Man Accused Of Trafficking 2 Females Out Of Sonoma County Hotel: Cops

ROHNERT PARK, CA — A Santa Rosa man was arrested and two females were rescued as a result of a human trafficking investigation by officers with the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety's Community Oriented Problem Solving (COPS) Team, authorities said Tuesday in a news release.

On Dec. 22, the COPS team went to a Rohnert Park hotel in the 6000 block of Redwood Drive and made contact with the suspect, 45-year-old Santwun Williams of Santa Rosa man, and two females who were with him, Rohnert Park DPS Deputy Chief Kevin Kilgore said.

During the investigation, officers determined the two females — one adult and one juvenile —had been exploited in human trafficking crimes committed by Williams, Kilgore said.

The rescued survivors were provided advocate services and the juvenile survivor was released to her parents.

Williams was booked into the Sonoma County main jail on suspicion of one felony count of human trafficking of a minor, one felony count o pimping, one felony count of pandering, one felony count of child endangerment, and one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The following day, on Dec. 23, officers served a search warrant on Williams’ residence in the 3100 block of Santa Rosa Avenue in Santa Rosa where it is alleged they found additional evidence of human trafficking, as well as unregistered firearms (ghost guns).

Once officers completed the search warrant, additional arrest charges were filed, including one felony count of possession of an assault weapon, one misdemeanor count of possession of unregistered firearms, one misdemeanor count of possession of large capacity magazines, one felony count of a person prohibited from possessing firearms, one felony count of a person prohibited from possessing ammunition, and one felony count of a person convicted of a violent offense in possession of a firearm.

Williams was initially held on a $300,000 bond; as of Wednesday, jail records showed he remained in custody with his bail set at $50,o00.

Rohnert Park officers believe there are additional human trafficking victims associated with Williams and asked anyone with information regarding the case to call 707-584-2600 and refer to case number 22-5145.

According to the Rohnert Park DPS, the average age for a victim to be forced into the sex industry in Sonoma County is estimated to be between 12 and 14 years old, and victims are usually targeted based on their vulnerability. In Sonoma County, more than 200 cases of human trafficking have been filed by the District Attorney’s Office.

"The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety COPS Team is a specialized unit dedicated to addressing a variety of community and safety issues, including narcotics, human trafficking, traffic complaints, and unsheltered communities," Kilgore said. "Human trafficking can occur in any industry, including agriculture, construction, domestic service (e.g., housekeeper, nanny, etc.), restaurants, salons, commercial sex work, massage parlors, small businesses, and others. With awareness, you can help to identify and report cases of human trafficking."