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Five Men Charged with Trafficking Minors to North Hollywood for Prostitution
Five men, three of whom are members of the East Coast Crips gang, were arrested on charges of taking minors from the Inland Empire to North Hollywood to work as prostitutes.
The Long Beach Press-Telegram reports that Darrius Sutton, 21, Chad Phillips-Miller, 23, Darius Burks, and Leprinceton Burks, 27, and Edwin Franklin were taken into custody on December 8, after an investigation by the Los Angeles Innocence Lost Task Force. The task force is devoted to taking on the problem of children being trafficked into prostitution.
In addition to the prostitution charges, Sutton is accused of rape, and Burks and Franklin are accused of performing sexual acts on minors, according to City News Service. The men are due in court next Thursday.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
