Oregon Public Broadcasting

Police have made some Portland-area arrests in connection with a nation-wide child prostitution crackdown. April Baer reports.

A series of raids took place over three days in thirty-six cities.

Beth Anne Steele with the FBI's Portland office says four underage girls were taken into custody in Oregon. She was not specific about their ages or addresses, but said they came from cities around the Portland metro area.

Beth Anne Steele:  "I think there's an assumption on many peoples' parts that when you're talking about human trafficking, you're talking about people coming from another country."

Of the four underage girls, Steele says all either grew up in the region, or were brought from California or Washington State. The girls are being evaluated, and some may be able to return home to their parents.

Eight people were arrested in the Portland-Vancouver area, on suspicion of being pimps. Twenty-nine people over age 28 were arrested for prostitution.