Goleta, Calif. – On Tuesday, December 3, 2019 Sheriff’s Detectives from the Special Investigations Bureau arrested 34-year-old Benito Rodriguez Bravo of Lompoc after a two-week long investigation. Bravo reportedly created an advertisement on the internet where he attempted to recruit and hire females for the purposes of engaging in nude housecleaning and erotic massages. During the investigation, detectives posed as a sixteen-year-old female while communicating with Bravo. Despite the age, Bravo sent the minor explicit images with the intent to cause sexual arousal and attempted to recruit the minor to have sex with high-paying customers, promising payment of $5,000 a week. Bravo arranged a meeting with the sixteen-year-old in the City of Goleta. Detectives were conducting surveillance of Bravo and arrested him when he arrived at the location.

Detectives believe that Bravo was acting alone and was not only recruiting females to perform erotic massages and nude housecleaning, but also posed as the potential client who was to receive sex services from the females he was communicating with. It appears Bravo had no intention to pay for any of the services he was planning to receive.

Bravo was booked at the Santa Barbara County Jail for violations of; 288.4(B)P.C.- felony arranging a meeting with a minor, 236.1(C)P.C.- felony human trafficking of a minor, 288.3(A)P.C.- felony contacting a minor with intent for sex, 288.2(A)(2)P.C.- felony sending harmful material to a minor with attempt to seduce, 664 P.C.- felony attempt to commit crime, and 266I(a)(2)P.C.- felony pandering. He also had an outstanding warrant for a violation of probation and domestic violence. He is being held without bail.

The Sheriff’s Office is actively looking for additional victims related to this case.  If you, or someone else knows information, please contact our detectives at humantrafficking@sbsheriff.org .