By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A pair of Atlanta women and a Pelham man were arrested by the Pelham Police Department and charged with prostitution and human trafficking-related charges May 24.

Luz Del Alba De La Cruz, 20, was arrested and charged with one count of second-degree promoting prostitution, and Lucia Gonzalez Hernandez, 27, was arrested and charged with one count of prohibited activity – prostitution.

Pelham resident Petronilo Mendoza Alvarado, 23, was also arrested May 24 and placed on an investigative hold by the Pelham Police Department, and is currently being held in the Shelby County Jail on two counts of obstructing justice by using a fake ID, one count of second-degree promoting prostitution and one count of second-degree human trafficking.

According to Pelham police reports the arrests came after, officers responded to a promoting prostitution and human trafficking incident at Jonathan’s Mobile Home Park, which is near the intersection of Shelby County 22 and George Roy Parkway in Calera.

The suspects were also detained by the Pelham Police Department for the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement before the suspects were transported to the Shelby County Jail.

The arrests were part of an ongoing investigation being conducted by an ICE task force, of which two Pelham officers are assigned.

“It was one of those deals where we were working an ongoing investigation, and these arrests just fell into our lap. We found that we had some girls involved in some prostitution activity,” said Pelham police Capt. Larry Palmer. “Unfortunately, because it’s an ongoing investigation, I can’t really say too much about it.”

Palmer said more arrests are pending in the investigation. As of June 2, De La Cruz was being held in the Shelby County Jail on a $15,000 bond, and Hernandez was being held on a $1,000 bond.

Alvarado was being held on bonds totaling $75,000.