Deputies responding to what they thought was a domestic disturbance ended up finding a human trafficking victim who had been assaulted at a Rancho Cucamonga hotel last week, authorities said Monday.
Sethtaniel Tyrece Davis, 38, is seen in a photo provided by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department on Dec. 9, 2019.
The victim, a 20-year-old woman from Los Angeles County, was treated for injuries on Dec. 2 after she said she was assaulted by 38-year-old Sethtaniel Tyrece Davis. Investigators believe Davis was involved with trafficking the woman, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
Davis fled the hotel by the time deputies arrived shortly before 5 a.m., authorities said.
Deputies were still searching for the man Monday, and the department asked for the public’s help with finding him.
Authorities said there may be other, unidentified victims related to the case.
The woman was taken to the Rancho Cucamonga police station, and investigators from the San Bernardino County Human Trafficking Task Force continued the investigation.
“She was rescued and provided victim services prior to being safely released from the station,” the Sheriff’s Department said.
The case remains under investigation, and no further details were available.
Anyone with information was asked to call county human trafficking task force at 909-387-8400. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call the We-Tip hotline at 888-782-7463.
California had the highest number of reported human trafficking cases in the U.S. last year, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
About 1,565 human of 10,949 human trafficking cases in the U.S. were reported in California in 2018, according to the hotline’s website.
Women made up over 65% of victims nationwide, with sex trafficking being the most common type of trafficking.