Arrest Made, Warrant Issued For Suspected Trafficking Of 2 Girls

LONG BEACH, CA — One man was arrested and an arrest warrant was issued for another last week for alleged trafficking of two Southland girls, part of an investigation that began in February, according to Long Beach police.

The minors, a 15-year-old from Long Beach and a 16-year-old from Los Angeles, both listed as missing persons, were found in March, the Long Beach Police Department said.

Detectives from the agency's Vice Investigations Section on Friday arrested Semaj Kelly, 23, of San Bernardino, for suspicion of human trafficking of a victim under 18, officials said. He was jailed on $175,000 bail.

An arrest warrant was issued for another suspect in the case, Marcus Jones, 27, of Los Angeles. Jones currently is in federal custody for unrelated drug charges, police said.

The investigation began Feb. 20 as detectives were looking for one of the missing teens and learned she was being sex-trafficked in Montclair in the Pomona Valley. Officers found the minor after arranging to meet her at an undisclosed location on March 10. Investigators then were told she was forced to perform prostitution acts for two alleged traffickers, Jones and Kelly, police said.

Further investigation led to the March 13 recovery of the second girl, reportedly another trafficked victim of Jones', police said.

Both teens were provided with victim-centered services through the Los Angeles County First Responder Protocol for Sexually Exploited Children.

Anyone with information on the case can call the Long Beach Police Department's Vice Investigation Detail at (562) 570-7219.

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