Merced County woman allegedly involved in Southern California sex trafficking, police say

A Merced County woman was among a trio of suspects arrested last week in Orange County for alleged involvement in sex trafficking, according to Anaheim police.

Kaylyn Melendez, 20, of Los Banos, was arrested in connection with alleged sex trafficking of a minor and an adult woman, according to a post on Anaheim Police Department’s Facebook page.

Following a tip about a sex trafficking operation with an underage person on Dec. 15, Anaheim police, along with the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, found Melendez and 19-year-old Morgan Hill resident Carelli Barajas with the alleged victims — a juvenile female and a woman, according to the release.

Days later, on Dec. 19, 30-year-old Stockton resident Kendell Morris also was arrested in connection with the alleged crime.

Melendez and Barajas could faces charges of pandering and sex trafficking of a juvenile, the release states. Morris could faces charges of pimping, pandering and sex trafficking of an adult and juvenile.

This story was originally published December 26, 2019 at 12:36 PM.