Riley County police have arrested three people in connection with a reported sex trafficking case, involving a 15 year old juvenile.
Taken into custody were Zachary Bevilcqua, 19, of Winfield, Kendra Gonzalez, 17, of Wichita, and an unidentified 15-year-old girl.
RCPD Lt. Michael Quintanar indicates detectives received a call from Sedgwick County authorities requesting assistance in locating a runaway juvenile from their area. They believed the female juvenile was in the Manhattan area and was involved in prostitution at one of the local hotels.
Detectives located the juvenile at America’s Best Value Inn and further investigation brought the Detectives to Bevilcqua and Gonzalez at the Town Center Mall. Detectives applied for and were granted a search warrant to search the motel room.
The investigation revealed a 15 year old juvenile was brought to Manhattan by Bevilcqua and Gonzalez for the purpose of prostitution. All three subjects were in possession of marijuana and two possessed drug paraphernalia. It was also confirmed the juvenile was a runaway from Sedgwick County.
Charges against Bevilcqua and Gonzaelz include aggravated trafficking, aggravated endangering a child, and possession of marijuana, with bond of $24,000s set for Bevilcqua. Gonzales was taken to the North Central Kansas Juvenile detention facility in Junction City, as was the 15-year-old. The 15-year-old is considered a victim of human trafficking, and is pending release to Sedgwick County authorities for being a Child in Need of Care – Runaway.
