Bloomington Sex Trafficking Sting: 2 Arrested, Regional Task Force Formed

 Two men have been arrested on suspicion of sex trafficking following a coordinated multi-agency operation in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. 

The Arrests and the Operation
On September 10, 2026, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges, alongside Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt and Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko, announced the results of a two-day undercover stingthat took place on August 26 and 27, 2026. 
The operation targeted a Bloomington apartment complex where undercover investigators posed as buyers looking to purchase sex. Law enforcement arrested two alleged sex traffickers accused of driving victims to the location: 
Both men are being held on suspicion of promotion of prostitution. 
Victim Recovery & Task Force Formation
During the sting, law enforcement encountered 18 commercial sex workers. Chief Hodges emphasized that the primary focus of the operation was victim recovery and getting individuals out of dangerous situations. Three of the encountered individuals accepted immediate support and resources from law enforcement, which officials highlighted as a significant success. 
The sweeping operation brought together a massive coalition of local, state, and federal resources, including the Bloomington Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, the Dakota County Sheriff's Office, the FBI, and neighboring police departments from Savage, Richfield, and Eagan.
Acknowledging that law enforcement is currently "not winning the battle" against widespread sex trafficking due to how resource-intensive these operations are, Chief Hodges announced that these agencies are in the early stages of forming a regional human trafficking task force to pool regional resources and conduct operations more frequently. 
Broader Context in the Twin Cities
The announcement came just one day after a separate, year-long human trafficking investigation culminated in a massive raid by the Brooklyn Center Police Department at four hotels. That separate operation resulted in 23 arrests, the recovery of multiple firearms, cash, and narcotics. Authorities stated there is currently no known connection between the Bloomington and Brooklyn Center operations. 


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