File Image: Generic man in handcuffs
A Marin County man who works as a crossing guard near a Mill Valley High School has been charged with pandering after allegedly attempting to recruit an undercover detective for prostitution, the Marin County Sheriff's Office said Friday.
Detectives with the Marin County Major Crimes Task Force learned of human trafficking recruitment efforts via social media in February and identified the man behind them as Nathaniel Coleman, 33, of Marin City.
When an undercover detective contacted Coleman online, they conversed for several days as the task force worked to confirm his identity.
"Coleman began attempting to groom the undercover detective to work for him as a prostitute, demanding that she pay Coleman $500 from her human trafficking earnings," the sheriff's office said in a news release.
"Coleman also boasted that he had two other women engaging in human trafficking at his direction."
The suspect repeatedly asked to see the detective and start her working as a prostitute and was waiting on Thursday for a supposed meeting with her at a Marin City location that task force detectives had staked out.
When Coleman arrived, he was arrested for pandering and possession of marijuana for sales.
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"In an interview with Coleman, detectives learned that he currently worked as a crossing guard in Mill Valley near Tamalpais High School, information that was confirmed by Task Force detectives," the sheriff's office said.
Coleman denied having other woman working for him and officials said no other trafficking victims have been identified to date.
The investigation is continuing and anyone with information on the case is asked to call (800) 369-4694.
