November 2016
Volume 1, Issue 8
Dear Friends:

I am happy to report that the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office had a very successful year in Sacramento.  All eight of the bills we helped draft were signed into law by the governor.

To learn more, watch the video to your right and read my full message.
Spotlight: Human Sex Trafficking Section
One of the harsh realities of life in Southern California is that it is a top destination in the country for human sex trafficking. Girls as young as 12 have been sexually exploited – many are forced while others are lured in by promises of a better life.

The Human Sex Trafficking Section prosecutes the criminals who exploit these victims. Created in 2014, the section is comprised of specially trained prosecutors who are dedicated to assisting victims of sex trafficking.

With heightened sensitivity to these crimes and new laws to toughen the punishment of human traffickers, the caseload has increased. There were 14 human trafficking cases filed in 2012. That doubled in 2013 and grew to 89 in 2014. Last year, there were 75 cases.

In one of the most notable cases prosecuted this year, a 38-year-old man was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison for trafficking an underage girl and a woman in South Los Angeles. Even while in jail, the defendant demanded one of the victims continue working as a prostitute.

Besides prosecuting these cases, Jane Creighton, the deputy-in-charge of the Human Sex Trafficking Section, also is responsible for training other prosecutors and law enforcement officers on how to properly investigate and file these cases. She led a day-long training for 120 criminal justice professionals last month in Alhambra.
Fraud Alert
    Significant Cases
Many retirees and those about to retire may be tempted to boost their savings by investing money in riskier high yield products. 

  • LADA and others settled a lawsuit with Liberty Mutual Group, Inc., over its misleading “accident forgiveness” TV ads in California. Read more about the agreement. 

  • A 36-year-old man was sentenced to prison for the attempted murders of two Burbank police officers. Find out how much time he could serve in prison.


  • Two men were charged in connection with defacing a Vietnam War veterans’ memorial in Venice. Learn more about the charges. 
Ask A Consumer Law Expert

Hoon Chun, assistant head deputy of the Consumer Protection Division, answers questions about how consumers may protect themselves against fraud this holiday season.

How does fraud differ during the holiday season?
 As the year ends, expect an increase in solicitations from charitable organizations. While many provide worthy services, some are not legitimate.  Consumers should consider donating to local churches, schools or other familiar organizations.

How can consumers defend against fraud?
 Most of us buy more online during the holiday season. Consumers should research any unfamiliar businesses before placing an order or providing identifying information or credit card numbers.

How can consumers protect themselves?
During the holiday season, as consumers make more purchases online and provide their identifying and credit card information more frequently, the risk of identity theft also increases. Consumers should at least annually review their credit reports at the three major credit rating agencies.

What should victims of identity theft or fraud do?
 If the purchase was made with a credit card, a timely report to most credit card companies usually suffices to avoid incurring liability for the fraudulent debt.  Victims also should report the incident to their local police department and obtain a copy of the police report. In addition, victims should report the identity theft to each of the three major credit reporting agencies.

What is LADA’s role in combating fraud?
Fraud investigations primarily are conducted by local police agencies. If the police agency believes there is sufficient evidence to prosecute a case, that agency submits its findings to the District Attorney's Office for evaluation.  If prosecutors determine that there is sufficient evidence, a criminal case is filed.
Courageous Citizen Awards

Prosecutors tell the story of how Courageous Citizen Charlie Abbott helped solve a 30-year-old cold case. Watch the video here.
Did You Know...?
Los Angeles County’s central criminal courthouse, the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, is named after the first woman lawyer in California and the first woman to become a deputy district attorney in the county. Foltz was hired by the office in 1910, when she was 61 years old. The single mother of five was a staunch advocate of women’s suffrage and the public defender system. 

Photo courtesy of Barbara Babcock and Stanford Law, Women’s Legal History Project. For more information, visit:  https://wlh.law.stanford.edu.
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office | (213) 974-3512  | info@da.lacounty.gov

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