SALINAS – The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office stated on Thursday that a Fresno man was sentenced to ten years in prison for human trafficking, assault, and felony evasion.
On August 11, the FBI informed the Salinas Police Department that Joshua Haastrup, 22, of Fresno, who was wanted for human trafficking of a juvenile in Las Vegas, was in a local motel.
Police officers and detectives set up surveillance at the motel and found Haastrup. Jane Doe, 15, was spotted getting out of Haastrup’s vehicle. When officers sought to execute a traffic stop on Haastrup, he purposely and brutally slammed the front ends of two distinct patrol vehicles while dangerously evading law enforcement, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Haastrup achieved speeds of up to 80 mph through Salinas’ residential zones before being stopped and arrested.
Officers contacted Jane Doe and established that she was the same juvenile Haastrup allegedly sexually exploited in Las Vegas. Evidence from a cell phone seized during the inquiry indicated that Haastrup sexually exploited Jane Doe in Salinas on at least four distinct occasions between June 1 and August 11.
According to the DA’s Office, Haastrup was discovered and apprehended within hours of receiving information that he was in Monterey County, thanks to interagency teamwork. Specifically, Salinas Police Detectives Evan Adams, Nicolas Reyes, Officer Isidro Medrano, and Sergeant Gerardo Magana helped with this procedure.
Furthermore, Haastrup’s conviction for the heinous crime of human trafficking was made possible by Det. Jared Dominci, assisted by Det. Sgt. Kendall Gray, investigators from the Las Vegas Police Department, and District Attorney Investigator Pablo Andrade.
Alma Sanchez, the Victim Witness Program Coordinator, assisted Jane Doe.
Judge Pamela L. Butler sentenced Haastrup to ten years in state prison after he was found guilty of one crime of human trafficking of a juvenile, one count of assault on a peace officer, and one count of felony evasion. This marks Haastrup’s first felony conviction. In addition to the prison sentence, Haastrup must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
If you or someone you know is being forced to perform commercial sex work or other forms of labor, call 911 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.