Police in Northern California arrested eight people Friday after an almost two-month-long prostitution sting. The operation led to the arrests of four women for prostitution, three “Johns” for soliciting, and one man for pimping and possession of a loaded gun.

The sting was conducted in response to a perceived uptick in prostitution in downtown Vallejo, a city located outside of San Francisco.

“The Vallejo Police Department is committed to tackling quality of life issues in our city. We understand that human trafficking is a prolific issue, and as we move forward, we plan to take a victim-centered approach to enforcement,” the department said in a statement.

“Human trafficking and acts of prostitution will not be tolerated in Vallejo. The Vallejo Police Department plans to continue similar operations in the future.”

Detectives from the Vallejo Police Department Crime Reduction Team used escort sites and social networks to monitor the city for human trafficking. The first arrest came on Jan. 14 when an undercover officer posing as a John made contact online with a woman offering prostitution services.

On the same day, another undercover officer connected with a prostitute online and arranged to meet at a hotel. The woman was allegedly spotted being dropped off by Michael Little, 38. Both Little and the woman were arrested.

Little, a convicted felon, was additionally charged for possessing a weapon. He was arraigned on Feb. 13 and is next scheduled to appear in court on April 21 to set a time for his preliminary hearing.

The other two women working as prostitutes were arrested on Jan. 15 by undercover officers.

The men arrested for soliciting prostitution services were arrested by female undercover officers posing as sex workers. All three men were Vallejo residents. Their ages were 26, 28, and 63.

Vallejo, located roughly 30 miles northeast from San Francisco, has an estimated population of 120,000.

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