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The Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, comprised of the combined efforts of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and DA’s office, the FBI and the California Highway Patrol, shut down an alleged prostitution ring in a raid in Compton this Wednesday resulting in a total of 36 arrests.

As reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, 8 people were rescued during the mission including three girls who are purportedly commercially sexually exploited children, and five women who were identified as the possible victims of human trafficking. The children are currently being cared for by the Department of Children and Family Services.

Sheriff’s deputies working undercover obtained a large number of the arrests. 16 of the men were arrested for allegedly soliciting undercover law enforcement agents for sexual relations. Three additional men, 27-year-old Demario Bell, 25-year-old Damon Thomas, and 37-year-old Damien Henry were taken into custody for felony pandering after allegedly attempting to recruit undercover detectives to work for them in the commercial sex industry.

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52-year-old Mary Jahn, an English teacher at Lakewood High School since 2006, has been accused of engaging in a sexual relationship for three years with a former female student which began when the girl was 15 years old in 2008. According to the authorities, after the girl turned 18 in 2011 she and Jahn’s physical intimacy ended, but they stayed in touch on and off until early spring of this year when the student reported the alleged sexual abuse to the police.

Following the student’s report an investigation began, and Jahn was put on leave from her teaching position. She was arrested on September 13. The Long Beach Unified School District has offered their support to the authorities, and after Jahn’s arrest they released a public statement assuring that the “safety and well-being of our students is always our primary concern.”

Following a short court proceeding Jahn now faces criminal charges for 9 felonies comprised of four counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object, three counts of lewd acts upon a child, and two counts of oral copulation of a person under 18. If convicted on all charges Jahn could face eight years and four months in state prison, and she would have a mandatory legal obligation to register as a sex offender for the remainder of her life.

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On Wednesday morning at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, a female inmate approached a teaching instructor on the staff claiming she had been raped by a deputy during the night in the one of the jail dormitories. The woman named her alleged attacker as 31-year-old Giancarlo Scotti; a San Pedro resident and 10-year veteran deputy of the LA County sheriff’s department who is employed at the facility. Shortly after the initial report a second woman made similar allegations about Scotti, who was on duty during the time the assaults occurred.

As reported during a news conference by L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell, the area of the jail where the alleged attacks took place was hastily secured in order to preserve any possible evidence. Investigators were called to the scene, and Scotti was held in a watch commander’s office. After an initial inspection, enough data including DNA evidence was obtained to justify Scotti’s arrest on suspicion of two counts of rape and two counts of oral copulation, both under the color of authority.

No charges were filed, and within 10 hours of his booking Scotti was released after posting $100,000 bail. He has currently been put on paid administrative leave.

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On Thursday, Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call from an undisclosed party reporting the need for a welfare check at Camp Pendleton. When they arrived they discovered the body of a 23-year-old mother of three in her Laguna Hills apartment who had been shot multiple times. The victim’s name remains confidential at this time as authorities had not yet notified her family.

Jerel Boykins, a 26-year-old U.S. Marine and the estranged husband of the victim was held as a suspect by authorities soon after his wife’s body was found. He was arrested as the alleged perpetrator the day after the shooting occurred.

Court records indicate the victim had filed for a restraining order early in September, and she submitted a detailed letter describing several occurrences where Boykins allegedly used physical violence or threats against her and other family members.

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Police received a call in the early morning hours on Sunday, September 10th concerning a woman who was lying on the ground outside. When they arrived at the scene they discovered a 68-year-old Garden Grove woman who appeared to be the victim of an assault. It was announced that she was in critical condition, and after three days of treatment she still remains in the hospital.

The police found the alleged attacker, 30-year-old Garden Grove resident Michael Varela, at the scene. Varela was taken into custody for attempted murder and attempted sexual assault, and is being held at the Orange County Jail.

If you or someone you love is suspected of attempted murder or sexual assault, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.

