Edward Bell and Octavia Howard, both 28 and of Long Beach, are seen here in their booking photos following their arrest last week in San Bernardino County after they allegedly kidnapped a 22-year-old Long Beach woman last week and tried to force her into prostitution.
3:55pm | San Bernardino County Sheriff’s officials said Monday that they have arrested two men from Long Beach with ties to a prostitution ring who are accused of kidnapping a 22-year-old Long Beach woman and trying to force her to work as a prostitute in San Bernardino.
The victim told authorities that she was kidnapped last Thursday, June 2, and driven to San Bernardino, authorities said, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Her alleged abductor, Edward Bell, 28, of Long Beach, allegedly assaulted her when she refused to work for him as a prostitute, authorities said.
The woman, whose identity was not released, flagged down a passing deputy on Friday and reported the alleged abduction, authorities said.
Sheriff’s Department detectives lured Bell and another suspect, 28-year-old Octavia Howard, also of Long Beach, to Highland, where the pair was taken into custody on suspicion of kidnapping and forcing someone into prostitution.
Investigators reportedly said they found evidence that links Bell and Howard to a prostitution ring
Bail was set at $250,000 for both suspects.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this post incorrectly identified Octavia Howard as a woman.