Law Enforcement

SAN FRANCISCO – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the arrest of four suspects accused of operating a sex trafficking ring out of Emeryville, California. Acucare Oriental Massage co-owner Jimmy Gong Lee and Tom Loi are also accused of making bribes to an Emeryville Police Captain—who was working undercover, posing as a corrupt officer—to further their illegal business operations.

Today’s arrests are the result of a joint investigation by the California Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations  (HSI), the California Attorney General’s Tax Recovery and Criminal Enforcement  Task Force, the Emeryville Police Department, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern and Eastern Districts of California.

“Human trafficking is one of the world’s most profitable criminal enterprises, and it is having a devastating impact right here in our own backyard,” said Attorney General Harris. “Each year, thousands of women and children of all ages and backgrounds are forced into labor and prostitution. I thank our local, state and federal partners for fighting this serious threat and bringing these perpetrators to justice.”

“Illegal ventures like this degrade the quality of life in our neighborhoods as well as the women involved,” said Tatum King, acting special agent in charge of HSI San Francisco.  “HSI will continue to work closely with its law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these kinds of enterprises that prey on the vulnerable and often bring other criminal activity into the area.” 

Defendants Jimmy Gong Lee, 55, Tom Loi 59, Wei Kuang, 56 and Rong Liu, 37, were arrested today and face a total of 30 felony state charges for their respective roles in the operation. The charges include conspiracy, pimping, pandering, bribery, and tax fraud. Lee and Loi are being held at the San Francisco County Jail and Kuang and Liu are being held at the Alameda County Jail on $150,000 bail each and will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.  Lee and Loi are also facing federal charges. 

The joint investigation revealed that Acucare Oriental Massage was operating as a brothel, with young Asian females being used for commercial sex and being replaced every two weeks. Lee and Liu owned the business while Kuang worked at the front desk, collected money, and provided condoms. A series of undercover operations revealed that “johns” (men paying for sex) would be buzzed in to enter the business, pay approximately $60 to Kuang, and then select a “masseuse” from a group of women. The women would then negotiate further fees for sexual services, a portion of which was given back to Kuang. 

When Emeryville authorities began questioning the legitimacy of the business, Lee gave Loi thousands of  dollars to pay off an Emeryville Police Captain, who was working undercover as a corrupt police officer. In a series of recorded meetings between March 2013 and May 2014, Loi gave the Captain a total of $24,000 in bribes—roughly $2,000 a month—not to shut down Acucare. 

On June 5, 2014, agents with the California Department of Justice and HSI executed search warrants on the Acucare Oriental Massage in Emeryville and Lee’s residence in San Francisco.  In addition to shutting down Acucare, agents recovered $69,000 cash, and evidence showing that Lee, Liu and Kuang were operating a brothel. 

Attorney General Harris has made the fight against human trafficking a priority for the California Department of Justice. In March of this year, the Office of the Attorney General released a report, Gangs Beyond Borders: California and the Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime, which is the first comprehensive report analyzing the current state of transnational criminal organizations in California (http://oag.ca.gov/transnational-organized-crime). The report identified human trafficking as one of the emerging activities being undertaken by these organizations, and made recommendations to address this issue, including funding state task forces to investigate and disrupt these organizations.

Attorney General Harris has been a strong advocate for increased collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies during the investigation and prosecution of the crime of human trafficking.  She has also advocated for early and frequent collaboration between law enforcement and victim service providers.

In 2012, Attorney General Harris created a Human Trafficking Work Group and released a report, The State of Human Trafficking in California, which outlined the growing prevalence of the crime of human trafficking in the state (http://www.oag.ca.gov/human-trafficking/2012). The report describes the evolving challenges California faces in addressing this crime, which has become a $32 billion-a-year global industry. California—a populous border state with a significant immigrant population—is one of the top destinations for trafficking human beings.

