A Long Beach man who brought two teenage girls to the San Diego area to have them work as prostitutes was sentenced this week to nine years in federal prison.
Deonathan Abdul Gaston, 26, transported the girls -- ages 15 and 16 -- to San Diego last summer, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Prosecutors said Gaston was stopped by National City police on Aug. 13 "in a high-crime area known for prostitution," and police did not let him drive away because he didn't have a driver's license on him.
He called his "girlfriend" to come pick up the car and the girl who arrived turned out to be a teenager reported missing from Arizona, according to prosecutors. Police then went to the hotel where the girl said they had been staying and found the other teenage victim.
"Selling children for sex is a reprehensible crime that impacts victims for a lifetime," San Diego U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath said in a statement. "We can all play a part in protecting the vulnerable by paying close attention to warning signs and reporting concerns. Our children are not necessarily being grabbed from the street. They are being groomed and recruited online."
The U.S. Attorney's Office said anyone who is or knows someone who is living or working under threats of violence or extortion can call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center toll free, 24/7 Hotline at 888-373-7888 or text BeFree or 233733.
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