A nationwide sex trafficking sting recovered 149 children, one as young as twelve years old. Five of those victims were found in California.
The FBI initiative, dubbed Operation Cross Country IX, is in its ninth year. It targets the criminals profiting by sex trafficking of children.
The FBI Sacramento field office conducted multi-day operations in Fairfield, Fresno and Sacramento which led to the arrest of 90 adults for various offenses including probation violations and prostitution-related charges.
The field office also said seven pimps were arrested as part of the takedown. Three of the alleged pimps were arrested in Sacramento, two alleged pimps were arrested in Fairfield and two other alleged pimps were arrested in Fresno.
"Human trafficking is a monstrous and devastating crime that steals lives and degrades our nation," Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a press release. "More children will sleep safely tonight, and more wrongdoers will face the judgment of our criminal justice system."
