A 15-year-old girl who ran away from foster care in Oregon while searching for her mother was allegedly forced into sex trafficking on Vallejo streets within days, according to federal prosecutors. Court filings say she was found around 1 a.m. on Sept. 19, 2025, at a Motel 6 in Vallejo after she sent a desperate text to a friend asking for help. Authorities allege that Donte "Tay Butta" Riley recruited the teen in Portland, then transported her to California; he has since been arrested and is now in federal custody.
Prosecutors, as reported by the Times Herald, say Riley first made contact with the girl at the Evergreen Inn in Portland in early September. Phone location data described in the complaint allegedly show travel from Oregon to Vallejo on Sept. 16. Once in Vallejo, Riley is accused of ordering the girl to work roughly 12-hour shifts on city streets, soliciting men while he collected the earnings. Federal prosecutors have charged Riley with sex trafficking, kidnapping and transportation of a minor with intent to commit a sex offense, according to the filing.
How federal law applies
Federal law treats any commercial sexual exploitation of someone under 18 as sex trafficking and makes it a crime to transport minors across state lines for illicit sexual conduct. 18 U.S.C. §1591 defines sex trafficking of children and carries severe mandatory minimum sentences. 18 U.S.C. §2423 addresses transporting minors for sexual activity.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) describes common methods traffickers use to exert control, including drugs, threats and violence. Prosecutors say those tactics mirror the conduct alleged in the complaint. Federal task forces frequently work with local agencies on these investigations, pairing federal charges with on-the-ground enforcement.
Prosecutors' allegations
The complaint, as summarized by the Times Herald, accuses Riley of enforcing strict grooming rules by inspecting victims' bodies and giving them so-called "blue pills" to keep them awake. He allegedly used sharpened knives and a gun to keep victims in line. Prosecutors say Riley charged about $120 for car dates and $150 to $200 for hotel dates, and that one victim was forced to turn over roughly $4,000 a day.
Court documents reviewed by prosecutors also indicate Riley has prior convictions stretching back years. They say he was on probation following an Alameda County case in 2025 at the time of the alleged conduct.
Local enforcement and resources
Authorities say the Vallejo case is landing in the middle of a broader regional push to find trafficking survivors and crack down on exploitative networks, with multi-agency task forces trying to combine arrests with victim support. The Contra Costa District Attorney's Office has described a similar multi-agency operation this year that identified youth survivors and led to multiple arrests, held up as an example of the Bay Area model of cooperation across federal, county and local levels.
The Contra Costa District Attorney's Office and partner groups also direct survivors and witnesses to hotlines and specialized services, including Community Violence Solutions' 24-hour support line at 1-800-670-7273.
Riley remains in federal custody while prosecutors prepare the case in federal court. A timeline for any indictment or hearings has not yet been released. Court rules protect the teen's identity, and authorities say victim-service providers are working with her. Anyone with information is urged to contact law enforcement or local victim-assistance hotlines.
