Arrests Made in North County Sex Trafficking Ring

San Diego County, CA — Three people have been arrested and charged in connection with a San Marcos-based sex trafficking ring, San Diego law enforcement authorities announced Monday in a news conference.

The arrests come as a result of Operation Hotel Tango, a year-long Human Trafficking Task Force investigation led by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department that uncovered at least seven victims who were pimped and trafficked for years by three defendants in San Marcos, San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said.

Tyrone Evans, 40 of San Marcos was arrested Friday and arraigned Monday on 22 felony counts including human trafficking and pimping and pandering.

Lila Lefors, 36 of Carlsbad, and Natasha McElrath, 37 of San Marcos, were also arrested Friday and arraigned Monday on six felony counts including human trafficking and pimping and pandering.

The investigation of Evans and his alleged pimping activities involved a multitude of search warrants looking at financial records and communications on Gmail, iCloud, Uber, Backpage.com, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram, according to the DA's Office.

Investigators tracked the methods Evans allegedly used to control his victims and found he assisted and worked with other individuals in their pimping activities. For example, the DA's Office said, several people sought out Evans seeking his advice on how to best conduct their own operations.

Lefors and McElrath are accused of helping Evans use force as well as coercion and duress to force victims to engage in sex acts for money. Victims were forced to travel around the state, as well as to different states to conduct their sex trade, investigators said. They were dependent on Evans for money and said Evans would leave them stranded and without enough money to eat.

Agencies that assisted the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department in Operation Hotel Tango were the California Department of Justice, the DA's, the Escondido and San Diego police departments and the California Highway Patrol.

“Where there is human trafficking, there are no victims' rights,” said San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore. “There is only degradation and shame. And, it's not limited to particular regions or individuals with a lengthy criminal past. We're learning this is the 'neighbor-next-door' type of crime; a criminal malignancy that permeates all levels of our society.”

Evans faces up to 29 years, four months in prison and Lefors and McElrath each face up to 24 years, eight months in prison.

The defendants pleaded not guilty at Monday's arraignment and are being held on bail amounts that range from $200,000 to $800,000. They will be in court again on June 27 for a status conference.

“Human traffickers exploit vulnerable children and adults, subjecting their victims to manipulation, violence, and unspeakable cruelty while forcing them into labor and prostitution,” said Attorney General Kamala D. Harris. “I thank our law enforcement partners in the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and our California Department of Justice Special Agents for working diligently and collaboratively to protect victims of trafficking and hold accountable those who profit from the insidious crime of human trafficking.”

The take-down follows the arrests last week of two San Diego men in an online-based sex enterprise.

“This month’s successful take down of two sex trafficking operations is further evidence of law enforcement’s commitment and cooperation in San Diego County to stop the scourge of human trafficking,” Dumanis said. “Our partners at the Human Trafficking Task Force continue to rescue victims of sex trafficking on a regular basis and the DA’s Office is holding the individuals who exploit these young women and girls responsible for their crimes.”

The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force is a cooperative effort involving the California Department of Justice/Attorney General’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Escondido Police Department, San Diego City Attorney’s Office, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and other supporting agencies including the Chula Vista, Coronado, La Mesa and Oceanside police departments, FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Enforcement and Removal Operations, ICE/Homeland Security Investigations, IRS, San Diego County Probation Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Marshals Service.

The mission is to disrupt and dismantle human trafficking and child exploitation organizations through a comprehensive, collaborative and regional law enforcement and prosecution response, in order to identify and rescue victims and hold their offenders accountable; along with promoting community awareness, expanding the exchange of information, and enhancing law enforcement resources and training.

Later this month, the DA’s Office is expected to announce a unique and provocative human trafficking awareness campaign designed to change public attitudes and policy toward human trafficking.

(Images courtesy of San Diego County District Attorney's Office)