An undercover operation focused on prostitution has led to 17 arrests in Santa Barbara County.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office, and Santa Barbara Police set up a sting operation.
Men responding to online ads for sex were arrested after they negotiated a deal with an undercover officer, and showed up at a Goleta motel. Detectives say the men arrested during the two day operation came from throughout Santa Barbara County, and ranged in age from 19 to 78 years old.
Investigators say the big goals of the effort were to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the county.