Please note that these are only allegations and, as with all defendants, those named here must be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

LOS ANGELES -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced that the California Attorney General’s Office has been awarded nearly $750,000 in federal grant funds for recidivism reduction efforts.  The funds, which come from the U.S. Department of Justice Second Chance Act, will be directed to “Back on Track  LA,” a recidivism reduction pilot initiative under development by the California Department of Justice in Los Angeles County in partnership with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), Los Angeles County Probation Department, local community colleges, a local charter school and private foundations.  Back on Track LA is one of only four awardees in the country of this Second Chance Act grant.

“We must reject the false choice of being ‘tough’ or ‘soft’ on crime,” Attorney General Harris said. “This funding recognizes the importance of a smart-on-crime approach to criminal justice that focuses on holding offenders accountable and putting them on track to productive, law abiding lives.” 

“The Department of Justice is proud to support innovative efforts like California's 'Back on Track LA' program that use evidence-based strategies to strengthen public safety, reduce recidivism, and improve individual lives,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “Under the Justice Department's Smart on Crime initiative, we are working with programs like this one to break the cycle of criminality and incarceration that traps too many communities and devastates too many families, and to help build the more effective criminal justice system that all Americans deserve.”

Los Angeles County Sheriff John Scott said, “It is exciting news to learn that we have received grant funding to support the creative collaboration and partnerships that are cornerstones of the Back on Track Program. This grant funding will assist with the smart on crime initiative of intensive in-jail programming followed by appropriate re-entry services upon release. I am pleased to part of this strategic effort.”

Chief Probation Officer Jerry Powers added, “As the largest Probation Department in the nation we are pleased to partner in the Back on Track LA program which will allow us to have further impact on the transition of inmates back in to the the community by offering case management services directly inside the custody setting such as cognitive behavioral therapy and other mental health services. Upon release, the Probation team will also be able to assist in linking inmates to additional services in the community.”

In November 2013, Attorney General Harris created the Division of Recidivism Reduction and Re-Entry, an office designed to curb recidivism in the state by partnering with counties and District Attorneys on best practices and policy initiatives. The new division is tasked with the development of a statewide definition of recidivism, identifying grants to fund the creation and expansion of innovative anti-recidivism programs and using technology to facilitate more effective data analysis and recidivism metrics.

In May 2014, Attorney General Harris announced the creation of her recidivism reduction pilot initiative in Los Angeles County. The Back on Track LA program will deliver critical education and comprehensive re-entry services before and after an offender is released from jail. The pilot program will build on the Sheriff Department’s “Education Based Incarceration Program,” through a partnership with FiveKeys Charter School and the Los Angeles Community College District – specifically, Los Angeles Mission College and Los Angeles Trade-Technical College– and Santa Clarita Community College District’s College of the Canyons. The partnership will provide higher education opportunities to incarcerated participants including prerequisites to community college degrees, credentials and certificates.

The Back on Track LA program will focus on the critical time following an individual’s release from jail, by providing re-entry services essential for success, including employment and life skill services. Back on Track LA will emphasize accountability by assigning participants a case manager or coach to develop a plan that holds individuals accountable to their families, communities and victims.

Individuals will be enrolled in the Back on Track LA pilot program for 24-30 months—divided into 12-18 months in-custody and 12 months out-of-custody. Participants will consist of non-serious, non-violent and non-sexual crime offenders between the ages of 18 to 30 years old who are incarcerated in the LASD jail system following the implementation of Public Safety Realignment.  

The United States Department of Justice grant is funded through The Second Chance Act. The Act, which was signed into law in 2008, provides funds to improve outcomes for those previously incarcerated as they reintegrate into their communities.  Through a competitive grant process, this legislation authorizes federal grants to government and nonprofit agencies working to reduce recidivism for those returning to local communities from prison, jails, and juvenile facilities. 

In 2005, then-San Francisco District Attorney Harris created a reentry initiative called Back on Track, which aimed to reduce recidivism among certain low-level, non-violent drug offenders. Over a two-year period, the program reduced recidivism among its graduates to less than 10 percent. Back on Track was designated as a model for law enforcement by the U.S. Department of Justice.

SAN FRANCISCO – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the takedown of a transnational criminal organization based in Contra Costa County, including the arrest of 22 individuals and the seizure of 500 pounds of methamphetamine and over $700,000 in U.S. Currency.

