HOLBROOK, AZ — A young boy was rescued from being trafficked thanks to a Navajo County Sheriff's Office (NCSO) deputy.
On September 8, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 40 at milepost 258 in the Winslow area.
Officials say that during an initial investigation, it was learned the driver, a 35-year-old man from Greenfield, California, was traveling with a young boy who was not related or known to him.
The man was arrested and booked into the Navajo County Jail for a charge of assisting in human smuggling operation.
The deputy who conducted the traffic stop was able to determine through previous training that the child was in danger and was being trafficked, according to NCSO officials.
The boy was taken to safety while the man is being held in jail on an immigration detainer.
NCSO is working with investigative agencies to further investigate the incident.
Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse released the following statement:
I would like to commend my Deputy for his exemplary investigative work on this traffic stop. Because of this simple traffic stop and furtherance of his investigation, an innocent child was rescued from danger. Human trafficking is a real issue that affects too many children. Thank you to the men and women who combat these issues every day.
