A 23-year-old Los Angeles man is charged with human trafficking after police discovered a missing Ventura County teen being sex trafficked in Los Angeles.
Deputies were notified of a missing juvenile from the area in December 2025, and the Sheriff’s Special Crimes Unit discovered evidence while investigating the disappearance that indicated the juvenile was being sex trafficked in Los Angeles, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
The juvenile was successfully reunited with their family earlier this month, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, detectives discovered evidence during their investigation that identified a 23-year-old Los Angeles man as the person who trafficked the Ventura County juvenile by grooming them on social media, gaining their trust, and then coercing them to leave their home.
Traffickers frequently utilize social media sites to identify and exploit juveniles; in this case, the 23-year-old used online messaging to flatter and emotionally manipulate the teenage victim, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
Leave a Reply