Lakewood man accused of running human trafficking, prostitution ring out of Norwalk escort service

NORWALK >> A sheriff’s task force arrested a Lakewood man and seized 13 guns while dismantling an alleged prostitution and human trafficking ring operating out of a Norwalk escort service last week, authorities announced Wednesday.
Omar Nicandro Sanchez, 37, is also accused of sexually assaulting at least one woman and one underage girl who worked for his illegal escort business, “Bombshells,” which operated out of an office at Studebaker and Leffingwell roads in Norwalk according to California High Patrol Investigator Kerri Rivas of the L.A. Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, who served as the lead investigator on the case.
The multi-agency task force arrested him Friday at the business, she said. He was released from custody two days later after posting $420,000 bail pending his initial court appearance, scheduled April 28 in the Norwalk branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court.
In a written statement, sheriff’s officials described Bombshells as, “an illegal escort business, which supplied women for commercial sex to paying customers.”
Furthermore, “Mr. Sanchez victimized some of the women who worked at the agency and sold their sexual services for money,” Rivas said.
At least one of the sexual assault victims was a juvenile, she said.
The purported Escort service was believed to have been operating in Norwalk for two to three years, Rivas said. It used vague advertisement on websites such as Backpage.com to solicit Johns.
The investigation was ongoing, and investigators were still working to determined exactly how many victims were involved.
Sanchez faces expected charges of human trafficking related to the underage victim, as well as pimping and pandering charges in connection with the adults, Rivas said. He also faces potential charges of rape and sexual assault of a minor.
Additionally, Sanchez is expected to face numerous weapon-related charges after investigator seized 13 guns, including several AR-15 and AK-47-style weapons. “Because of a previous felony conviction, Sanchez is prohibited from possessing firearms,” according to the sheriff’s department statement.
The cache of weapons was seized from Sanchez’s home, vehicle and a storage unit he had rented, Rivas said.
Investigators also seized cash believed to be proceeds from the illicit operation, officials said.
The bust was the culmination of a six-month-long investigation that began when some of the victims came forward, Rivas said.
Investigators are seeking any potential additional victims of Sanchez or his operation, she said. Anyone with information can reach the L.A. Regional Human Trafficking Task Force at 323-526-5156. Tips may also be submitted anonymously online to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

PHOTOS courtesy of the L.A. Regional Human Trafficking Task Force

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Suspect in recent Norwalk sexual assault linked by DNA to 2015 rape

NORWALK >> A man arrested last month on suspicion of raping a woman has been linked by DNA evidence to a second unsolved rape from 2015, officials said Wednesday.
Ronald Mitchell Douglas, 33, is charged with three counts of rape, four counts of forcible oral copulation, false imprisonment by violence, attempted sodomy by use of force and bringing contraband into a jail, Deputy Lisa Jansen of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Information Bureau said.
He’s pleaded not guilty to the charges at an arraignment hearing on March 7 and is scheduled to return to the Norwalk branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court for a preliminary hearing setting, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court and booking records.
“Both cases occurred in the city of Norwalk where Suspect Douglas offered to walk the victims home or give them a ride, Jansen said in a written statement. “Shortly thereafter, at a secondary location, Suspect Douglas proceeded to sexually assault the victims.”
Deputies arrested the suspect during the early-morning hours on March 5 in connection with an alleged attack on a 40-year-old woman, officials said.
“During the investigation, DNA evidence revealed that Suspect Ronald Douglas was linked to a 2015 case where he is suspected of sexually assaulting a 37-year-old female,” Jansen said.
Douglas was being held in lieu of $200,000 bail pending the trial process, records show.
Investigators suspect there may be additional victims who have yet to come forward, and encouraged anyone with information to do so, Jansen said.
The sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau can be reached at 877-710-5273, or by email at specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Senior citizen stabbed in neck in ‘unprovoked’ attack at Norwalk bus stop


  1. NORWALK >> Deputies are seeking a man who stabbed a senior citizen in a seemingly random and unprovoked attack at a Norwalk bus stop on Saturday afternoon.
    The bizarre crime took place about 1:20 p.m. at a bus stop in front of a Wienerschnitzel restaurant Imperial Highway and Woods Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Eric Arias said.
    The victim, a man in his 70s, was sitting at the bus stop when his attacker approached from behind, the sergeant said.
    Officials said the attacker, a man between 20 and 30 years old, suddenly pulled what was believed to be a pocket knife and stabbed the victim in the back of the neck before running away.
    The assailant said nothing before the attack, which appeared entirely “unprovoked,” Arias said.
    Paramedics took the man to a trauma center for treatment in stable condition, he said.
    In initial radio broadcasts from the scene, deputies described the attacker as a Latino man between 20 and 30 years old, with a bald head, wearing a gray shirt and dark pants. He was last seen running south on Woods Avenue.
    Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Norwalk Station at 562-863-8711. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
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Two shootings reported in Norwalk early Friday

