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WARNING: This news release contains graphic descriptions of violence and should not be viewed by minors. 

February 23, 2026 – LOS ANGELES, CA – A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to 28 years and eight months in LADA Figueroa Corridorstate prison for sex trafficking a 17-year-old minor and a 19-year-old adult along the Figueroa Corridor.

“A violent sex trafficker and modern-day enslaver has been taken off the streets as a result of the tireless work of our prosecutors and the Los Angeles Police Department,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “The depravity of sex traffickers who prey on the most vulnerable in our community, including children, knows no bounds. This case underscores that there will be dire consequences for sex traffickers under my watch, especially traffickers who brutally torment their vulnerable young victims. I commend Deputy District Attorney Emily Chai and the entire Sex Crimes Division for their relentless pursuit of justice. For those operating in the sex trafficking industry in Los Angeles County, know this: Your prosecution is next.”

On February 13, Derran Adkins (28) was sentenced to 28 years and eight months in state prison after he pleaded guilty on February 11 to one felony count of human trafficking of an adult and one felony count of human trafficking of a minor for a commercial sex act, both violent felonies. He also admitted that he inflicted great bodily injury on both victims during the commission of these offenses. He is required to register as a sex offender for life. A restitution hearing is set for June 26 in Department 103 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Adkins met the 17-year-old victim through social media. She was forced into commercial sex trafficking in November 2024. If she attempted to escape or refused to follow Adkins’ directions, he assaulted her. On one occasion, he brutally mutilated her hand.

The adult victim met the defendant when she was 19 years old and worked for him as a commercial sex worker between April 2024 and January 2025. Adkins physically assaulted her if she failed to follow his instructions, questioned his authority or attempted to leave. In some instances, he punched her in the face, burned her with a heated metal spoon or whipped her with a hanger.

Both victims were trafficked along the Figueroa Corridor. All their earnings from commercial sex work went to the defendant.

Case 25CJCF00109 was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Emily Chai of the Sex Crimes Division’s Human Sex Trafficking Section and was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department’s South Bureau Human Trafficking Task Force.

This sentencing follows two significant human trafficking convictions since District Attorney Hochman took office:

  • Qudar Eric Edmonds, 27, was sentenced in August 2025 to 18 years and four months in state prison for trafficking two minors and pimping an adult throughout multiple areas of Los Angeles County, including the Figueroa Corridor, along with kidnapping and criminal threats (case 24CJCF04400).
  • Marcus Alan Jones, 32, was sentenced in February 2025 to 12 years in state prison after a jury convicted him of trafficking a 15‑year‑old girl on the Figueroa Corridor and in Kern County (case BA489942)​.

“Sex trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar business of exploitation that must be destroyed on both the supply and demand side,” said District Attorney Hochman. “In addition to aggressively prosecuting sex traffickers and pimps, my office’s prosecutors and investigators are working closely with law enforcement to target the sex buyers who drive demand, commonly referred to as ‘johns,’ so we can end sex trafficking once and for all.”

In December, the Office filed felony charges in case 25CJCF08295 against Alfredo Espinoza, 31, for allegedly engaging in commercial sex acts along the Figuero Corridor. He was charged with conspiracy to commit lewd conduct in public, conspiracy to commit an act that is injurious to the public and conspiracy to commit the crime of public nuisance with an allegation of a prior strike conviction for second-degree robbery. He faces six years in state prison if convicted as charged.

The District Attorney’s Office is also committed to supporting victims of sexual exploitation. The Office’s Bureau of Victim Services offers resources for victims in addition to partnering with community-based organizations like Journey Out, Saving Innocence and Run 2 Rescue. These organizations provide counseling, emergency housing, vocational training and other services to directly support human trafficking survivors.

Read more about the Office’s human sex trafficking work:

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, call your local law enforcement or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233-733 (BE FREE).

Our Bureau of Victim Services is available to assist victims with trauma-informed services at 1-800-380-3811.

For more resources, visit: da.lacounty.gov/victims/human-trafficking-resources.

Source: Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office

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