Palo Alto Man Arrested In Prostitution Sting In Solano County: PD

SOLANO COUNTY, CA — Four people — including a Palo Alto man — were arrested during a human trafficking operation conducted Saturday, Jan. 20 in Fairfield, authorities said. Members of the Fairfield, Benicia and Vacaville police departments partnered in the operation, which involved detectives posing as customers on websites allegedly advertising prostitution services, said Kathryn McCormick, spokeswoman for the Fairfield Police Department.

The detectives targeted ads for female prostitutes younger than 18, McCormick said in a news release.

"After agreeing on a price for various sex acts, the suspected prostitutes went to the location where the operation was occurring," McCormick said. "Once they arrived at the predetermined location, the women were taken into custody and efforts were made to determine if they were victims of human trafficking."

In one of the instances, the alleged prostitute arrived at the agreed upon residence with a male counterpart — later identified by police as 47-year-old Melvin Ballard of Palo Alto — and both were placed under arrest as police investigated the relationship between the two, the spokeswoman said.

Ballard was ultimately booked into Solano County Jail on suspicion of pandering and forgery, and the woman he arrived with was booked on suspicion of prostitution.

Two other women — for a total of three — were arrested in operation. One of the women, a 28-year-old Fairfield resident, was also booked on suspicion of drug charges, McCormick said.

The women's names were not disclosed by police.

McCormick said a victim advocate from SafeQuest was available to offer resources to the women contacted during the operation.

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