Stockton police officers successfully stopped a potential human trafficking incident early Tuesday morning, leading to the arrest of two suspects.
According to the Stockton Police Department (SPD), officers responded to a reported kidnapping at a truck stop near Charter Way, west of I-5, around 1:05 a.m. Witnesses told police that two men had abducted a woman and fled the scene in a dark-colored Honda.
Minutes later, officers spotted a vehicle matching the description near Charter Way and Navy Drive. When police attempted to pull the car over, the suspects led them on a short chase before reaching a dead end. Both men then abandoned the car and tried to escape on foot.
With assistance from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, police quickly apprehended both suspects—one after a short pursuit and the other while he attempted to flee along the southbound shoulder of I-5.
Authorities found the female victim in the back seat of the vehicle. She appeared unharmed, but SPD believes she may have been targeted for human trafficking. A loaded firearm was also recovered from a nearby yard.
The case has been turned over to the ASALT Human Trafficking Task Force for further investigation.