NORWALK >> No injuries were reported following two separate shooting within a mile of each other in Norwalk early Friday morning, authorities said.
The first shooting took place about 2:30 a.m. in the 16000 block of Flallon Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Jaime Alvarez said.
Deputies responded to reports of gunfire heard in the area and found several spent 9mm bullet casings in the street, he said. But there were no signs of victims or property damage.
About 30 minutes later, a man in his 50s was walking at Hayford Avenue and Horst Street when a newer-model, black Chevy Silverado pickup truck approached, the sergeant said.
An attacker inside the truck, described only as male, whistled at the man before firing two shots in his direction, according to Alvarez. The victim was not struck, and the truck sped away.
No further details were available.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Norwalk Station at 562-863-8711. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Robber pepper sprays liquor store clerk in Norwalk


NORWALK >> A robber sprayed a liquor store clerk with pepper spray before fleeing with cash from the register early Saturday, authorities said.
The crime unfolded about 8:30 a.m. at a liquor store in the 10000 block of Alondra Boulevard, near Studebaker Road, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Jaime Alvarez said.
A man entered the store, approached the counter and sprayed the employee with pepper spray, according to the sergeant.
“The suspect then reached over the cash register and took approximately $300,” he said. He got into a black, four-door sedan which was last speeding north through a nearby alley.
Officials described the robber as a black man in his 20s, about 6 feet tall, 180 pounds, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with a “Nike” logo and black pants.
Paramedics treated the clerk at the scene for pepper spray exposure, but he did not need to be taken to a hospital, Alvarez said.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Norwalk Station at 562-863-8711. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Cerritos College Football Player accused of rape

NORWALK >> A student football player from Cerritos College in Norwalk who was previously convicted of rape as a teenager has been charged with the rape of a fellow student, authorities announced Thursday.
Prosecutors filed two counts of rape by force or fear against Kishawn Holmes, 21, on Feb. 24 in the Bellflower branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials and court records.
Investigators from the LASD Special Victims Bureau arrested Holmes two days earlier in connection with the alleged sexual assaults of a 19-year-old woman, Sgt. Marvin Jaramilla of the sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau said in a written statement.
The crimes took place on Sept. 8, according to court documents.
“Suspect Holmes was a student and football player for Cerritos College,” Jaramilla said. “The incident occurred in the city of Norwalk, and did not occur on the college campus.”
Further details of the allegations were not available.
Holmes pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to appear in the Norwalk branch of Los Angeles Superior Court for a preliminary hearing setting on March 16, records show. In the meantime, he’s being held in lieu of $2 million bail at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic.
Holmes and his alleged victim, a 19-year-old woman, were acquainted through school, Jaramilla said.
The victim took part in a physical therapy program, he said. As part of the program, physical therapy students conduct sessions with student athletes.
The alleged crimes took place after the victim met Holmes for a physical therapy session at a home in Norwalk, according to the sergeant.
The attorney from the County Public Defender’s Office who represented Holmes during his arraignment hearing could not be reached for comment Thursday.
“Special Victims Bureau detectives believe there are potentially additional victims related to this investigation,” Jaramilla said.
Holmes has been accused of rape and other sex crimes before, while in High School.
As a student football player at Murrieta High School in Murrieta, at age 17, Holmes was arrested and charged with crimes against six underage female victims.
The charges included two counts of forcible rape, two counts of lewd acts with a girl under 14 and three counts of false imprisonment, as well as one count of dissuading a victim from reporting a crime. Holmes’ family and attorney said the charges were unfounded.
He pleaded guilty to rape by force in April 2014, Riverside County District Attorney’s Office spokesman John Hall said. In juvenile cases, proceedings are public record only for certain serious crimes, including rape. Hall said he could not confirm or discuss the outcome of other counts against Holmes that are not public.
Holmes was a star player at Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta, where he transferred after attending West Valley high School in Hemet.
He earned the nickname “Sweet Feet” during a passing tournament in Diamond Bar from rapper Calvin “Snoop Dogg” Broadus, who was a fixture of SoCal sidelines while his son, Cordell Broadus, was playing locally.
His performance on the field earned him at least one Division I scholarship.
He posted on Twitter that he was “blessed” to received a scholarship from Akron University in November, and another from Akron University earlier this month.
He also took the social media network to discuss recent struggles and accomplishments in his life.
“I was homeless house 2 house the last 3-games of the season & maintained over a 3.0 & produced an ALL-AMERICAN season real,” he Tweeted on Feb. 6, along with a collage of video clips of himself.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau at 877-710-5273, or by email at specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

Riverside Press Enterprise staff contributed to this story

PHOTO of Kishawn Holmes courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

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Man wounded in Norwalk drive-by shooting


NORWALK >> A drive-by shooting in a Norwalk residential neighborhood left one man wounded, authorities said.
A man was walking south along Horst Avenue, approaching 165th Street, when shots were fired from a passing car, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Jaime Alvarez.
The victim suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen, the sergeant said. He was taken to a hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
The attackers were described as four men in a blue Toyota or Honda sedan, Alvarez said. “The victim did not provide additional information.”
A motive in the shooting had not been determined.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Norwalk Station at 562-863-8711. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Officials: Man acting erratically dies after being taken into custody in Norwalk


