Last night, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) executed a felony arrest in Barrio Logan during a suspected prostitution investigation. Officers observed a vehicle dropping off a woman on the 3500 block of Dalbergia St., which prompted them to conduct an undercover operation, as the City of San Diego's official website reported.
During the operation conducted by SDPD’s VICE Unit in conjunction with Southeastern Division officers, Makiyah Hunter, a 19-year-old San Diego resident, was identified and stopped. The detective's training and experience initially led them to believe the woman may be a minor. However, after conducting a traffic stop on Hunter, he was arrested for charges related to pimping and pandering, according to the same source.
The woman involved in the incident was later determined not to be a minor and was offered assistance and a ride home. San Diego police are continuing the investigation to ensure her safety and to clarify the circumstances around her involvement.
In an ongoing effort to combat human trafficking and prostitution, the SDPD has been involved in operations like Operation Better Pathways and other continual maneuvers that not just target pimping but also illegal sex-buying activities while guiding victims toward support resources. With the happenstance of large-scale, joint-agency operations, the complexity of this issue in the community can often be spotlighted.
With the complexities surrounding the arrest of such sex work-related crimes, SDPD invites community members to come forward with information related to these activities, offering the department's contact number as (619) 531-2000. The department stresses the importance of community involvement in addressing and mitigating issues of illegal prostitution and human trafficking in San Diego.
