Jelinajane Bedrijo Almario was 16 years old when she was arrested in May 2016 for human trafficking, sending threatening emails and making terrorist threats.
Police say the Hanford girl started a prostitution ring that spring with girls she met through friends and acquaintances or on social media.
Jelinajane Bedrijo Almario, of Hanford, befriended four 14- and 15-year-old girls through other friends and social media, then forced them to turn tricks over the period of a few weeks, according to Fresno Bee reports.
‘These people are great at locating kids with low self-esteem and trying to be their friend, and then it obviously changes once they started working for her,’ Det. Richard Pontecorvo said.
She ensnared at least four girls between the ages of 14 and 15 into her ring, and organized for them to meet with johns by posting their pictures on different prostitution websites. She would then take them to different motels on Highway 99 in Tulare County for sex.
‘These girls would run away for weekends or work a couple of nights,’ Pontecorvo said.
During this time, the mother of one of the victims noticed her daughter was missing and grew worried. Police say Almario sent the mother threatening texts when she asked where she was.
The ring last for just a few weeks that spring before Almario was found out and arrested.
Though she was a minor when she was arrested, she was tried as an adult due to the seriousness of her crimes.
The teen was arrested in May 2016 and, though a juvenile at the time, she was tried as an adult and sentenced on Monday to 13 years in prison, two days after turning 18.
‘We were able to get these girls back home and get them the help they needed,’ Pontecorvo said. ‘But these pimps are ruining these kids’ lives at an early age.’