UPDATE: District Attorney Files Multiple Charges Against Santa Barbara Man for Human Trafficking Against Three Minors

A Santa Barbara man was arrested and charged for human trafficking and sex crimes against three separate minors.

In September, Santa Barbara Police Department received a Child Welfare Services report and learned that a male adult from Santa Barbara was engaging in inappropriate behavior with juvenile females, the police department states.

The suspect was reportedly supplying juveniles with narcotics and alcohol before sexually assaulting them. Santa Barbara Police Detectives took over the investigation and conducted extensive follow-up, identifying three victims in the process, connecting the victims with support and advocacy services.

Detectives identified the suspect as 33-year-old Benito Najera of Santa Barbara and subsequently obtained a warrant for his arrest.

On the morning of October 9, 2025, officers and detectives located Najera on the 1000 block of East Gutierrez Street and took him into custody without incident, following a traffic stop.

Najera was booked at the Santa Barbara County Jail where he is being held without bail for Rape by Intoxication, Sex with a Minor Under 16 years old, Child Abuse, Attempt Human Trafficking, and numerous other related charges.

Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch announced on Tuesday that multiple felony charges have been filed against Najera. He is charged with one  count of human trafficking of a minor, multiple counts of rape, including rape of an unconscious person, rape  of an intoxicated person, and statutory rape, multiple counts of forcible oral copulation, one count of production  of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. 

Najera was arraigned Tuesday in Department 8 of the Santa Barbara Superior Court. The case will next be in court for  preliminary hearing setting on October 20, 2025, in Department 12.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Megan  Chanda will be prosecuting the case. This investigation is ongoing.

[Ed Note: This article has been updated with new information from the Santa Barbara Police Department]