One determined mom made the D.C. streets a little bit safer Wednesday. She helped D.C. Police arrest a potential sex trafficker who wanted to pay her 13-year-old daughter for sex.

It was a Friday night, April 22, 2017, around 8 p.m. The 13-year-old girl got a message on Instagram. Police said 25-year-old Joshua Paul Gibbs wanted to have sex with her for money.

The teen's mom found out, got on Instagram, pretended to be the girl and told him she's 13. Police said Gibbs messaged back that he didn't care as long as she didn't "snitch."

The mom then called D.C. Police, which then got on Instagram, posed as the girl and accepted his "offer." Police said Gibbs sent an Uber for the girl and gave them his address on Victor Street in Northeast D.C.

Instead, police showed up and arrested Gibbs for attempted sex trafficking of children.

An 18-year-old sex trafficking survivor named Rachel talked to WUSA9 and said she wasn't surprised because “it happens all the time."

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Rachel said when her foster parents kicked her out, she trusted a friend who ended up being a pimp. She got out and came to FAIR Girls – a D.C. organization that helps sex trafficking survivors.

Founder Andrea Powell said young girls connect on Instagram.

"If I want to connect to a girl in our program that we haven't seen in a couple days, I'll just message her on Instagram and say, 'hey are you coming,'” she said. “Fortunately we're using it for a good purpose but unfortunately traffickers use it to lure kids in."

Both Rachel and Andrea said this arrest was a success, but wonder what would have happened if this girl didn't have a strong mom in her life.

"It's usually the girls that don't really have parents to lean on, so they go to older men for money and they end up pimping them out," Rachel said.

"That's good parenting from the get-go,” Andrea added. “None of the girls that I work with have had that."

Gibbs was charged with attempted sex trafficking of children. He is expected to be back in court May 8.

If you or someone you know is a victim of sex trafficking, you can call Fair Girls' hotline at 1-855-900-3247.