Alleged kidnapper pimp, juvenile victim found in Vallejo hotel after hopping cities: police

(KRON) — Vallejo police said a juvenile reported missing out of Riverside County was being held and sexually exploited at a Vallejo hotel. Her suspected pimp was detained by officers as he stood outside the room.

Investigators said they were alerted by a family member that the juvenile was at a hotel in the 400 block of Fairgrounds Drive. Police said they located the missing juvenile and immediately questioned her regarding her safety and what circumstances brought her to Vallejo. Police said records showed that the child was “considered at high risk for sexual exploitation.”

“Through on-scene interviews and evidence collection, patrol officers learned that the juvenile had met the adult male in Southern California and had been transported to multiple locations, including the Los Angeles region, Fresno, Richmond, and finally Vallejo,” added police in a news release. “The investigation indicated that the juvenile was being sexually assaulted and that their ability to leave was restricted through intimidation and control.”

The juvenile is now in the custody of Solano County Child Protective Services.

Justen Allen Powell, 26, of Fresno, was arrested and booked into the Solano County Jail. Powell is a felon who was previously convicted of assault and gun crimes, police said. He faces several felony charges, including pimping and pandering, corporal injuries to a child, false imprisonment with violence, kidnapping, and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.

“Human trafficking is a serious crime that affects communities throughout our region, and Vallejo is not immune,” said Vallejo Police Chief Jason Ta.

Anyone with information related to this case or other suspected incidents of human trafficking in Vallejo is asked to call 911 or contact the Vallejo Police Department Communications Division at (707) 552-3285. Anonymous tips are welcome at 1-800-488-9383.