Here’s a special announcement. Click here.
Watch L.A. Times Today at 7 p.m. on Spectrum News 1 on Channel 1 or live stream on the Spectrum News App. Palos Verdes Peninsula and Orange County viewers can watch on Cox Systems on channel 99.
Los Angeles, CA – The goals of the operation were “rescuing victims of sexual slavery and human trafficking, providing victims with much-needed services, identifying and arresting their captors, seeking successful prosecutions, and disrupting the demand for vulnerable victims by targeting their customers,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Los Angeles – Lomas, a former gang member who had worked on a variety of community intervention initiatives over the years, wanted to start his own program, in his old neighborhood. That turned out to be Inner City Visions, and Malone helped make it happen, as a fundraiser, business mentor, and friend. Alfred Lomas met Malone at the Dream Center, a Los Angeles organization that describes its mission as renewing hope and rebuilding lives. The Dream Center was holding a come-one, come-all Christmas dinner. Malone and his family handed out Bibles, and he did not leave until he had shaken hands with everyone.
“What in the world,” Lomas said he wondered that night, “is this guy doing here with a bunch of drug addicts and throwaways?”
Kevin Malone, CEO of USIAHT, just finished a meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Kevin was able to tell him about the crisis of human trafficking in the United States and about our Safe Home for boys. We are thankful to have powerful allies in this fight!
Fifty-seven people were arrested after being accused of operating a sex trafficking operation, according to San Joaquin County Sheriff’s officials.
Sheriff’s officials said 17 law enforcement agencies, which was spearheaded by Lathrop Police Services, worked on the sting operation from April 12 to 16. They say they arrested would-be predators who thought they were meeting up with a 13-year-old child. Among those who were arrested in the alleged trafficking operation, charges include being child sex predators, being out-of-compliance sex offenders, human trafficking, pimping or pandering, prostitution, solicitation, possession of a firearm, and traffic citations. Law enforcement also cited 37 people.
Sixteen missing children have been rescued after a month long operation by the US Marshals Service.
At least four of the recovered youngsters were connected to child sex trafficking in the Philadelphia area, officials say.
Authorities began Operation Safeguard on 5 February when a marshals task force took over 26 missing children cases at the request of law enforcement agencies. The marshals said that the children were considered some of the most at risk cases in the Philadelphia area, based on sex trafficking, exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse and medical or mental health conditions.
Officials in California recovered 33 missing children during Human Trafficking Awareness Month. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the children were found as part of the “Operation Lost Angels” initiative that began on January 11. Authorities say that of the 33 children recovered, at least eight had been sexually exploited.
The CEO of a California-based food company has resigned after he was charged and arrested for engaging in sexual relations with two underage girls, prosecutors said.
Ian Charles Schenkel, of Newport Beach, has formally stepped down from his role as chief executive officer of Haliburton International Foods on Friday.
Schenkel, 59, founded Haliburton International Foods in 1992 and has overseen the company’s expansion for the nearly three decades. Schenkel’s resignation comes after he was accused of engaging in prostitution with a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl.
Amanda Emilia Perez, of Huntington Beach, was also charged with pimping and pandering for arranging to bring the underage girls to him for sex.
‘The exploitation of children for sex acts shocks the public conscience,’ said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.
‘It is reprehensible and it is unlawful. We will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and we will work to ensure the judicial system protects these vulnerable victims.’
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury today returned a superseding indictment that charges a San Gabriel Valley woman with sex trafficking five immigrant women by hiring them to work at massage parlors and forcing them to engage in commercial sex acts.
Mei Xing, 59, a.k.a. “Xing Mei,” “Anna,” and “Boss,” of San Gabriel, is charged with five counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. Xing previously was indicted on June 12 on one count of sex trafficking, and today’s charging document adds four additional victims.
PALM DESERT – Thirteen suspects were arrested on prostitution charges during a 12-hour Solicitation of Prostitution operation in the city of Palm Desert. On 09/23/2020, members of the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (RCAHT) with the assistance of the Palm Desert Special Enforcement Team (SET) and Palm Desert Business District Team (BDT), conducted the sex trafficking demand reduction operation from 11 AM until 11 PM.
Finding new and innovative ways to combat the demand for purchased sex, raise awareness to this nationwide epidemic, and provide safe environments for victims.