New law aims to protect young victims of sexual exploitation

Watsonville police reported Wednesday that a man is behind bars on charges of rape, kidnapping and forcing a minor into prostitution. Police said William Ortiz Ruiz, 21, was arrested in Mexico on Friday and extradited to Santa Cruz County.

“It was just information that was provided to us and then we collaborated with the FBI, which we have a great working relationship with, and they then collaborated with their sources down in Mexico,” said Watsonville Police Detective Elizabeth Sousa.

Police are not saying how old the victim is or how she knew Ruiz but said the crime happened back in November before the U.S. citizen ran off to Mexico.

It’s not the first time that this kind of human trafficking crime has happened in Watsonville. Back in May, a 34-year-old was arrested after police said he sexually exploited a 16-year-old. There have also been at least two other such cases this year in Monterey County.

“This is a big issue,” said Deborah Pembrook with the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center. “Human trafficking happens here in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.”

Pembrook told KION that a multi-county coalition to end human trafficking was started in 2014. It has since made some progress, but she says a new law that goes into effect on Sunday will help protect victims instead of arresting them.

“Too often they would be handcuffed, arrested , taken to juvenile hall,” said Pembrook. “They are treated like a criminal, where by definition, they are a victim of a very serious, very traumatic crime.”