The takedown, named Operation Road Trip, represents the culmination of several related investigations targeting California-based Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO) connected to Mexico’s Sinaloa Federation drug cartel. These investigations, which were led by California Department of Justice task forces that include federal, state and local law enforcement partners, have to date, resulted in 67 arrests and the seizure of $40 million of methamphetamine and $1.82 million in U.S. Currency over the past six years.

“This operation demonstrates our continuing commitment to focus on the connection between transnational criminal organizations and organized street gangs in California,” Attorney General Harris said. “We will do whatever is necessary with our federal and local partners to dismantle these violent, insidious organizations.” 

Operation Road Trip is the merger of two long-term investigations led by the West Contra Costa County Narcotic Enforcement Team (“West-NET”) Task Force, the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (“LA IMPACT”), and associated local, state, and federal partners. During the Operation Road Trip investigation, the task forces revealed that methamphetamine from Mexico was being delivered to the Nitro gang, a DTO based in Southern California. The Nitro gang would make regular “road trips” to Contra Costa County in order to distribute to other DTOs, including the Urtiz gang based in Northern California. Over the past year, Operation Road Trip resulted in the service of 16 search warrants, the seizure of 500 pounds of methamphetamine, 1 firearm, 4 vehicles, $723,635 in U.S. Currency, and the arrests of 22 individuals for drug and firearms related violations.

In May of 2011, Attorney General Harris along with the FBI and other law enforcement partners announced the conclusion of the first of the two long-term investigations, named Operation Red Reach. This operation, a two-year coordinated sweep led by West-NET, shut down a network of local and transnational gangs, including a Nortenos gang in western Contra Costa County. The case resulted in the seizure of 135 pounds of methamphetamine, 26 illegal firearms, approximately $150,000 in U.S. Currency and federal and state convictions of 26 individuals.  Information and intelligence gained from this operation led to the identification of the Urtiz DTO.

West-NET’s subsequent investigation, named Operation Crystal Lens, revealed that the Urtiz DTO’s methamphetamine was being supplied by the Southern California-based Nitro DTO, which was also separately under investigation by LA IMPACT.

In total, the three linked investigations, Operation Red Reach, Crystal Lens and Road Trip, have resulted in the total seizure of 1109 pounds of methamphetamine, for a street value of $40,242,504, the seizure of 48 firearms, 10 vehicles, $1.82 million in U.S. Currency and the total arrests of 67 individuals for drug, and firearms related violations.

In March, Attorney General Harris called the trafficking of methamphetamine a growing threat to the state and a top priority for law enforcement in a report, Gangs Beyond Borders: California and the Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime, which is the first comprehensive report analyzing the current state of transnational criminal organizations in California.

Transnational criminal organizations have made California the single biggest point of entry for methamphetamine into the United States, with 70% entering through the San Diego Port of Entry. The report also outlined recommendations to address this problem, which include increased funding for state anti-narcotics trafficking task forces and additional coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in combatting transnational criminal organizations. The report is available here: https://oag.ca.gov/transnational-organized-crime.

Following the release of the report, Attorney General Harris led a delegation of state attorneys general to Mexico to strengthen working relationships between the governments of both countries and enhance efforts to combat transnational crime. The delegation met with Mexican state attorneys general and federal officials to discuss the issues of drug, human and firearms trafficking, money laundering and high-tech crime.

Earlier this month, Attorney General Harris announced that the California Department of Justice will create a new anti-methamphetamine team of Special Agents based in Los Angeles funded by a $1 million federal grant. The team will be comprised of six Special Agents assigned to investigate illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine in California and will work in a coordinated effort with the other 18 existing California Department of Justice task forces.

