Arrest Made in Human Trafficking Investigation: Devonte Hinkston Charged with Pimping and Pandering 

October 14, 2025 – Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on October 8, 2025, detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Human Exploitation and Trafficking (H.E.A.T) Taskforce arrested Devonte Hinkston, a 33-year-old Black male adult out of Oakland for pimping and pandering.

The arrest followed several months of investigation that began in May 2025, when a confidential victim reported an assault and theft to Sheriff’s Office deputies in the unincorporated area of Turlock. During that investigation, the victim disclosed that she was being sexually trafficked.

In the months following the initial report, several additional victims were identified and found to be actively involved in commercial sex trafficking facilitated by Hinkston.

Hinkston was arrested and booked on two counts of pimping and two counts of pandering. He is currently being held at the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on a $300,000 bail.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office Human Exploitation and Trafficking (H.E.A.T.) Taskforce at (209) 525-7114 or submit an anonymous tip to Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers at (866) 602-7463. 

Source: Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office