those arrested.
The Sheriff's Office reminds survivors that support services are available through a community partner, Standing Together to End Sexual Assault. Their 24-hour confidential hotline can be reached by calling 805-564-3696.
