Man Suspected Of Trafficking Minor From Local Motels: Rohnert Park DPS

ROHNERT PARK, CA — A Santa Rosa man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of human trafficking of a minor, concluding an 11-month investigation by the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety Community Oriented Problem Solving —COPS —Team, police said.

Pedro Lopez-Plascencia, 27, is suspected of commercial sex trafficking of a 14-year-old at local motels in the city of Rohnert Park and the surrounding area, Rohnert Park DPS Deputy Chief Kevin Kilgore said Thursday in a news release.

Lopez-Plascencia was arrested on suspicion of six felony charges, including one felony count of human trafficking of a minor for sex, one felony count of pimping a minor under the age of 16, one felony count of pandering a minor under the age of 16, one felony count of procuring a child under the age of 16 for lewd or lascivious acts, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one felony count of providing a controlled substance to a minor, according to the news release.

Lopez-Plascencia was booked into Sonoma County jail where his bail was set at $750,000.

Human Trafficking In Sonoma County

Human trafficking is among the community and safety issues the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety COPS Team works to address.

More than 200 cases of human trafficking have been filed by the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office since 2011, Rohnert Park police said. Due to the nature of the crime, a majority of cases go unreported.

The average age for a victim to be forced into the sex industry in Sonoma County is estimated to be between 12 and 14 years old, and victims are usually targeted based on their vulnerability, police said.

"Human trafficking can occur in any industry, including agriculture, construction, domestic service (e.g., housekeeper, nanny, etc.), restaurants, salons, commercial sex work, massage parlors, small businesses, and others," Kilgore said. "With awareness, you can help to identify and report cases of human trafficking."

Police asked anyone with information on this case or other possible victims of human trafficking to contact Officer Chris Snyder at 707-584-2600 and refer to case number 22-2603.