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Twelve people, including self-reported Crips gang members, have been busted in a sex-trafficking ring. 

The Colorado Attorney General's Office arrested eight of the individuals for participating in a criminal enterprise that exploited juveniles through human trafficking and pimping-related activities. The remaining four are known 'johns'. The juvenile girls were posted for sale on Backpage.com and made available to "johns" for sex acts. They are receiving treatment in undisclosed locations. The criminal enterprise operated in Denver, Aurora, Commerce City, Lakewood, Parker and Colorado Springs.

"People who get involved in human trafficking do not have regard for their fellow man," said Denver Police Chief Robert White. "They prey on our children and take advantage others. We have to use the full weight of the law to stop these predators."

Those arrested are Lawrence Richard Martinez, 22, Reginald James Ryan, 31, and Angela Jeanine Ryan, 42, who are all self-reported gang members. Robert Kenth Drinkwater-Mills,19, Lewis Jerome Smith, 42, Mercedes Devon Sanders, 22, Phaedra Lanee Robinson, 42, and Hollie Gene Mintour, 40, made up the criminal enterprise. The "johns," Hayatullah Khazi, 28, Grant Richard Schoengarth, 32, Richard Neil Gottbreht, 63, and Nathan Theodore Hom,36, are under arrest for charges including soliciting for child prostitution and patronizing a prostituted child.

The investigation was led by a unit of the Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force called  Innocence Lost Task Force, which is a joint law enforcement partnership between the FBI, Denver and Aurora Police Departments, and Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.

"These arrests are the result of a cooperative investigative effort focusing federal, state and local resources on street predators who exploit vulnerable children," said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge James Yacone. "The message is clear; the Innocence Lost Task Force will aggressively investigate and seek prosecutions for those who prey on the young and innocent."