Five men are behind bars following a human sex trafficking operation in Tulare County
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- Five men arrested in Tulare County after a two-day human sex trafficking detail.
- Detectives rescued four adult women and contacted potential victims for help.
- Sheriff’s Office vows continued operations and provides hotlines for reporting.
Five men are behind bars following a human sex trafficking operation in Tulare County.
Detectives from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office and Porterville Police Department, conducted a two-day human sex trafficking detail in the Visalia area over the weekend, police say.
According to law enforcement, Edward Pena 41, of Tulare, Fernando Martinez 53, of Orange Cove; Roy Pearce 43, of Visalia, Arturo Zaragoza 43, of Visalia and David Abundiz 56, of Reedley, were identified as individuals who solicited women for sexual favors in exchange for money through escort services during the detail operation that took place Friday, Jan. 30 and Saturday, Jan. 31
The five men were arrested and charged with soliciting prostitution.
During the operation, detectives contacted potential victims of human trafficking and offered services and help to them.
Tulare County Human Trafficking detectives rescued four adult women during the operation who were victims of human trafficking, police said. The age, identity, or city of residence of the victims were not released by law enforcement.
“The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office is actively involved in the prevention of human trafficking and believes no human should be bought or sold. Detectives will continue to conduct these types of operations in the future for the safety and security of the people of Tulare County,” said the Sheriff’s office.
If you, or someone you know, is a victim of human trafficking, contact the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 733-6218, or Tip Now at tcso@tipnow.com or (559) 725-4194 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You can also contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1(888)373-7888.
This story was originally published February 2, 2026 at 1:09 PM.