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33-year-old Ah Le Fang resides in Fullerton with his mother Lu Thao, her boyfriend and his sister. Late one evening Fang began arguing with his sister resulting in closing himself into his bedroom and refusing to open the door. When his mother attempted to communicate with him, Fang allegedly emerged from his room with a knife in his hand and stabbed 50-year-old Thao in the stomach, and her 75-year-old boyfriend in the arm. He then ran out of the home.

Thao called 911 to report that she and her boyfriend had been attacked. When Fullerton police responded they discovered she was suffering from a laceration to her abdomen, and her boyfriend with a deep gash on his arm. Both injured parties were transported for medical treatment. Thao’s wound was fatal, and it was reported that her boyfriend was in serious condition.

Despite Fang fleeing he was quickly found by police. Upon investigation the officers also discovered a knife that they speculate is the weapon that was used in the assaults. Fang was taken into custody and he is being held on $1 million bail. He faces charges of felony murder, attempted murder, and a sentencing enhancement for premeditated murder.

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Authorities reported that an observant airline passenger aboard a flight from Seattle, WA to San Jose. CA spotted a man sitting in the seat in front of her allegedly sending alarming texts regarding child sexual assault. The screen display was large enough that she was able to capture photographic evidence of the conversation, and she alerted the flight crew about the incident.

The suspect, 56-year-old Michael Keller, was spied sending text messages to 50-year-old Gail Burnworth consisting of details about molesting children. Both Kellar and Burnworth are residents of Tacoma, Washington where Burnworth provides babysitting services. Police speculated this is what gave Kellar access to the victims: two children ages 5 and 7. The relationship between the suspects currently remains unknown.

After the passenger, who has chosen to remain anonymous, spoke with the flight attendant on board the law enforcement at the San Jose airport was notified. When Kellar disembarked the plane he was taken into custody immediately. Seattle police arrested Burnworth.

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Death Metal band Decapitated is currently visiting the United States from Poland on their “Double Homicide” tour. A woman who attended their show at The Pin, a venue in downtown Spokane, WA, has accused the four members of the band of kidnapping and gang-raping her in the bathroom of their bus following the performance.

The day after the show the woman filed a report alleging that she entered the bus for drinks with Michal Mikolaj Lysejko, 27; Waclaw Jan Kieltyka, 35; Rafal Tomasz Piotrowski, 31; and Hubert Edward Wiecek, 30, where they each took a turn sexually assaulting her. Information regarding the alleged kidnapping has not been disclosed at this time.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case at the request of the Spokane police. The band continued their tour for a month after the woman’s claims, when they were apprehended after their performance at The Observatory in Santa Ana, CA.

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Anaheim resident Tarek Hamad was returning home to his pregnant wife and young child before dawn. As 34-year-old Hamad turned his car into the driveway of his apartment complex, he was plowed into by a drunk driver.

18-year-old Jorge Esteban Lunas Martinez was allegedly intoxicated and speeding when he lost control of his car, swerved into oncoming traffic and abruptly pulled into the driveway of the apartment complex where Hamed had just returned home. This caused Martinez to collide with the back of Hamad’s car, and the innocent victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hamed and his family moved to America a year ago and he was the sole wage-earner in his household. The sudden catastrophe of his death has left his children without a father, and his wife, who is due to give birth in one month, a young widow and single mother of two.

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Authorities reported that after an eight-month investigation, police arrested 25-year-old Matthew Ryan Wood of Seal Beach for allegedly causing a car accident while intoxicated, resulting in the death of a 19-year-old woman.

The crash took place on the afternoon of December 9, 2016. Wood was driving a pick-up truck eastbound when he passed over a painted center median resulting in a collision with a westbound traveling minivan driven by Lisa Shelhorn. Shelhorn was declared dead at the scene and Wood was in critical condition and treated at a local hospital.

Wood faces charges for suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated, transportation for sale of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance with a firearm.

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