4 Murrieta Men Arrested In CA Human Trafficking Sting

MURRIETA, CA — Of the 112 Riverside County residents arrested in connection with a week-long human trafficking sting, four are from Murrieta, authorities said this week.

Johnathan Salgado, 35; Marco Cota, 42; Charles Polhamus, 37 and Jeremiah Aprapeles, 45, were taken into custody during the operation, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said in a news release.

At least 13 victims were also rescued across the county, but their identities were not released.

The operation, called "Operation Reclaim & Rebuild," involved dozens of law enforcement agencies like the Murrieta Police Department and numerous advocacy groups, the sheriff's department said.

The initiative focused on rescuing victims of sexual slavery and human trafficking and disrupting the trade by arresting suspected customers and traffickers.

The sting was carried out Jan. 26 through Saturday.

Human trafficking "fuels an illicit underground economy," the department said. "Often, individuals engaging in acts of prostitution are being forced to commit sexual acts against their will."
Many of those arrested in Riverside County are suspected of soliciting prostitution, pimping, pandering, various warrants, possession of various narcotics and other crimes related to human trafficking, according to the department.
Services and resources were given to 13 possible victims of these crimes. Statewide, some 177 victims were rescued — 11 of them were children.
READ MORE: CA Trafficking Sting Nets 547; 11 Children Among 177 Victims Rescued
The arrests come during National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

"Human traffickers are essentially modern-day slave masters who should be on clear notice that we will find them, arrest them, prosecute them, and seek maximum time behind bars for their despicable acts of preying on young girls and boys," said newly elected Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman at a news conference earlier this week.

The 11 minors rescued from possible exploiters were placed in protective custody and will receive support from the Department of Children and Family Services, authorities announced.
"Prostitution is not a 'victimless' crime," the department said Wednesday. "Those victimized by commercial sexual exploitation frequently have long histories of emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse or trauma in their backgrounds."
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department has released 107 identities of those arrested. The remaining names have been withheld amid ongoing investigations or to protect the confidentiality of victims.
Sunday, Jan. 26:

• Eric Sinclair, 43, from Fontana
• Elian Gonzalez-Lucero, 23, from Hemet
• Duber Carmona-Marin, 37, from Corona
• Osmin Caceres-Triminio, 22, from Norco
• Aerick Stevens, 42, from Fontana
• Anthony Villalobos-Paredes, 26, from Apple Valley
• Stellios Karafotis, 54, from Lake Elsinore
• Jesus Zarate-Perez, 52, from Riverside
• Malcolm Pope, 45, from Loma Linda
• Gilberto Rodriguez-Alcon, 42, from Riverside
• Luis Perez, 43, from Jurupa Valley
• Ronnie Castillo, 40, from Eastvale

Monday, Jan. 27:

• Cruz Flores, 47, from Apple Valley
• Jose Garcia, 30, from Corona
• Antonio Gonzalez, 34, from Corona
• Chad Taylor, 31, from Corona
• James Reis, 58, from Corona
• Christian Corona, 29, from Corona
• Henry Gamez, 38, from Banning
• Edwin Alvarado, 30, from Hesperia
• Levison Pelicoguox, 22, from Home Gardens
• Westley Carrick, 40, from Eastvale
• Johnny Castillo, 26, from Riverside
• Phillip Murray, 36, from Corona

Tuesday, Jan. 28:

• Kensley Coleman, 31, from Los Angeles
• Geovanni Camarillo, 39, from Perris
• Michael Vasquez, 37, from Nuevo
• Casey Barkley, 44, from Lake Elsinore
• Johnathan Salgado, 35, from Murrieta
• Silvestre Gallardo, 42, from Indio
• Anthony Fuller, 36, from Corona
• Francisco Bautista, 35, from Lake Elsinore
• Spencer Taylor, 32, from Pomona
• Edwin Rojas-Boytes, 26, from Moreno Valley
• Ivan Hernandez, 32, from Riverside
• Marco Cota, 42, from Murrieta
• Angel Llano-Trinidad, 42, from Corona
• Brian Huff, 47, from Menifee
• Charles Polhamus, 37, from Murrieta
• Alexandru Bogdan, 32, from Fullerton
• Ashley Tuazon, 42, from Winchester
• Mauro Martinez Jr., 22, from Temecula
• Jeremiah Arapeles, 45, from Murrieta
• Cristopher Funk, 30, from Norco

Wednesday, Jan. 29:

• Jose Navarro, 28, from San Jacinto
• Miguel Hernandez-Martinez, 34, from Temecula
• Damian Araiza, 22, from San Jacinto
• Juan Rizo, 44, from Menifee
• Brandyn Resendiz, 22, from Lake Elsinore
• Jacob Barker, 21, from Temecula
• Eric Stowe, 52, from Menifee
• Hunter Hewitt, 34, from Temecula
• Fred Ruelas-Gonzalez, 37, from Hemet
• Richard George, 37, from Temecula
• Ronnie Saldivar, 56, from Escondido
• Jerry Williams Jr., 30, from Corona
• Adrian Castaneda, 37, from Banning
• Shawn Arnold, 23, from Palm Springs
• Arthur Toumasayan, 41, from Los Angeles
• Aldo Acosta, 25, from Mecca
• Ky Tran, 20, from Palm Desert
• Kenneth Phillips, 68, from La Quinta
• Kenneth Smith, 66, from Rancho Mirage

Thursday, Jan. 30

• Maynor Bollat, 49, from Cathedral City
• Erich Wenzel, 40, from Calimesa
• Gerardo Recendiz, 31, from Cathedral City
• Nathaniel Camaddo, 25
• Octavio Orozco, 43, from La Quinta
• Billy Juarez, 55, from Palm Desert
• Robert Hertwig, 58, from La Quinta
• Juan Cordova, 45, from Indio
• Omar Avalos, 28, from Coachella
• Julian Carrillo, 25, from Imperial
• Carlos Zaragoza, 32, from Coachella
• Jesse Sanchez Jr., 40, from Riverside
• Andy Montes, 23, from Corona
• Robert Lisardo, 21, from Riverside
• Pablo Jimenez-Alarcon, 44, from Corona
• Lawrence Austria, 46, from Lake Elsinore
• Wilberto Morales, 45, from Perris
• Brandon Zoller, 28, from Corona
• Ricardo Soto-Sanchez, 44, from Corona
• Gabriel Meza, 29, from Mission Viejo
• Jimmy La, 32, from Ontario
• Angel Armenta, 24, from Jurupa Valley

Friday, January 31, 2025:

• Zachary Jividen, 28, from Banning
• Clint Davis, 44, from Riverside
• Zackary Ruelas, 33, from Moreno Valley
• Steven Carillo, 27, from Moreno Valley
• Jorge Ruiz, 42, from Moreno Valley
• Omar Villagrana-Salazar, 43, from Hemet
• Ernesto Hernandez, 18, from Moreno Valley
• Juwan Jennings, 28, from Perris
• Kevin Zavala, 30, from Los Angeles
• Jesse Garcia, 35, from Riverside
• Tony Holt, 39, from Moreno Valley

Saturday, Feb. 1:

• Ramiro Morales, 35, from San Jacinto
• Alberto Gonzalez-Mosqueda, 26, from Fontana
• Conrad Curtis, 43, from Beaumont
• Aldair Aguilar, 25, from Hemet
• Marquis Blunt, 39, from Hemet
• Gabriel Reyes, 25, from Hemet
• Redus Hall, 60, from Menifee
• Akorede Oladimeji, 27, from Beaumont
• Toby Swofford, 54, from Hemet
• Bernard Franklin, 36, from Banning