Man Honored for Rescuing Human Trafficking Victims in Century City

Joshua White, 28, of Los Angeles, who drove two women to a police station in May 2013 after they approached him at a Century City mall and said they had been forced into prostitution, was among three people honored today as “courageous citizens.”

Lebrette Winn, 24, was arrested the next day by Long Beach police, convicted last August of human trafficking, forcible rape and other counts and sentenced last September to 47 years and four months to life in state prison.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey also lauded Rosa Almanza, 21, A Gardena woman who called 911 and waited for police to arrive after witnessing a blind man being struck in the head by his girlfriend in Long Beach.

Almanza came to the 63-year-old man’s aid as he was bleeding profusely in July 2014 and later offered the only eyewitness testimony at his abuser’s trial.

Virginia Ruth Bennett, 49, was sentenced in March to 19 years in state prison.

Also recognized was Luis Moreno, 27, of Los Angeles, who placed an iPhone dummy that had an active GPS locator into a bag during an armed robbery at a Carson wireless phone store in June 2014.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were able to locate Gregory Aubrey Jr., 45, who was sentenced in June to 30 years in state prison.

“Today we commend the acts of heroism demonstrated by these everyday people,” Lacey said. “They stood up for victims of crime and played pivotal roles in the prosecution of each case. I am proud to be in the presence of these very special people whose steadfast conviction helped attain justice.”

City News Service