An Alabama man has been charged with pimping in Rohnert Park and being part of a cross-country human trafficking ring that recruited young girls then forced them to work as prostitutes.
Jeremy Tyrone Mickens, 30, faces two counts of pimping and child endangerment and is being held at Sonoma County Jail
Mickens was arrested December 17 at the Good Nite Inn in Rohnert Park after one of his victims, a 17-year-old girl, called 911 after being beaten by Mickens. Noting the young appearance of the victim and the severity of her facial injuries, officers questioned the second pimping victim and discovered the cross-country abuse.
An investigation by the Sonoma County District Attorney revealed that Mickens works for a company that employs people to travel to various Wal-Mart stores to restock shelves. Mickens traveled from Alabama, across the country to Oregon, and ultimately to Rohnert Park, bringing two girls with him.
During the day, Mickens would work at Wal-Mart, but during the evening, he would pimp two women who were also traveling with him.
Human trafficking is a growing issue in Sonoma County, according to District Attorney Jill Ravitch, with numerous recent arrests at local motels. To raise awareness, the Human Trafficking Task Force will soon place billboards on Highway 101, urging residents to report suspected trafficking.
“We will aggressively prosecute those who engage in this practice, which amounts to modern day slavery,” Ravich said.
