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Vallejo, CA - On November 3, 2025, officers assigned to the Vallejo Police Department Patrol Division received information from a family member that a juvenile was being held and sexually exploited at a hotel in the 400 block of Fairgrounds Drive.
Upon arrival, patrol officers located the juvenile at the business, immediately ensured the juvenile's safety, and began investigating the circumstances that brought the juvenile to Vallejo. A records check confirmed the juvenile was missing out of Riverside County and was considered at high risk for sexual exploitation.
The patrol officers identified a specific hotel room associated with the juvenile and contacted an adult male standing outside that room. The adult male matched the description provided by the juvenile and was detained. A records check identified the male as Justen Allen Powell, a 26-year-old male from Fresno, California. The records check also revealed that Powell was a convicted felon for assault with a deadly weapon involving a firearm.
Through on-scene interviews and evidence collection, patrol officers learned that the juvenile had met the adult male in Southern California and had been transported to multiple locations, including the Los Angeles region, Fresno, Richmond, and finally Vallejo. The investigation indicated that the juvenile was being sexually assaulted and that their ability to leave was restricted through intimidation and control.
The juvenile was taken into protective custody by Vallejo patrol officers and transported to a local hospital for medical treatment and a sexual assault response evaluation. Solano County Child Protective Services (CPS) was notified and took custody of the juvenile.
Justin Allen Powell was arrested and booked into the Solano County Jail on multiple felony charges, including pimping and pandering, corporal injuries to a child, false imprisonment with violence, kidnapping, and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.
Chief of Police Jason Ta stated, "Human trafficking is a serious crime that affects communities throughout our region, and Vallejo is not immune. In this case, our patrol officers acted immediately to ensure the victim's safety, connect them with medical care and support services, while taking the suspect into custody. The Vallejo Police Department will continue to prioritize these investigations and work with our local, state, and federal partners to identify, arrest, and prosecute individuals who traffic or exploit others in our city to the fullest extent of the law."
Anyone with information related to this case or other suspected incidents of human trafficking in Vallejo is asked to call 911 or contact the Vallejo Police Department Communications Division at (707) 552-3285. If you wish to remain anonymous, please call the Vallejo Police Department tip line at 1-800-488-9383.
Community Safety First. Service with Integrity. Partnership for a Stronger Vallejo.
For media inquiries, please contact Public Information Officer Sgt. Rashad Hollis by email at VallejoPolicePIO@cityofvallejo.net or by phone at (707) 567-4233.
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