Fresno man sentenced to 10 years in prison – Monterey County DA

(KION-TV) - A 22-year-old man from Fresno has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for human trafficking and assault on a peace officer.

According to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office, Joshua Haastrup was convicted of one count of human trafficking of a minor, one count of assault on a peace officer, and one count of felony evading.

Back on August 11, 2023, Salinas Police received information from the FBI that Haastrup, who was wanted for human trafficking of a minor in Las Vegas, was at a local motel. Officers and detectives then set up surveillance at the motel and located him. During that time, a 15-year-old minor, Jane Doe, was getting out of Haastrup's vehicle.

When officers tried attempting a traffic stop on Haastrup, he purposefully and violently rammed the front end of two separate patrol vehicles while recklessly evading law enforcement. Haastrup reached speeds of up to 80 mph through Salinas neighborhoods before officers were able to stop and arrest him.

When officers contacted Jane Doe, they learned it was the same minor Haastrup had allegedly sexually exploited in Las Vegas. Evidence from a cell phone that was taken during the investigation confirmed that Haastrup had sexually exploited Jane Doe in Salinas during at least four separate trips between June 1 and August 11, 2023.

This is Haastrup’s first felony conviction. In addition to the sentence, Haastrup will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.