The Merced Police Department DART team conducted a three-day human trafficking sting searching for children being trafficked for sex.

On Saturday at around 7:44 p.m., DART officers arrested 26-year-old Eric Washington of Visalia after transporting a 17-year-old female minor to Merced for sex with an undercover officer posing as a customer.

As soon as the minor was safely secured, Washington was arrested in the parking lot where he was waiting for her.

Washington was booked at the Merced County Jail for Human trafficking charges, gang charges and child endangerment.