Fresno police, Homeland Security make felony arrests in underage prostitution sting

Fresno police in a joint operation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations made 10 felony arrests over multiple days last week, including at least seven of adults who allegedly arranged to meet minors for lewd and lascivious behavior.

During the operation there were 10 rescues of women or young women who were sexually exploited or trafficked, partnering with Breaking the Chains, a human trafficking rescue organization in Fresno that provides addiction treatment, counseling, job training and other services, according to police sources.

As part of the operation an undercover officer went online posing as an underage girl and started to chat with adults who made contact.

Cristobal Morales Hernandez, 30; Luis Martinez, 61; Paul Joseph Espinoza, 53; Juan Alberto Martinez, 29; Fabian Perez, 34; Carlos Fidel Hernandez 28; and Simrandeep Singh, 27; were were listed in Fresno County records during the week as arrests on a felony charge of arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd and lascivious behavior.

Espinoza, Carlos Fidel Hernandez, Juan Alberto Martinez, Perez and Singh also were arrested on a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct prostitution. The five were arrested on Saturday at a house in north Fresno in a steady run starting in the late afternoon and ending near midnight.

Espinoza also faces a felony charge of arranging a meeting with a minor with the intent to engage in sexual conduct, felony possession of a controlled substance with firearm, felony possession of firearm by felon or narcotic drug user and felony loaded firearm in public and misdemeanor narcotics other than marijuana possession.

According to Fresno County Jail records, Juan Alberto Martinez, Perez and Simrandeep were released on bond on Sunday hours after their arrests.

Cristobal Hernandez, who was arrested last Wednesday, remains in custody with bail set at $36,000. Bail for Carlos Hernandez and Luis Martinez, who was arrested on Friday, is set at $35,000, according to county jail records, and Espinoza with other felony charges has bail amounts set at up to $100.000.

This story was originally published June 30, 2021 at 7:30 AM.