A search warrant served Wednesday at Clarita Spa & Massage was investigating local allegations of sexual acts occurring at the parlor inside the business park on Golden Valley Road, according to an L.A. County Sheriff’s Department official.
Sgt. Dontee’ Amos of the LASD Human Trafficking Task Force confirmed Thursday that two women were questioned and then later cleared of being suspects, but said the operation was very much a part of an ongoing investigation.
A Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station official indicated one person was questioned and then released during the course of the initial investigation.
Amos was not able to discuss any potential charges or named suspects at this point, he said.
Amos said the department was made aware of the allegations approximately one month ago, and law enforcement officials then obtained a search warrant based on the information investigators gathered.
He said the task force worked with several different units, including from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and Crime Prevention Unit deputies from the SCV Sheriff’s Station, which is typical for such operations.
Carrie Lujan, spokeswoman for the city of Santa Clarita, confirmed Thursday that city code-enforcement officers also took part in the operation.
The task force did not search any other establishments Thursday, Amos said, adding, “There’s no other connections that we know of that’s related to our incident.”
News of the operation comes as local officials make plans for the community’s annual SCV Human Trafficking Prevention Summit, which is scheduled for Sept. 25 at the Dianne G. Van Hook University Center on the College of the Canyons Valencia campus.
Every year, the event shares stories from those who have survived human trafficking, as well as resources for identifying human-trafficking victims.
The crime comes in many forms, said Larry Schallert, who represents the 5th District for Supervisor Kathryn Barger on the L.A. County Behavioral Health Commission, in a phone interview Thursday.
He also said that labor trafficking is a growing problem, which is why that’s the focus of this year’s conference.
“We do the summit every year to bring awareness that this can happen right here in Santa Clarita, and we know for a fact that it does, as evidenced by just the most recent event,” Schallert said. “But we also want people to be aware that in their practice, or in their school, or in their college, if they are aware of what can happen, they can ask the right questions and get people to the resources they need.”
He said a community effort also resulted in several resources being available for trafficking victims or their friends and family at bethedifferenceSCV.org.
