7 Men Charged with Solicitation During Anti-Human Trafficking Operation
Author: District Attorney
Date:
7/17/2020 6:05:07 PM
District Attorney Dan Dow announced today that charges have been filed against seven individuals for solicitation of prostitution. The charges stem from Operation Reclaim and Rebuild conducted in January when the San Luis Obispo County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force participated in the statewide operation.
*SEE UPDATE BELOW ARTICLE* (1/20/2023)
District Attorney Dan Dow announced today the filing of criminal charges against seven individuals for solicitation of prostitution and the conviction of one individual for human trafficking. The eight cases are based on arrests made during Operation Reclaim and Rebuild 2020 occurring across California during the month of January. All seven defendants charged with solicitation are scheduled to appear for arraignment on the charges on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 in the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.
"The demand for prostitution creates a lucrative cash market that traffickers fill with victims - many who are children," said District Attorney Dan Dow. "Our local anti-human trafficking purchaser sting operations are designed to reduce the demand for commercial sex that leads to exploitation of minors and adults every day in our community. If you are considering purchasing sexual services, please stop and consider that one million kids are trafficked for sex each year."*
The San Luis Obispo County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force was formally established by District Attorney Dan Dow shortly after his election in 2014. This operation by the Task Force was directly aimed at disrupting networks of human trafficking for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation occurring on the central coast, identifying and assisting survivors of trafficking, and reducing the demand for trafficking and exploitation of minors by identifying and prosecuting would-be purchasers.
The local operation resulted in the arrest and successful prosecution of GUY ALVIN AZAMA, JR. (32), of San Francisco for human trafficking and pimping of a human trafficking survivor, violations of Penal Code section 236.1(a) and Penal Code section 266h(a). AZAMA was previously convicted for pimping in San Mateo County Superior Court and served a state prison term. AZAMA pled to the charge here in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court and was sentenced on May 5, 2020 to serve five years in State Prison for this new conviction. He currently is in the custody of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff due to the current prohibition against transporting state prisoners to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation because of coronavirus concerns.
The District Attorney's Office filed seven misdemeanor complaints for violations of Penal Code section 647(b), solicitation of prostitution occurring on January 29, 2020. These cases are set for arraignment on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 in the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.
The individuals charged with solicitation of prostitution are as follows:
Person 1*, (66), of Templeton
Person 2*, (26), of Lompoc
Person 3*, (54), of San Luis Obispo
JAKE DANIEL CENISEROZ (32), of Atascadero
Person 5*, (33), of San Luis Obispo
Person 6*, (45), of Santa Maria
STEPHAN RUFFINO (66), of Santa Maria
Operation Reclaim and Rebuild 2020 was led by the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force. The San Luis Obispo County effort included a total of 48 law enforcement and partner staff members from the following organizations: Santa Barbara County Sheriff, Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol, San Luis Obispo County Probation, Federal Bureau of Investigation (Santa Maria Office), California Department of Justice, Deliverfund, and the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation. We are thankful for the efforts of each of our partners listed above.
It is important to note that a criminal complaint contains charges that must be proven in a court of law by proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
A copy of the complaints can be accessed for each defendant here: Person 1, Person 2, Person 3, CENISEROZ, Person 5, Person 6, RUFFINO.
Booking photo of GUY ALVIN AZAMA, JR (dob 12/15/1987) convicted of Human Trafficking can be found here. AZAMA criminal complaint is here.
Please contact Assistant District Attorney Eric J. Dobroth at 805.781.5819 with any questions.
*statistic reported by UNICEF.
*UPDATE as of January 20, 2023:
The prosecutions of five of the above seven individuals were dismissed based on their successful participation of the District Attorney’s deferred entry of judgement Anti-Human Trafficking Education & Awareness Program (AHTEAP) for those charged with Solicitation of Prostitution in violation of Penal Code section 647(b). To succeed in the program a participant must enter a guilty plea to the charge, obey all laws, complete 40 hours of community service, participate in four 2-hour training sessions on the impact that soliciting prostitution has on human trafficking, and pass a test on what was presented. Finally, a participant must write and present a five-page paper on what they learned through the process and how the training affected them personally. Once a participant has completed these requirements, they are allowed to withdraw their guilty plea and the case is dismissed. The names of the five successful AHTEAP participants whose cases have been dismissed have been redacted from this press release.