SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man and woman were sentenced to state prison today for human trafficking, kidnapping for robbery, and assaulting a woman. Jarrod Neil Cross, 29, Sacramento, and Saquila Collete Osborne, 33, Rancho Cordova, were each found guilty by a jury on Aug. 4, 2016, of one felony count of human trafficking, one felony count of kidnapping to commit robbery, one felony count of first degree robbery, and one felony count of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury. Osborne was sentenced to seven years to life in state prison.

Cross was also found guilty by a jury of one felony count of pimping and one felony count of pandering. The court heard a bifurcated trial today on Cross' prior serious felony convictions for inflicting corporal injury in 2006 and 2010, refusing to comply with a peace officer in 2013, all in Sacramento, and not remaining free for a period of five years. He was sentenced to 14 years and four months to life in state prison.

Circumstances of the Case

Cross and Osborne are human traffickers who exploit women for financial gain. Cross is a pimp and requires his victims to turn over all payment to him that they received for sex acts from sex purchasers. Failure to follow these rules can result in physical and/or emotional abuse.

Between Sept. 2, 2014, and Aug. 15, 2015, Cross pandered Jane Doe 1 by persuading and encouraging her to engage in commercial sex acts for his benefit. Cross pimped Jane Doe 1 by deriving support from the money that she received from sex purchasers.

Between Aug. 15, 2015, and Aug. 18, 2015, Cross and Osborne trafficked Jane Doe 2 to places known for prostitution and human trafficking in Stanton. At that time, the defendants kidnapped Jane Doe 2 by forcing her to stay in a room at a Motel 6 in Stanton for several days with the intent to pimp and pander the victim. The defendants forcibly took Jane Doe 2's belongings including her money and her cell phone. Cross and Osborne assaulted Jane Doe 2 in the motel room.

Jane Doe 2 was able to escape the motel room. Members of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF) were contacted and subsequently arrested both of the defendants.

Members of the OCHTTF and the Orange County District Attorney's (OCDA) Office work proactively to protect women and minors from falling victim to commercial sexual exploitation. This case was investigated by the OCHTTF, a partnership between Anaheim Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Costa Mesa Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Huntington Beach Police Department, Irvine Police Department, OCDA, Orange County Sheriff's Department, Santa Ana Police Department, and community and non-profit partners.

Deputy District Attorney Brad Schoenleben of the HEAT Unit prosecuted this case.

Proposition 35 and HEAT

To read more about California's anti-human trafficking Proposition 35 and the OCDA's Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit, please visit www.orangecountyda.org and select Human Trafficking Information from the Media Center drop down menu.

*Male defendant in this case was also convicted of pimping and pandering a separate victim

Orange County District Attorney / Case # 16NF0658 / September 30, 2016