Sara Kruzan was in her cell when she received a fax that changed her life. After spending some of her teenage years, all of her 20s and much of her 30s in prison for killing her trafficker, Kruzan learned that California’s attorney general had acknowledged that she was a victim of domestic...
Gilroy Couple Forced Man to Work Every Day at Liquor Store, Says DA
GILROY — A husband and wife have been charged with human trafficking for allegedly locking a man from India in a liquor store, where prosecutors said he worked 15-hour shifts seven days a week, slept in a storage room, bathed in a mop bucket and was never paid. Amarjit and...
Judge Throws Out Extortion Charges Against Megachurch Leader
LOS ANGELES — Citing insufficient evidence, a judge on Wednesday threw out extortion charges against the leader of a Mexican megachurch but left in place accusations of child rape and human trafficking. The California attorney general's office failed to show that Naasón JoaquÃn GarcÃa, the self-proclaimed apostle of La Luz...
Mexican Megachurch Leader Charged Again With Child Rape
LOS ANGELES — California on Wednesday charged the leader of a Mexican megachurch with child rape and human trafficking, months after a court dismissed the previous allegations because of prosecution errors. Naasón JoaquÃn GarcÃa, the self-proclaimed apostle of La Luz del Mundo, was charged with three dozen felony counts. Also...
Court Drops Rape, Other Charges Against Megachurch Leader
LOS ANGELES — A California appeals court ordered the dismissal of a criminal case Tuesday against a Mexican megachurch leader on charges of child rape and human trafficking on procedural grounds. Naasón JoaquÃn GarcÃa, the self-proclaimed apostle of La Luz del Mundo, has been in custody since June following his arrest on...
Arrests at LA Church Allege Marriage, Immigration Fraud
LOS ANGELES — Federal agents raided a Philippines-based church in Los Angeles Wednesday in a human trafficking investigation that led to arrests of three church leaders in what prosecutors said was a decades-long scheme to trick followers into becoming fundraisers and arrange sham marriages to keep them in the U.S....
Opinion: California Must End the Plague of Human Trafficking. This Proposal Can Help.
Ending the plague of human trafficking is one of my top legislative priorities. Sadly, California is prime hunting ground for pimps and gangs to exploit human trafficking. There are a number of reasons for this including: The state’s growing under-18 population. The state’s network of highways providing quick access to...
Worker Help Sought to Combat Super Bowl Human Trafficking
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — To combat human trafficking during the Super Bowl, law enforcement officials said Thursday that they need hotel workers, ride-hailing service drivers and security personnel to be especially alert. These are the people most likely to encounter the victims and perpetrators of trafficking — and would be...
A Look at Fresno EOC as It Searches for New CEO
This week, the board that oversees the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission is scheduled to select a new CEO. Earlier this year, Fresno EOC's CEO Brian Angus announced he would step away from the post he had held since 2010. Angus has more than 40 years' experience heading groups like EOC. Listen...
A Cry of the Heart From Local Human Trafficking Survivor
By FresnoStateNews.com Growing up in the Central Valley, Debra Rush wanted the same things many other young girls do: a boyfriend, good friends and tons of fun. She never anticipated that those simple desires would take a turn for the worst when she was kidnapped and forced into human trafficking as...