Police in suburban Phoenix arrest 4 on sex-trafficking charges

PHOENIX — Police have broken up an alleged sex-trafficking ring of operating out of Tempe, arresting four men accused of hiring out three teenage girls.

The girls, two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old, were taken to a safe place, a police spokesman said.

Police began investigating the ring in February after responding to a domestic violence dispute in a parking lot. The ring was operating of Valley hotels and at least one of the girls told police that they had been sent to Las Vegas to work.

“Domestic minor sex-trafficking is something that law enforcement is taking very seriously,” Lt. Scott Smith said. “… We need to put an end to it.”