World Cup Trafficking Sting Leads To Arrest Of East Bay Man: Police

SAN RAFAEL, CA — A San Leandro man was arrested and two victims of human trafficking were rescued during a multi-agency enforcement operation in San Rafael, police said.

Police said Conrado Castro Hernandez, 31, communicated with undercover detectives posing as a 15-year-old and agreed to meet the minor at a San Rafael hotel.

When Hernandez arrived at the meeting location, officers arrested him, according to the San Rafael Police Department.

He was booked into the Marin County Jail on felony charges of arranging to meet a minor and contacting a minor with the intent to solicit or have sex, police said.

During the same operation, "detectives who were posing as commercial sex buyers" contacted two adult women believed to be victims of human trafficking.

Investigators said they intervened and connected the women with advocacy, shelter, counseling and other support services, police said.

The operation was part of a Northern California effort to combat human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is expected to bring thousands of visitors to the Bay Area, officials said.

Police said major international sporting events can create opportunities for traffickers by increasing demand for commercial sex, prompting law enforcement agencies across Northern California to conduct coordinated operations focused on identifying victims and arresting traffickers and people seeking to exploit minors.