33 Missing CA Kids Found Via Multi-Agency 'Lost Angels' Operation

LOS ANGELES, CA — Thirty-three missing children were recovered in the Southland during a recent operation that involved several California and federal agencies, the FBI announced Friday. Eight of those children were reportedly being sexually exploited.

"Operation Lost Angels" was a multi-day and multi-agency effort that began on Jan. 11 and resulted in the rescue and recovery of nearly three-dozen missing children, said. Kristi K. Johnson, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles field office.

The mass recovery operation launched in January — Human Trafficking Awareness Month — and was a collaboration between the FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department, and more than two-dozen law enforcement and non-governmental partners.

One suspected human trafficker was arrested during the operation as several other investigations into potential suspects were opened. Officials said some of the minor victims were arrested for probation violations, robbery and other misdemeanors. One child recovered was the victim of a noncustodial parental kidnapping.

Two of the eight children being sexually exploited were rescued more than once. FBI officials said these children were on a "track," a common term that describes a known location for commercial sex trafficking.

"It is not uncommon for victims who are rescued to return to commercial sex trafficking either voluntarily or by force, fraud, or coercion," Johnson wrote in a statement. " This harmful cycle highlights the challenges victims face and those faced by law enforcement when attempting to keep victims from returning to an abusive situation. Victims may not self-identify as being trafficked or may not even realize they’re being trafficked."

Several of the victims had been sexually exploited in the past and were considered vulnerable missing children prior to their recovery, Johnson said.

The FBI did not release any additional details on the manner of these recoveries.

"Collaboration with our law enforcement partners is key to ending the vicious cycle of modern day slavery," Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said in a statement. "I’m committed to doing everything we can to stop human trafficking."

The FBI's caseload for both sex and labor trafficking-related crimes has skyrocketed in recent years, according to Johnson. As of November, there were more than 1,800 pending trafficking investigations including those involving minors exploited through commercial sex trafficking, the agency said.

In 2020, the FBI opened 664 human trafficking investigations across the country. As a result, 473 trafficking suspects have been arrested. The FBI's annual crime report, which includes human trafficking statistics can be viewed here.

"The FBI considers human trafficking modern day slavery and the minors engaged in commercial sex trafficking are considered victims," Johnson said. "While this operation surged resources over a limited period of time with great success, the FBI and our partners investigate child sex trafficking every day of the year and around the clock."

Anyone who believes they may be a victim of human trafficking may call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline (NHTRC) at 888-373-7888 or visit this website. The NHTRC is a national, confidential, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls at all times, officials said.

Those who wish to report an incident were urged to call their local FBI office or police department.

The agencies whose personnel participated in Operation Lost Angels are as follows:

• Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office
• Los Angeles Police Department
• California Highway Patrol
• Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office
• United States Attorney’s Office
• United States Marshall’s Service
• Internal Revenue Service
• Drug Enforcement Agency
• Health and Human Services
• Inglewood Police Department
• El Segundo Police Department
• Pomona Police Department
• Glendale Police Department
• Long Beach Police Department
• San Diego Police Department
• Wichita Police Department
• Langston University Police (Oklahoma)
• San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office
• Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
• San Luis Obispo District Attorney Bureau of Investigation
• Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
• California Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services
• Los Angeles County Probation Office
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Wayfinder Family Services
• Arizona Department of Child Safety