NORWALK >> A man died of unknown causes after being detained by two witnesses, then taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies following an erratic display of behavior that included climbing into passing vehicle late Saturday, authorities said.
The incident unfolded just before 7 p.m. in the area of Firestone Boulevard and Studebaker Road, according to Deputy Kimberly Alexander of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Information Bureau.
The identity of the man was not released Sunday pending positive identification and notification of family members, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Investigator Rudy Molano said.
The string of events began in the 11700 block of Studebaker road, “where the suspect entered one occupied parked vehicle and attempted to enter a second occupied vehicle,” Alexander said in a written statement.
The man then ran south toward Firestone Boulevard and jumped into the bed of an occupied pickup truck, she said.
“The suspect fell out of the truck bed and entered a local business wearing only his shirt and underwear,” she said. “The two good Samaritans noticed the suspect’s erratic behavior and detained him until the deputies’ arrival.”
Deputies arrived to find the two men still detaining the suspect in front of the business, a Chuck E. Cheese’s pizza parlor, Lt. Robin Limon of the sheriff’s Norwalk Station said.
“The deputies began to take custody of the suspect when he became unconscious,” Alexander said. “Deputies immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the suspect was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.”
Deputies were not involved in any significant struggle with the suspect while taking him into custody, officials said.
Coroner’s officials are investigating his cause of death.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, which is spearheading the investigation, at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Woman attacked and robbed in Norwalk


NORWALK >> A man punched a woman and robbed her of her purse in Norwalk early Wednesday, authorities said.
A woman was walking about 9:30 a.m. in the 11400 block of Excelsior Drive when the robber approached, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Jason Cunningham said.
He punched the woman and then forced her purse away from her, the sergeant said. No significant injuries were reported.
Deputies described the robber as a Latino man between 25 and 30 years old, wearing a gray sweater, blue jeans and a baseball cap.
He fled in a burgundy Honda sedan.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Norwalk Station at 562-863-8711. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Norwalk child sex predator gets 22 years in prison for crimes against children in Cambodia

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LOS ANGELES >> A previously convicted child sex predator from Norwalk who traveled to Cambodia for sex with at least five boys received a sentence of more than two decades in federal prison this week, authorities said.
Erik Leonardus Peeters, 48, received a 22-year prison term in federal court in Los Angeles on Wednesday after pleading guilty in 2012 to two counts of engaging in illicit sexual contact with a minor in a foreign place, U.S. Department of Justice spokesman Thom Mrozek said in a written statement.
U.S. District Court Judge Christina A. Snyder also ordered Peeters to pay $15,000 in restitution to his victims, officials said. Upon his release from prison, he will be subject to supervised release for life.
“This defendant is a sexual predator who repeatedly victimized young boys, several of whom have physical disabilities, and all of whom come from deeply impoverished communities in the developing world,” according to U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Eileen M. Decker.”This lengthy sentence sends a message to all pedophiles in the United States that they cannot escape prosecution by traveling to other countries to engage in illegal and horrific sexual acts against children.”
Peeters was already a registered sex offender, convicted of crimes against young boys in 1990, when he visited Southeast Asia, according to federal prosecutors and California’s sex offender database.
“According to court documents filed in this case, Peeters traveled to Cambodia in April 2008, and within two months began seeking out youths for sex, targeting victims who were destitute and often disabled,” Mrozek said.
Cambodian National Police arrested him in February of 2009 for violating Camobian laws against child sex abuse, according to Mrozek.
U.S. prosecutors subsequently filed charges of engaging in sexual conduct with minors in a foreign country, authorities said. He was returned to the U.S. to face the American justice system in August of 2009.
Four of Peeters’ victims appeared at his sentencing hearing Wednesday to tell the court how his abuse had affected their lives, Mrozek said.
According to California’s sex offender database, Peeters was convicted in 1990 of committing lewd or lascivious acts on a boy under 14 years old. Records indicate he was released from jail or prison the same year.
“Peeters is the third and final defendant sentenced as part of Operation Twisted Traveler, a joint initiative by (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations) and the Department of Justice to identify and prosecute American men who traveled to Cambodia and engaged in sexual conduct with children there,” Mrozek said. “The defendants were charged under the PROTECT Act, which took effect in 2003 and substantially strengthened the federal laws related to predatory crimes involving children outside the U.S. by adding new crimes and increasing prison sentences.”
Two other men have received prison sentences of 70 years and 10 years, respectively, in connection with the operation.
Special Agent in Charge of HSI in Los Angeles Joseph Macias credited the law enforcement officials who investigated and prosecuted the cases for their “tenacity and tireless dedication.”
“Americans tempted to commit sex crimes overseas should understand that tough U.S. laws will ensure they pay a high price for their criminal actions,” he said. “We owe it to the young victims, many of whom will bear the emotional scars for the rest of their lives.”

PHOTO: Erik Leonardus Peeters, 48, of Norwalk. (courtesy)

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