12-year-old human trafficking victim rescued by Vallejo police

Officers arrest perpetrator suspect, 19-year-old Fidel Rodriguez-Navarrete

Vallejo police say an arrest has been made after a 12-year-old was rescued from a human trafficking operation.

“While our resources are limited, we still try our best every day to make an impact, and we’re happy we were able to rescue this young girl from her abuser and get her to safety,” Sgt. George Simpson told the Times-Herald via email on Friday.

The arrest took place on Wednesday, after officers with the Vallejo Police Department responded to a report of a 12-year-old female victim being forced into human trafficking in the 400 Block of Fairgrounds Drive.

The child victim was observed returning to the area establishment with the male suspect, identified as 19-year-old Fidel Rodriguez-Navarrete of Vallejo.

The suspect and victim were inside of the establishment when officers planned and safely executed a peaceful surrender. Vallejo police detectives and evidence personnel later executed a search warrant of the location, where they found evidence of human trafficking.

Police say the child victim had been forced into human trafficking by suspect Rodriguez-Navarrete over the course of the last several weeks. The suspect was arrested and booked into the Solano County Jail on multiple charges, including human trafficking of a minor, sex with a minor, and assault with a deadly weapon.

“The lead police sergeant and officers who responded in this case did an excellent job of quickly investigating this matter and executing the child victim’s safe surrender,” Vallejo Police Department Public Information Officer Brittany Jackson told the Times

Herald on Friday. “I was there, I saw it all, and situations like this truly open your eyes to the reality of those who live with impure intent and wicked hearts. It also brings to mind the top priority of creating safe spaces in the City of Vallejo for child and adult victims.

“I had a chance to speak to the young girl. We sat on a cold steel bench at our police station,” Jackson continued. “I gave her my sweater and let her know that she is a survivor, that she’s worth it, that she’ll get through this and that she only deserves the best. While it may take some time for her to unpack and overcome the trauma she’s experienced, I am hopeful that our community partners and local agencies will continue to stand in the gap and help us advocate for the safe spaces the City of Vallejo so critically needs.”

The juvenile survivor was provided with medical treatment and transported to a county agency to receive additional resources and support. Ultimately, she was placed back into the care and custody of social workers from her county of residence.

“I applaud the juvenile survivor for having the courage and fortitude to call for help,” Chief of Police Shawny Williams stated in a news release. “All the credit for stopping this human trafficker belongs to her. Human trafficking is an evil and egregious assault against humanity and the human dignity of its victims. Our community has a moral duty to hold perpetrators of these heinous crimes accountable, defeat human trafficking through advocacy and help survivors rebuild their lives.

“Furthermore, this despicable case of child sex trafficking and sexual assault against a minor reemphasizes the importance of victim advocacy, support and prevention in the City of Vallejo,” Williams continued. “The fact that a child victim has to be subjected to sitting on a cold police bench following a traumatic incident is unacceptable. We must take action immediately to protect the most vulnerable members of our community and answer the call to create safe spaces where victims can receive the traumainformed care and support they so desperately need.”

“I had a chance to speak to the young girl. We sat on a cold steel bench at our police station. I gave her my sweater and let her know that she is a survivor, that she’s worth it, that she’ll get through this and that she only deserves the best.”

— Vallejo Police Department Public Information Officer Brittany Jackson

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective Brian Murphy at (707) 648-5430. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please reference the following resources for help:

• Solano Trauma Recovery Center, http://www.solanotrc.org/, 24-Hour Hotline : 707-603-9065

• My Sister’s House (Sacramento) http://www.mysisters-house.org/

• National Human Trafficking Hotline , https://humantraffickinghotline.org/