An additional detective role in the Grover Beach Police Department (GBPD) led to more local human trafficking arrests in 2025.
The department concluded a weeks-long human trafficking investigation with the arrest of a 34-year-old man from Porterville facing seven charges.
“This investigation was a proactive investigation of our detective unit,” Grover Beach Police Chief Jim Munro told New Times. “One of our detectives has been focusing on human trafficking investigations as part of his proactive detective assignment. This particular investigation began online with the arrestee looking to meet with an underage victim for sexual purposes.”
Law enforcement booked Henry Vincent Terronez into custody on March 27 in connection with carrying a concealed weapon in his vehicle, human trafficking of a minor, arranging a meeting and interacting with a minor for lewd purposes, sending harmful matter to a minor for sexual intent, and encouraging a minor under 16 to enter or remain in prostitution.
Munro added that it’s common for such investigations to take several weeks.
GBPD had 38 sexual offender registrations under Penal Code 290—the Sex Offender Registration Act—in 2024, according to the department’s annual report. But the police chief said that the department dealt with no human trafficking cases last year. It’s encountered five so far this year.
“This increase is attributed to a new detective position that was created to work these and other proactive investigations,” he said. “All five are currently going through the court process.”
Terronez’s bail is set for $800,000. His case entered San Luis Obispo Superior Court on April 1. Along with six felonies, the SLO County District Attorney’s Office tacked on a misdemeanor charge of possessing large-capacity magazines for sale or import.
GBPD noted that detectives coordinated with the Arroyo Grande Police Department. They contacted Terronez at a spot in Arroyo Grande where he allegedly intended to meet the minor for sexual purposes. Detectives said they found an unregistered AR-15 behind his driver’s seat along with a 60-round drum magazine and several 30-round magazines with “armor-piercing ammunition.”
Grover Beach police also worked with the SLO County DA’s Investigation Bureau. Terronez’s bail reduction hearing is set for April 9 in SLO Superior Court. Δ
This article appears in Apr 3-13, 2025.