Katie 
Beaver Dam, Kentucky: The Kentucky State Police announced on Wednesday, December 8 that they had arrested two individuals as a result into an investigation concerning the trafficking of a minor girl that had reportedly given birth in March 2021.
The investigation was launched in November after Social Services learned about the girl giving birth.
Officers arrested 34-year-old Diego Alonzo-Perez after their investigation determined that he had sold his daughter to 20-year-old Lucas Mateo in August of 2020 for $8,000.
Investigators learned that the girl had been residing with Mateo since then and believe Mateo to be the father of the girl's child.
The girl's age was not released, but WEVV reports that the girl and her baby have been placed into foster care.
"It's shocking to the community, it's shocking to me as a law enforcement officer," Kentucky State Police Trooper Corey King said. "But the reality is [human trafficking] exists and it exists in small town USA."
Alonzo-Perez remains in custody in the Ohio County Detention Center in Hartford, Kentucky on a charge of human trafficking- commercial sex activity.
Mateo was arrested and charged with third-degree rape.
The bonds for both men were set at $50,000 and no court date has been set according to their jail records.
The investigation is ongoing.
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