By Alexandra Mendoza 
Three people have been arrested for purported ties to a sex-trafficking ring operating in North County according to information disclosed by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office this week.
The arrests were made as part of Operation Hotel Tango, a yearlong investigation that culminated with the rescue of at least seven victims who for years had been forced to perform sex acts.
The suspects, 40-year-old Tyrone Evans, Lila Effors, 36, and Natasha McElrath, 37, face pimping, pandering, and human trafficking charges. If found guilty, they could face sentences over 20 years long, said the DA’s office.
The investigation revealed that Evans, aided by his two accomplices, used threats and violence to force victims into having sex for money.
“Our partners at the Human Trafficking Task Force continue to rescue victims of sex trafficking on a regular basis and the DA’s Office is holding the individuals who exploit these young women and girls responsible for their crimes,” expressed District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.
As part of the operation, the suspects’ financial records were investigated, as well as their electronic communications such as Gmail, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, iCloud, and Uber, said the District Attorney’s Office.
“Human traffickers exploit vulnerable children and adults, subjecting their victims to manipulation, violence, and unspeakable cruelty while forcing them into labor and prostitution,” stated California Attorney General Kamala Harris in a press release.
The suspects pleaded not guilty before a San Diego District Court, where their respective bails were set at between $200,000 and $800,000.
In the coming days, the District Attorney’s Office is expected to announce a new awareness campaign about this crime, which is on the rise. In the past four years, human trafficking cases have quadrupled, the DA Office informed.