A 38-year-old Antioch man accused of pimping and pandering is wanted on an active arrest warrant after missing a scheduled court appearance in Contra Costa County. The case traces back to a Concord hotel sting that investigators say uncovered a suspected commercial-sex operation, a stolen handgun and thousands of dollars in cash.
Keith Haywood was supposed to enter a not-guilty plea on June 15, but court records show he failed to appear, leaving the warrant active until his arrest or return to court. According to The Mercury News, Haywood had already posted $75,000 bail after being charged with pandering, pimping, being a felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a concealed stolen firearm.
The Concord hotel sting followed an undercover request
Haywood was arrested during a Jan. 30 operation led by Concord police at a Hilton hotel, according to authorities. The case unfolded during a broader Contra Costa anti-trafficking campaign that ran from Jan. 25 through Jan. 31 and involved 21 law-enforcement agencies and five separate operations, the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office said.
Investigators say an undercover officer's request prompted a suspected sex worker to arrive at the hotel and ask for an electronic money transfer to the screen name @monstagirlinc. The woman reportedly told police she and Haywood were romantically involved, while authorities said text messages appeared consistent with pimp-prostitute interactions involving the spending of sex-trafficking proceeds.
When Haywood was arrested, authorities said he had a pistol reported stolen in Phoenix and $3,110 in a satchel. The details of the undercover setup and the evidence investigators say they found were outlined in The Mercury News.
Contra Costa has been intensifying trafficking investigations
The January operation identified 20 survivors and led to the arrests of suspected exploiters on sex-trafficking, pimping, pandering and firearms allegations, according to the county. Three youth survivors were also recovered, and officials said those contacted were offered access to specialized victim advocates and support services.
Haywood's case comes amid a continuing local enforcement push. In a separate Contra Costa case, Hoodline previously reported on an Oakland man arrested at a San Francisco probation office in a minor-trafficking investigation involving pimping, pandering and witness-intimidation allegations.
The charges remain allegations
Haywood was held to answer after a preliminary hearing in late May, but the missed June court date pushed the case into warrant status. Court records list a placeholder appearance near the end of the year, although the schedule could change if Haywood is arrested or appears voluntarily.
The charges are allegations, not convictions, and Haywood is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the case in court.
