5 Arrested in Human Trafficking Case

4 men and 1 woman are accused of kidnapping an 18-year-old and attempting to force her into prostitution

Police arrested five people from Northern California in connection with kidnapping a woman and forcing her into prostitution, officials said.

The victim, 18, was allegedly kidnapped on Friday by the suspects who were armed with pistols, police said.

After being abducted, the victim was sexually assaulted by two of the five suspects, police said. She was then told she would be forced into prostitution at a hotel in Moreno Valley.

Officers were called to the 24800 block of Elder Avenue before 5 p.m. after receiving reports of a disturbance at the hotel, according to Sgt. John Sawyer of the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force.

The victim had slipped away from her captors as they were distracted and summoned police.

The suspects -- four men and a woman -- were from San Jose and Gilroy, police said.

They were booked on charges of human trafficking, abduction for prostitution, false imprisonment and kidnapping for sexual assault, police said.

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