OAKLAND — A 33-year-old man was arrested and charged with human trafficking of a 15-year-old girl after she ran away from her home in the Central Valley, court records show.
Police say Phillip Gipson, of Oakland, who uses a wheelchair, provided “rides and protection” for the alleged sex trafficking victim, who told police she gave Gipson $600 to $1,000 in proceeds every night. Gipson was arrested after the girl called police on March 26 and reported that she was a teen runaway who was being trafficked, authorities said.
Police responded to Gipson’s home on Brookdale Avenue, where he and the girl had reportedly been living together, and arrested him, according to court records.
The girl initially identified Gipson to police as “Jamal,” describing him as her boyfriend, but investigators later identified Gipson as the suspect. He has been charged with human trafficking of a minor, pimping a child, and pandering, with an offense date range that covers an eight-month period, starting last August, court records show.
The girl told police that she initially pretended she was 18 but later informed Gipson of her real age, authorities said in court filings.
Gipson pleaded not guilty at an April 17 court appearance, where Judge Thomas Reardon granted a defense motion to release him without bail while the case is pending. Reardon’s order says Gipson is to have “no contact with minors.”
A preliminary hearing, where a judge will review the prosecution’s evidence and decide if there is enough to order Gipson to stand trial, has been set for May 29, records show.