By Los Angeles County Politics (LACP)
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman last week commemorated January National Human Trafficking Prevention Month by announcing his office will toughen up felony charges against sexual exploiters/buyers, commonly referred to as ‘johns’ and sex traffickers/pimps as well as providing services from community-based organizations to directly support sex worker victims and survivors.
Hochman’s announcement comes as curbing human trafficking and prostitution along the Figueroa Corridor in South Los Angeles remains a challenge.
“Human trafficking is essentially modern-day slavery, and Los Angeles County for far too long has been one of its epicenters,” said Hochman. “A year ago, we announced we were going to aggressively prosecute traffickers and pimps – and we did – but there is still a crisis for families in these neighborhoods.”
Hochman said his office is now doing three things at once to go after the demand and supply side of this illegal sex industry: filing felony cases, including conspiracy charges, against the sexual exploiters/buyers who drive demand, aggressively seeking years of prison time against the sex traffickers/pimps, and offering resources and services to sex workers, in an effort to end their exploitation.”
Hochman’s new initiative received support from Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, City Councilmember Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Chief Jim McDonnell.
“Disrupting trafficking at scale requires coordination between prosecutors, law enforcement, elected officials, service providers, the faith community, the business community and the public,” said Soto. “I am proud to partner with the District Attorney on this comprehensive approach to prevention, enforcement, and victim support.”
“Human trafficking along the Figueroa Corridor is an attack on the safety and dignity of our community,” said McDonnell. “The LAPD, working closely with our local, state, federal, and community partners, has built a unified response to protect victims, reduce demand, and dismantle the networks that profit from exploitation. Our collaboration is delivering real results, and our message is clear: traffickers will be held accountable, survivors will be supported, and together we will keep the Figueroa Corridor safe.”
LADA’s Bureau of Investigation is also involved in this battle against human trafficking, embedding with task forces and vice units across the region and playing a direct role in internet-based decoy operations, corridor details and residential brothel investigations that have yielded arrests and the rescue of exploited minors.
This collaboration between the LAPD, LADA and community service providers was demonstrated during operations, most recently on Dec. 9, 2025, when LAPD teams patrolling the Figueroa Corridor arrested both a sex worker and a buyer for conspiracy to commit a public nuisance. The female sex worker was offered resources, and she accepted. The community organization even paid for a bus ticket so she could return to her home state rather than remain in the Figueroa Corridor.
“This issue has persisted along this corridor for my entire life, and we aim to tackle it head-on,” said Harris-Dawson. “The City of Los Angeles leads a Task Force that collaborates with the community, successfully closing six motels, sending over 1,000 “Dear John” letters, installing cameras, and conducting hundreds of rescues of trafficked individuals. I fully support District Attorney Hochman’s survey and urge everyone affected by trafficking in this area to participate and make their voices heard.”
“We refuse to turn a blind eye to the victims, including minors, being exploited by this epidemic and the neighborhoods under siege by it,” said Hochman. “We expect even more filings as we send our own investigators into the field, continue our work with law enforcement and community partners and focus more attention on the sexual exploiters who come into these neighborhoods to buy people for sex.”
