25 Hoover Gang Members Charged in LA Sex-Trafficking Crackdown
Two dozen-plus alleged traffickers tied to a notorious Los Angeles street gang face prosecution after a large-scale sting targeting underage prostitution along a stretch of Figueroa Street.
25 Hoover Gang Members Charged in LA Sex-Trafficking Crackdown
More than two dozen individuals linked to the Hoover Criminals face prosecution following a large-scale law enforcement sting targeting commercial sexual exploitation along a notorious stretch of Figueroa Street in southern Los Angeles, the New York Post reported.
The enforcement action, called Operation Broken Blade, netted at least ten suspected ringleaders operating in an area known locally as "the Blade," where buyers can purchase sex acts for sums as low as $40.
Investigators say gang affiliates prey on vulnerable minors — including girls aged 14 — drawn from unstable households and foster placements. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell stated that recruiters entice targets with offers of cash, apparel, lodging, and emotional connection before ensnaring them via physical assault, threats, narcotics dependency, and terror.
Court filings outline severe coercion tactics. One defendant, Cameron Lockett, allegedly assaulted those under his control and removed part of a juvenile's facial tissue with his teeth, leaving an injury severe enough to expose underlying cartilage, according to lead prosecutor Bill Essayli. Lockett allegedly provided pain medication, documented the damage photographically, and shared the image via text message with a fellow gang associate.
Law enforcement officials displayed photographic evidence showing that another defendant, Amaya Armstead — street-named "Lady Duck" — had her alias permanently marked on the bodies of multiple victims. Eddy Wang, who heads Homeland Security Investigations in Los Angeles, explained that such markings serve to assert ownership and ensure exclusive financial exploitation.
"They're branding them as their property," Wang said. "That they are the sole individual that is able to profit from them."
Charging documents further allege that defendant Caleed Mouton compelled a 16-year-old to terminate a pregnancy and then demanded she resume sex work immediately afterward, threatening dismissal for noncompliance.
The Hoover Criminals originated as a Crips offshoot in the late 1960s and grew into one of the region's dominant street gangs, diversifying into drug distribution and prostitution during the crack-cocaine surge of the 1980s. The group is known for its "everybody killer" ethos, engaging in violent conflict with both Bloods and Crips factions.
Essayli reported that investigators have identified over 50 individuals victimized in the scheme and indicated that further arrests are anticipated.
"We're not gonna stop," he said.
Source: NY Post Metro