{"id":4937,"date":"2026-07-02T07:55:43","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T07:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/07\/02\/authorities-arrest-10-people-accused-of-facilitating-sex-trafficking-in-los-angeles\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T07:55:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T07:55:43","slug":"authorities-arrest-10-people-accused-of-facilitating-sex-trafficking-in-los-angeles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=4937","title":{"rendered":"Authorities arrest 10 people accused of facilitating sex trafficking in Los Angeles"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-14sl0e4\">\n<div class=\"dcr-17l77cs\">\n<figure id=\"5213ff1f-a144-40ed-b1e5-bb2e2ef93b57\" class=\"dcr-191xnya\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"An image of a city road at night.\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/00124fd93232d35201bebd23a1f98617f41a4ebc\/0_0_5616_3744\/master\/5616.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"310\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><span class=\"dcr-kogzpx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-18mnkpm\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1294qmb\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-4sl2vt\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1mfxiaj\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">The Figueroa corridor has been a frequent target for law enforcement due to recurring sex-trafficking activity.<\/span> Photograph: Anthony Kemper\/500px\/Getty Images\/500px Unreleased<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"5213ff1f-a144-40ed-b1e5-bb2e2ef93b57\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-qda0hp\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1e9iiy9\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">The Figueroa corridor has been a frequent target for law enforcement due to recurring sex-trafficking activity.<\/span> Photograph: Anthony Kemper\/500px\/Getty Images\/500px Unreleased<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-ql9l8l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6mja0y\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-l0wuod\">Authorities arrest 10 people accused of facilitating sex trafficking in Los Angeles<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1xpojbf\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1gm5ptv\">\n<p>Prosecutors said members of the a gang targeted about 51 underage girls and women along LA\u2019s Figueroa corridor<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-x1al2c\">\n<div class=\"dcr-11gq2tx\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-1w2vkyc\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-ogvvui\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Ten people accused of facilitating a sex-trafficking operation that targeted about 51 underage girls and women have been arrested as California authorities conducted their latest operation to curb trafficking along the Figueroa corridor in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/los-angeles\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Los Angeles<\/a>, according to a Wednesday news release.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Prosecutors <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-cdca\/pr\/10-defendants-including-south-la-motel-manager-arrested-latest-human-trafficking-sweep\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">said<\/a> on Wednesday that members and associates of the south Los Angeles-based gang the Hoovers acted as pimps, recruiting minors and women, some of whom were runaways or foster kids, with the \u201cfalse promise\u201d of a better life or with violence into sex work between February 2021 and June 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">One of the individuals facing charges, 23-year-old Cameron Lockett, allegedly beat a victim and bit off a chunk of her cheek in November 2024. Lockett sent her to a hospital for treatment and pressured her to lie to police officers about the injuries, authorities say.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">In July 2025, Caleed Mouton, 26, arranged an abortion for another trafficking victim, an underage girl, and ordered her to engage in sex work the same day, according to authorities.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"b053f364-063b-46ff-ad95-aeab18a813f7\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-1oq85qr\">\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-4 | 4\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1rx5ky9\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"5\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-15vltj4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/27\/boyle-heights-warehouse-fire-smell-los-angeles\" class=\"dcr-f35c0u\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-vvxpdt\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6z6e7\">\n<div class=\"dcr-zh9rih\">\u2018Like a dead body\u2019: after warehouse fire, LA residents say air thick with smell of rotting food<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-oj13vq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-ef9nua\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Mukeshkumar Ahir, the manager of Stadium Inn &amp; Spas, has also been charged for pocketing more than $64,000 from the alleged sex-trafficking operation. Ahir, 45, allegedly reserved rooms for the illegal activity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cWe hope today\u2019s arrests break the cycle of crime and abuse in one of LA\u2019s most notorious human-trafficking corridors,\u201d said Bill Essayli, first assistant US attorney, in a news release.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Jim McDonnell, the Los Angeles police chief, said: \u201cWe are dismantling the criminal enterprises that profit from human trafficking, rescuing victims and reclaiming the Figueroa corridor for the community that has always deserved better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">If convicted, the individuals face 15 years to life in prison.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The corridor, a roughly 4-mile area that runs north to south, has been a frequent target for law enforcement, due to recurring sex-trafficking activity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Last <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-cdca\/pr\/11-charged-federal-indictment-alleging-extensive-sex-trafficking-minors-and-young\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">year<\/a>, 11 other individuals affiliated with the Hoover gang, including a 25-year-old woman, Amaya Armstead, described as its \u201cde facto leader\u201d, were charged with sex-trafficking crimes. Their trial is scheduled to begin next March.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Budget cuts in 2021 depleted the LAPD\u2019s resources to tackle human trafficking, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/10\/26\/magazine\/sex-trafficking-girls-la-figueroa.html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">according<\/a> to the New York Times. According to the outlet, police officers\u2019 ability to apprehend trafficked minors was also hampered by the repeal of a bill that had previously allowed police to arrest individuals who loitered for sex work (the repeal\u2019s proponents, among them state senator and congressional candidate Scott Wiener, said it enabled discriminatory behavior against people of color and transgender communities).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-swayiu\"><span class=\"dcr-1xhbmzr\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-2c03t5\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-p7nd18\">\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/los-angeles\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Los Angeles<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/society\/sex-trafficking\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Sex trafficking<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/society\/sex-work\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Sex work<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-crime\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US crime<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/california\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">California<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/west-coast\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">West Coast<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-313bdz\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Authorities%20arrest%2010%20people%20accused%20of%20facilitating%20sex%20trafficking%20in%20Los%20Angeles&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/01\/los-angeles-sex-trafficking-arrests?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-ncybeu\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-19bkree\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fjul%2F01%2Flos-angeles-sex-trafficking-arrests&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/jul\/01\/los-angeles-sex-trafficking-arrests\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-1c41onw\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-axwinp\"><span class=\"dcr-1ryr20k\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Figueroa corridor has been a frequent target for law enforcement due to recurring sex-trafficking activity. Photograph: Anthony<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":4939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4937"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4937\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}