Man sentenced to prison for human trafficking of a minor in Salinas
SALINAS – The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday that a Fresno man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for human trafficking, assault and felony evading.
On Aug. 11, the Salinas Police Department received information from the FBI that Joshua Haastrup, 22, of Fresno, who was wanted for human trafficking of a minor out of Las Vegas, was at a local motel.
Police officers and detectives set up surveillance of the motel and located Haastrup. Jane Doe, 15, was seen getting out of Haastrup’s vehicle. When officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Haastrup, he purposefully and violently rammed the front end of two separate patrol vehicles as he recklessly evaded law enforcement, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Haastrup reached speeds of up to 80 mph through residential areas of Salinas before officers were able to stop and arrest him.
Jane Doe was contacted by officers and was determined to be the same minor Haastrup had allegedly sexually exploited in Las Vegas. Evidence from a cell phone taken during the investigation confirmed that Haastrup had sexually exploited Jane Doe in Salinas during at least four separate trips between June 1 and Aug. 11.
Through interagency collaboration, Haastrup was located and arrested within hours of receiving information that he was in Monterey County, said the DA’s Office. Specifically, Salinas Police Detectives Evan Adams, Nicolas Reyes, Officer Isidro Medrano, and Sergeant Gerardo Magana assisted in this process. Additionally, Haastrup’s conviction of the egregious crime of human trafficking was made possible by Det. Jared Dominci, assisted by Det. Sgt. Kendall Gray and detectives at Las Vegas Police Department and District Attorney Investigator Pablo Andrade.
Jane Doe was supported by Victim Witness Program Coordinator Alma Sanchez.
Judge Pamela L. Butler sentenced Haastrup to 10 years in state prison after he was convicted of one count of human trafficking of a minor, one count of assault on a peace officer, and one count of felony evading. This is Haastrup’s first felony conviction. In addition to the prison sentence, Haastrup will have to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in commercial sex work, or some other type of labor, call 911 or reach out to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
