3 victims rescued, 6 men arrested in Central Coast sex-trafficking sting
A sex-trafficking enforcement operation resulted in the arrest of six men and the rescue of three female victims over the course of a weeklong investigation in San Luis Obispo County.
According to a news release from the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office, an enforcement operation was conducted between Jan. 25 and 31 by the San Luis Obispo County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force under a joint effort by San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County law enforcement.
Esteban Ceja, 30, was arrested in the operation and charged with multiple felonies related to sex trafficking of a victim through force and fear to accomplish the commercial sexual exploitation of the victim, according to the release.
Ceja was also charged with two felony counts of pimping and two felony counts of pandering, along with one count of providing false identifying information to law enforcement, according to the release.
“A review of the individual’s criminal history reveals that he was twice previously removed from the United States by the Department of Homeland Security in 2018 and 2020,” the release read. “This fact does not affect our case and as in all cases, a defendant is legally entitled to the presumption of innocence until they are proven guilty in a court of law by judge, jury, or their plea.”
An investigation into Ceja and his trafficking activities is ongoing, with reports of his activities ranging from San Diego and the Inland Empire to Northern California and many locations in between, according to the release.
Five of the individuals arrested sought underage sex, according to the release:
- Gael Pita Abarca, 18
- Stephan Mueller, 63
- Ashvir Singh, 23
- Gonzalo Luna-Penafort, 22, booked in Santa Barbara County
- Arturo DeLeon, 39, booked in Santa Barbara County
Of the three female sex-trafficking victims rescued in the operation, two were adults and one was a juvenile under the age of 18, according to the release.
The San Luis Obispo County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force was formally established by District Attorney Dan Dow shortly after his election in 2014, according to the release.
This operation was directly aimed at disrupting networks of human trafficking for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation occurring on the Central Coast, identifying and assisting survivors of trafficking and reducing the demand for trafficking and exploitation of minors by identifying and prosecuting would-be purchasers, according to the release.
“Prostitution demand fuels a lucrative market that traffickers exploit with victims — including children — even here,” Dow said in the release. “Our local anti-trafficking operations target this commercial sex demand to curb daily exploitation of minors and adults.”
“Warning to sex buyers: Reconsider, as your actions heighten risks for ~300,000 American children annually,” Dow continued. “You can and will be prosecuted if caught.”
This story was originally published February 6, 2026 at 4:11 PM.
