Detectives arrested four men Thursday, after they allegedly attempted to pay for sex with an underage teen at a Santa Clarita hotel, according to a news release from Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials.

As part of an undercover internet operation, Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Taskforce Detectives posted ads on classifieds websites Backpage.com and Craigslist.com.

Once users made contact in response to the ads, detectives represented themselves as female sex trafficking victims between the ages of 14 to 16.

The goal of the operation was to target those who attempt to exploit underage trafficking victims, as well as impact the demand side of human trafficking, according to the news release.

Detectives arrested Peter Ghanem, 35, of Canyon Country, Salvador Buenrostro, 47, of Pacoima, Thomas Wilkerson, 44, of Winnetka, and Mohammed Rahman, 26, of Van Nuys after they allegedly agreed to exchange money for sex with an underage female, according to the news release.

Rahmen was additionally charged for allegedly possessing the controlled substance ecstasy.

All of the males were booked at Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station with a bail of $75,000.

About the LA Regional Human Trafficking Task Force

The Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Human Trafficking Bureau houses the LA Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, the nation’s largest co-located human trafficking task force.  The Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, county and local law enforcement, social service agency and non-government and community-based organizations investigating and serving the needs of commercially exploited adults and minors victimized for the purpose of sex and labor.

The LA Regional Human Trafficking Task Force brings together systems and disciplines to address the victim’s needs through a victim centered, trauma informed approach.  The task force employs a regionalized strategy that crosses jurisdictional boundaries to identify and rescue victims while aggressively pursuing traffickers and buyers.

Ed. Note: This is a news release provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.