Nineteen victims have been recovered in Southern California as part of a human trafficking operation dubbed "Home for the Holidays," according to authorities.
The three-day undercover operation targeted local motels throughout South San Diego and involved officers posing as sex buyers by responding to online advertisements.
Four adult men, including a registered sex offender, were arrested during the sting.
The alleged perpetrators were charged with pimping, pandering, and violating a protective order. They face between six and 20 years in prison if convicted.
Six misdemeanor citations were also issued to sex buyers.
A victim as young as 12 was rescued during the operation, according to Stephan. All the victims were offered services to help them escape and heal from exploitation and human trafficking.
December's operation in San Diego was the sixth annual sting held by the Human Trafficking Task Force. Over the past four years, the "Home for the Holidays" operations have led to 23 arrests and 65 rescues.
"The ongoing efforts of the task force demonstrate that law enforcement will not tolerate this modern-day slavery of vulnerable victims who are bought and sold like a slice of pizza," the district attorney said.
The task force is a collaborative effort led by the California Department of Justice and joined by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, San Diego Police Department, and other agencies. The multi-agency task force has conducted similar operations throughout the year, recovering 47 juveniles in similar operations in 2024 and 62 juveniles in 2025.