These were collaborative efforts among the PPB Human Trafficking Unit, East and North Precinct Priority Projects, Central Precinct, the Detective Division, Special Resources
Division, Victim Services Unit, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, Multnomah County Parole & Probation, and Safety Compass.
During the recent directed patrol missions, the following individuals were arrested or cited for ORS 167.008 Commercial Sexual Solicitation (CSS) and/or Portland City Code 14A.40.50 Unlawful Prostitution Procurement Activities (UPPA), and any other noted crimes:
Petros Ghebremedhin, 54, of Portland, OR
Raul Alarcon Gonzalez, 29, of Portland, OR (additional forgery related charges)
Adrian Lemus-Canas, 25, of Portland, OR
Jose Marcelino Urbina, 20, of Vancouver, WA
Aleque Mack, 30, of Portland, OR (additional firearm related charge)
Dagmawi Bekele, 27, of Beaverton, OR
Abel Granda-Jaimes, 48, of Forest Grove, OR
Cherif Diallo, 25, of Portland, OR
Martine Marez, 26, of Woodburn, OR
Silva Fangundo, 29, of Portland, OR
Jorge Uc-Cardena, 39, of Estacada, OR
Kelby Reynolds, 32, of Portland, OR
Issak Hagos, 33, of Seattle, WA
Rodney Grooms, 46, of Portland, OR
Jose Ojeda-Soriano, 56, of Tualatin, OR
Muhammed Ali, 30, of Gresham, OR
Mustafaullah Mushtaq, 26, of Beaverton, OR
During this timeframe, six vehicles were towed, and additional information was gathered related to other suspected buyers, suspected traffickers, and ongoing trafficking investigations. Sixteen providers were contacted through Officers or advocates and were offered assistance or connection to resources. HTU continues to utilize the partnership of PPB’s Victim Services Unit and Safety Compass for street level outreach for provider contacts. Safety Compass is a non-profit organization that offers advocacy services to individuals under the age of 25 who identify as survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
HTU cases are complex with several identified barriers such as repeated traumatic exposures, trauma bonds with traffickers, and fear of retaliation. The survivors in these cases are often reluctant to come forward, make a report, and/or continue through the criminal justice process. HTU continues to offer trauma-informed, victim-centered services, in conjunction with PPB Victim Services Unit advocates and community-based partnerships like Safety Compass. If you know or suspect someone is being trafficked, please call 911, PPB’s non-emergency line 503-823-3333, or the National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888. Non-emergency Portland related tips can also be reported to: humantrafficking@police.portlan….
Last May, the Portland Police Bureau offered an episode of the Talking Beat features a discussion on the Human Trafficking Unit in Portland, emphasizing collaborative efforts to combat juvenile sex trafficking, support victims, and hold offenders accountable while prioritizing a victim-centered approach. You can listen to the podcast here.
You can subscribe to The Talking Beat Podcast here.
And in 2023, PPB debuted a video on the problem and devastating impacts of sex trafficking. Watch it here.
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