Villanueva: Sheriff s department to attend parole hearings in absence of LA County DA prosecutors
KABC
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LOS ANGELES (KABC) Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva says members of his department will be present at parole hearings in the absence of deputy district attorneys.
In a letter Wednesday to District Attorney George Gascon, Villanueva questioned why the prosecutors have been barred from attending the parole hearings and added his department would appear on behalf of victims families to give them a voice.
Villanueva said the sheriff s department has traditionally written letters expressing public safety concerns when a state prisoner is scheduled for a parole hearing.
Villanueva notifies Gascón that detectives will attend parole hearings to give victims a voice
By Mary Stringini
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva (L), Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón (R).
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has notified District Attorney George Gascón that he will begin sending his sheriff s detectives to parole hearings to give victims a voice as long as the newly elected DA continues to refuse to allow his prosecutors to attend them as part of his new reforms. I cannot understand why your office is barring prosecutors from attending parole hearings, the letter penned by Villanueva to Gascón reads. The purpose of the correspondence is to notify you, if prosecutors will no longer be allowed to attend parole hearings, the LASD will attend parole hearings in the absence of your prosecutors.
On behalf of more than two dozen partner agencies, Assistant Director in Charge Kristi K. Johnson of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office announced the results of “Operation Lost Angels,” an initiative which began on January 11 and recently culminated in the recovery of 33 children.
During January Human Trafficking Awareness Month the FBI worked with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and more than two dozen law enforcement and non-governmental partners to identify, locate, and recover missing children, particularly those who have been or were suspected of being sexually exploited and/or trafficked.
Of the 33 children recovered in Operation Lost Angels, eight were being sexually exploited at the time of recovery. Two were recovered multiple times during the operation while on the “track,” a common term used to describe a known location for commercial sex trafficking.
On behalf of more than two dozen partner agencies, Assistant Director in Charge Kristi K. Johnson, of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, announced the results of “Operation Lost Angels,” an initiative which began on January 11th and recently culminated in the recovery of 33 children.
During January Human Trafficking Awareness Month the FBI worked with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and more than two dozen law enforcement and non-governmental partners to identify, locate, and recover missing children, particularly those who have been or were suspected of being sexually exploited and/or trafficked.
Canyon News
UNITED STATES On Friday, January 22, the U.S. Marshall’s Office announced that 33 children from southern California were rescued from sex trafficking and one person has been arrested. According to a press release by FBI Los Angeles Public Affairs Specialist Laura Eimiller, the Operation Lost Angels initiative began on January 11.
Eight of the victims were “of the 33 children recovered, eight were being sexually exploited at the time of recovery,” FBI officials stated. Two were recovered multiple times during the operation while on the “track,” a common term used to describe 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. 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