A man was arrested in a sex trafficking investigation that led to a girl being rescued, Long Beach police announced Thursday.
Calvin Lane, 37, of Gardena, was taken into custody July 26, the Long Beach Police Department reported.
Lane remains jailed in lieu of $1.1 million bail pending his next court appearance Aug. 10 in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom, jail records show.
He pleaded not guilty to one count each of human trafficking of a minor for a commercial sex act by force or fear and pimping, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
An investigation was launched after officers were dispatched July 9 to the area of 67th Street and Long Beach Boulevard regarding “a person in distress,” police said.
“Upon arrival, officers contacted a minor that was a potential human trafficking victim and notified Vice Investigations detectives, who responded to investigate,” police said.
“During their investigation, detectives determined the minor was driven to Los Angeles to work as a commercial sex worker by her trafficker,” police said.
“While the victim was being sex trafficked, she was physically and sexually assaulted,” police said. “Later, the trafficker transported the minor to Long Beach to continue to work as a commercial sex worker.”
The girl’s age was not immediately available.
Detectives identified Lane as a suspect, and obtained an arrest warrant and a search warrant for his residence, police said.
“During the arrest, officers discovered an additional adult victim,” police said.
Police said the girl was released into the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services, while the adult was “offered services by police department personnel.”
Anyone with information on the case was urged to call the LBPD Vice Investigation Detail at 562-570-7219, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS. Tipsters may also use the website www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Thank you to the officers that took the effort to investigate and arrest this man. I’m assuming someone called it in, thank you too! Get these poor women and children off the streets and away from harm. There is way to much of this going on and people have to be more vigilant and report what they see.