Fresno man sentenced to 10 years for trafficking minor, ramming patrol cars

A Fresno man was sentenced to years in state prison for trafficking a minor and ramming Salinas police cars in 2023, according to Monterey County prosecutors.

Joshua Haastrup, 22, was convicted of one count of human trafficking of a minor, one count of assault on a peace officer, and one count of felony evading, the Monterey County District Attorney's Office said in a statement Thursday.

On Aug. 11, 2023, Salinas police learned from the FBI that Haastrup, who was wanted for human trafficking of a minor out of Las Vegas, was at a local motel.

After they set up surveillance at the motel, police found Haastrup. They then saw a 15-year old girl leaving his vehicle.

As officers attempted to pull Haastrup over, he intentionally and violently rammed the front end of two patrol vehicles to flee, ensuing a pursuit.

Haastrup reached speeds of 80 mph through residential areas of Salinas before officers were able to stop and arrest him, police said.
The minor was determined by authorities to be the same victim Haastrup had sexually exploited in Las Vegas.

"Evidence from a cell phone taken during the investigation confirmed that Haastrup had sexually exploited Jane Doe in the city of Salinas during at least four separate trips between June 1, 2023 and August 11, 2023," the District Attorney's Office said.

Besides his prison sentence, Haastrup will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.