Massive Child Sex Trafficking Raid Leads To Arrests Across Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA — Dozens of children and hundreds more victims of human trafficking were rescued in a nationwide series of ongoing raids including several arrests and rescues in Los Angeles County, the FBI announced Tuesday morning.

The FBI and local police agencies teamed up to rescue five adolescents and nine potential human trafficking victims across Los Angeles County as part of “Operation Cross Country.” Nationwide, the sexual exploitation crackdown netted at least 85 suspects facing charges of human trafficking or the sexual exploitation of children, according to the FBI. The task force rescued more than 225 victims around the nation, including 84 minors.

“Human trafficking and child exploitation are insidious crimes, and the impact on victims is immeasurable,” said Amir Ehsaei, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Division. “However, with strong partnerships forged between outstanding service providers and law enforcement, we can ensure victims receive the services they need, and the perpetrators of such unspeakable activity are brought to justice.”

Thirty-seven of the child victims rescued were actively reported missing. The average age of victims rescued during the operation was 15.5, according to the FBI. The youngest victim was 11 years old.

"Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes the FBI encounters," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "Unfortunately, such crimes — against both adults and children — are far more common than most people realize."

With a focus on child sex trafficking and human trafficking, Operation Cross Country involved FBI Special Agents, Intelligence Analysts, Victim Specialists, and Child Adolescent Forensic Interviewers working with more than 200 state, local, and federal partners and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children over a two-week period.

“This year’s operation underscores the FBI’s commitment to protecting the communities we serve from those who seek to victimize the most vulnerable among us,” saidEhsaei.

The operation began by identifying and locating victims of sex trafficking and busting up the trafficking rings that exploited them.

Local agencies involved in the operation included the Los Angeles Police Department; Inglewood Police Department; Pomona Police Department; Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office; Ventura County Sheriff’s Office; Santa Maria Police Department; and the Department of Children and Family Services.

The FBI has not publicly identified the suspects.