The San José Police Department has announced the arrest of a 42-year-old man from Seattle, Washington, in connection with a case of commercial sex trafficking. The suspect, identified as Rashan Fellows, was apprehended on Monday after an investigation by the San José Police Department Human Trafficking Task Force (HTTF), which started earlier in the month.
According to the San José Police Department, Fellows is believed to have made contact online with an individual he thought was an adult female—and intent on exploiting her involved traveling from Seattle to California, where he was eventually taken into custody by a swarm of law enforcement units including the Special Operations M.E.R.G.E. Unit, METRO Unit, and VCET Unit. After his arrest, Fellows was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on charges related to commercial sex trafficking.
In their public statement, the San José Police Department expressed gratitude towards the U.S. Department of State for their "assistance and collaborative efforts in apprehending the suspect."
The department has encouraged anyone with information about this case or other human trafficking concerns to contact the San José Police Department Special Victims Unit Human Trafficking Task Force. Information can be submitted through confidential methods, including the P3TIPS mobile app, a tip line, and the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers website.
