Multi-Agency Effort Nets Recovery of 33 Missing Children in Operation “Lost Angels”

During the month of January, which is also Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department worked in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and two dozen other local law enforcement and non-governmental agencies to help identify, locate and safely recover children that had been missing or were possibly being sexually exploited and/or trafficked.

As a result of this multi-agency effort, which began on Monday, January 11, 2021, 33 children have successfully been found. 8 of those children were confirmed as being sexually exploited at the time they were found and 2 of them were rescued multiple times from a location in which commercial sex trafficking is known to operate.

This operation resulted in the arrest of one suspected Human Trafficker, on state charges, and helped to initiate several new investigations.

Throughout these operations, victims are provided with information about resources on how to obtain housing, continue their education and childcare, just to name a few. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the California Department of Child & Family Services and other non-government victim advocacy organizations were also on hand to provide their services and assist in any way.

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

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the below partner agencies who helped make this operation successful:

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

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