Location: Tulare County

Incident Date: 2/26/18

Incident Time: 0930 hours

Case Number: 17-00929

Victim: Confidential

City: Tulare County

Posted by: Media Relations

**************UPDATE*******************************************

UPDATE: SEX TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED IN SUPERIOR COURT TODAY, Feb. 26, 2018

TULARE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE announced that defendants Quinton Brown and Gerald Turner have been sentenced for multiple felony charges of sex trafficking of a minor.  The defendants entered guilty pleas in Tulare County Superior Court on January 16th. 

On Feb. 26, 2018 both defendants appeared in Tulare County Superior Court and were sentenced. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Quinton Brown was sentenced to serve a 28-year sentence, and Gerald Turner was sentenced to serve an 11-year sentence. Both defendants are to serve their time in a California State Institution and are required to register as sex offenders under Penal Code 290.

The third defendant, Mia McNeil, failed to appear and a warrant for her arrest was issued in the amount of $200,000.

In July 2017, Attorney General Becerra filed 54 felony charges against Brown, Turner and McNeil following a 6-month investigation by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Human Trafficking Task Force and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s Regional Human Trafficking Task Force. 

The criminal complaint alleged that Brown lured victims from the Central Valley and trafficked them throughout the State. It also alleged that Turner trafficked minors in the Central Valley, and that McNeil fraudulently procured luxury vehicles and apartments used to facilitate the trafficking.

The victims, including eight minors, were sold for commercial sex throughout the Central Valley, Bay Area and Los Angeles.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Tulare County Sheriff’s Offic at (559) 733-6218 or send anonymous information by sending a text or email to TCSO@tipnow.com or call (559) 725-4194. 

Victims and survivors of human trafficking are encouraged to call any police department or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at (888) 373-7888.

*****************UPDATE********************************************

Sheriff Boudreaux is pleased to announce that the third human trafficking suspect, Mia McNeil, turned herself in Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, in Los Angeles. She was transported to Tulare County and booked at the Adult Pre-Trial Facility Wednesday afternoon.

For her participation in the crime ring, McNeil, 32, of Los Angeles, was charged with:
-PC487(D)(1) Grand theft auto
-PC530.5 Identity theft
-PC496(D)(A) Receiving stolen property
-PC667.5(B) Enhancement for having been to state prison within five years of new offenses
BAIL AMOUNT $200,000

*****************Original Press Release*************************

Sheriff Boudreaux announces human trafficking arrests.

Two human trafficking suspects are in custody in Tulare County jails following a 6-month joint investigation into a human trafficking ring in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the California Attorney General’s Office.

In custody are Quinton Brown of Highland and Gerald Turner of Fresno. One female suspect, Mia McNeil, is outstanding.

If you know her whereabouts, please contact the Tulare County Sheriff's Office at (559) 733-6218 or anonymously at (559) 725-4194 or tcso@tipnow.com.

As a result of tenacious investigation, Quentin Brown III, 30 years old, of Highland, was arrested on Tuesday, July 18 2017, and was ultimately charged with Human Trafficking of Minors, Pimping, Pandering, Grand Theft, Identity Theft, and Receiving Stolen Property. He is being held in a Tulare County jail facility in lieu of $2.1 million bail.

Gerald Lavell Turner, 32 years old, of Fresno, was arrested on Tuesday, July 25, 2017. He was charged with Human Trafficking of Minors, Pimping and Pandering. He is being held in a Tulare County jail facility in lieu of $645,000 bail.

The investigation began when a concerned Tulare County mother sought help from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office regarding her teenage daughter who had run away.

As a result of countless man hours dedicated to this case, multiple victims have been identified. The majority of the victims in this case are juveniles from Tulare County where Sheriff Mike Boudreaux has set a zero tolerance for human traffickers. He developed a cyber-crimes unit dedicated to tracking down suspects who prey upon and exploit the innocence of our children. This unit has been successful in identifying and removing victims from the world of human trafficking.

Sheriff Boudreaux is excited and pleased for the collaborative law enforcement efforts in this case. It is a success thanks to the fantastically cooperative effort from the LA County Sheriff’s Office, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.

“To Californians, be proud of the law enforcement serving the citizens of this state because today is a win for the good guys,” he said. “Sexually exploiting young people for financial gain is a crime against humanity. We will continue our vigilance to aggressively seek out those suspects who endanger our children and who seek to use human beings for their criminal gain.”

What detectives uncovered with these young victims is upsetting to law enforcement and arguably throughout California but particularly back in the Central Valley where most of the victims reside.

“To the victims and their families, our hearts go out to you,” Sheriff Boudreaux said. “To the people who believe they will hide in the world of cyber or quietly remain in the shadows waiting to exploit our children, we will get you! And to the citizens of Tulare County, the Office of the Sheriff will continue to aggressively seek out predators to make our communities safe.”

From the California Attorney General's Office:

Attorney General Becerra Files Multiple Charges in Sex Trafficking Case
 
LOS ANGELES – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced 54 felony charges against Quinton Brown, Gerald Turner, and Mia McNeil, following a six-month investigation by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, and the California Department of Justice. The amended complaint, filed yesterday, alleges that Brown lured victims from the Central Valley and trafficked them throughout the state. The victims, including eight minors, were sold for commercial sex throughout the Central Valley, Bay Area and Los Angeles. The charges include sex trafficking, pimping, pandering, grand theft and identity theft.

It is important to note that a criminal complaint contains charges which are only allegations against a person. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

“Law enforcement agents throughout the state work tirelessly every day to ensure that Californians are safe from exploitation and do not become victims of human trafficking,” said Attorney General Becerra. “These charges stem from the hard work of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, and the California Department of Justice attorneys and Special Agents. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their efforts over the course of this six-month investigation to bring these defendants to justice.”
 
At the time the offenses were committed, the juvenile victims ranged in age from 15 to 17 and the adult victims ranged in age from 18 to 21. 

A copy of the complaint is attached to the online version of this news release at http://www.oag.ca.gov/news.