Castroville man booked into Monterey County Jail on charges of human trafficking, attempted murder.

Following an investigation spurred by an incident at the Castroville Station Shopping Center, Eric Adam Melendrez, 42, of Castroville was booked into Monterey County Jail on 13 charges, including human trafficking, pimping, pandering, attempted murder, felon in possession of a firearm and false imprisonment with a firearm, among others. 

The investigation began after witnesses reported seeing a man strangling a woman near the shopping center at 11290 Merritt St. in Castroville on Thursday, April 23. According to a press release from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were notified, and an on-duty sergeant responded and located the female victim, who reported that the man was Melendrez and that he was sexually trafficking her. 

Detectives with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit then took on the investigation and, at 3:15pm on Tuesday, April 28, found Melendrez driving a silver Honda CR-V in Salinas. He was then pulled over and taken into custody. 

In the vehicle, detectives reportedly found a large quantity of a substance suspected to be methamphetamine, alongside heroin, fentanyl, cash, scales and other items. During follow-up searches at multiple locations around the county associated with Melendrez, detectives found a firearm, condoms, lingerie, narcotics and other evidence associated with human sexual trafficking, according to the sheriff's office. They also found evidence that Melendrez threatened the female victim with a knife in an attempt to convince her not to cooperate with the police. 

Because of the severity of the crimes, detectives obtained a $1 million bail enhancement for Melendrez and an emergency protective order for the victim.