South Bay Woman Arrested in Pomona on Prostitution Charge

POMONA, CA — A South Bay woman was among the five women arrested on suspicion of prostitution during a sting in Pomona, authorities said Saturday.

Sgt. Brian Hagerty of the Pomona Police Department said in a news release that their Major Crime Task Force utilized both undercover and uniformed officers in the Friday operation, which targeted the city's East Holt corridor, an area notorious for prostitution.

According to police, the five women arrested in the operation were:

• Alexis LaFaye Greer, 26, of Las Vegas;
• Kiara Rodriguez Matos, 20, of Hawthorne;
• Chimyra Nicole Alford, 20, of Moreno Valley;
• Saquelua Magdelene Carter, 24, Moreno Valley; and
• Whitnee Anne Florence, 29, of Pomona.

With the operation, police have taken a "proactive approach" to thwart prostitution and human trafficking in Pomona, Hagerty said, adding that more are slated to occur.

"These types of operations serve as an opportunity for victims of human trafficking to speak with officers about the dangers of this lifestyle," he said, "and provide advocates the opportunity to relocate them to safe locations."

Anyone with information is advised to contact police at (909) 620-2085 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

— City News Service, photo via Shutterstock