A single tip about a Walnut suburban home launched Operation Reclaim and Rebuild, a week‑long, multiagency sweep that recovered nearly 20 children and led to 611 arrests statewide. In Los Angeles County alone authorities say 12 adults and five children were rescued. Investigators reported victims had been transported from states including Illinois, Oklahoma and Missouri; prosecutors are still determining charges. Officials urged residents to report suspicious activity — the probe began when one person spoke up.
Single Tip Spurs Statewide Human-Trafficking Sweep — Nearly 20 Children Rescued, 611 Arrests
Single tip triggers massive California human trafficking bust with more than 600 arrests
A single citizen complaint about a seemingly quiet suburban house in Walnut, California, triggered a multiagency human‑trafficking investigation that officials say led to the rescue of nearly 20 children, the discovery of residential brothels and 611 arrests across the state.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the massive statewide human trafficking takedown was sparked by a single tip from a concerned citizen.(Fox News)
Operation Reclaim and Rebuild
The week‑long effort, billed as Operation Reclaim and Rebuild, involved dozens of law‑enforcement agencies. Authorities said the operation rescued 12 adults and five children in Los Angeles County alone, and produced a total of 611 arrests statewide.
LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said some of the human trafficking victims came from as far away as Chicago, Oklahoma, Missouri and tribal lands.
How the Probe Unfolded
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the investigation began after one resident reported suspicious activity at a Walnut home. That tip prompted months of surveillance and the identification of multiple trafficking locations in nearby suburban neighborhoods.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman called human trafficking "modern slavery."
Officials said the arrests included suspected traffickers and hundreds of alleged buyers. Prosecutors are still determining how many defendants will face felony human‑trafficking charges versus lower‑level solicitation offenses.
"We have traffickers that are putting barely teenage girls on the streets of Los Angeles to be victimized, repeatedly, over and over again," said LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton. "These children did not come from one place. They came from Chicago, from Oklahoma, from Missouri, tribal lands... and from communities right here in the state of California."
Authorities emphasized the geographic reach of the ring: some victims recovered during the operation had been brought from as far away as Illinois, Oklahoma and Missouri. Law enforcement has not released the names of suspects or the exact addresses of the residential brothels.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the network as "modern slavery," calling the county one of the nation's major hubs for human‑sex trafficking. His office is now processing cases tied to the arrests while partner agencies continue to monitor known trafficking corridors to prevent brothels from reopening in residential neighborhoods.
Officials urged community members to report suspicious activity, stressing the investigation began because one person came forward.
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