The noted investigative accomplishments would not have come to a successful conclusion without the assistance and support of the following law enforcement partners: Alameda County Narcotics Task Force, Antioch Police Department, California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation - Special Service Unit, California Highway Patrol, Concord Police Department, Contra Costa County Animal Services Department, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, Contra Costa County Probation Department*, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office*, El Cerrito Police Department*, Fairfield Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation*, Hercules Police Department*, Kensington Police Department*, Los Angeles Interagency, Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC), Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, Pinole Police Department, Pittsburg Police Department, Richmond Police Department*, San Francisco Police Department, San Pablo Police Department, Solano County District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshal Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, Vacaville Police Department, Western States Information Network, Yolo County Narcotic Enforcement Team.

*denotes WestNET Task Force Members

LOS ANGELES -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today released a proposed, statewide definition of recidivism in a letter addressed to California law enforcement leaders. The Attorney General’s proposed definition represents a data-driven approach to evaluate recidivism rates and measure the effectiveness of criminal justice policies and programs.

In a letter sent today to California Sheriffs, Police Chiefs, Probation Chiefs, District Attorneys and other law enforcement stakeholders, Attorney General Harris praised the success that many local law enforcement agencies have shown in implementing Public Safety Realignment and emphasized the need for an innovative, statewide assessment of strategies to curb recidivism.

“Universally defining recidivism is a fundamentally important issue if we are to be smart on crime. In California, Public Safety Realignment has shifted responsibility for incarceration and supervision of many offenders to our local counties. However, California lacks any uniform or standard way to measure the rate of individuals who re-commit crimes,” Attorney General Harris said in a letter to law enforcement leaders. 

The proposed, statewide definition measures recidivism as: An arrest resulting in a charge filed by a prosecutor within three years of an individual’s release from incarceration or placement on supervision for a previous criminal conviction.

In October of last year, Attorney General Harris created the Division of Recidivism Reduction and Re-Entry, which works to curb recidivism in the state by partnering with counties and District Attorneys on best practices and policy initiatives. For the past year, the Division has worked collaboratively with law enforcement leaders across the state to discuss the effectiveness of local criminal justice policies and programs.

The Division conducted a comprehensive survey of over 540 law enforcement, corrections, and policy stakeholders across California to assess how each defined and tracked recidivism across jurisdictions and agencies. According to the survey, 60% of respondents reported that they had no formal definition of recidivism and 34% reported that they lacked any data tracking recidivism.

“As our state’s top cop, Attorney General Harris has continued to show great leadership in addressing the complicated issue of recidivism in California. The Attorney General’s definition is data-focused and will give an accurate and true picture of recidivism in our state. As the chief law enforcement officer of L.A. County, I think the Attorney General's definition brings us one step closer to a uniform approach that counties throughout California can adopt to assess recidivism in their jurisdictions,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said. 

“The Attorney General has proposed a definition of recidivism, which CDAA fully supports. The reasons to measure recidivism vary from a means to identify the effectiveness of current laws and remedies, to the ability to evaluate the many rehabilitative programs within California,” Mark Zahner, CEO of the California District Attorneys Association said.

“We commend Attorney General Harris for her leadership in developing an intellectually sustainable definition of recidivism. It is appropriate for the Attorney General, as the state's chief law enforcement officer, to take the lead in presenting a definitive explanation of recidivism. Her proposed definition reflects the 'on the ground' realities of criminal behavior and will be extremely useful to all policy makers in evaluating the efficacy of various intervention strategies,” Christopher W. Boyd, President of the California Police Chiefs Association said.

In May of this year, Attorney General Harris announced the creation of a recidivism reduction pilot program with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), the Los Angeles County Probation Department, private foundations (such as the Ford Foundation), and other public and private sector partners. The “Back on Track LA” pilot program will deliver critical education and comprehensive re-entry services before and after an individual is released from jail. The program will build on LASD’s “Education Based Incarceration Program,” through a partnership with the Los Angeles Community College District – specifically, Los Angeles Mission College and Los Angeles Trade Tech College to provide higher education opportunities for incarcerated participants that include prerequisites to community college degrees, credentials and certificates. The program will focus on the critical time following an individual’s release from jail, by providing the seamless re-entry services essential for success, including employment and life skill services.

In 2005, then San Francisco District Attorney Harris created a reentry initiative called Back on Track, which aimed to reduce recidivism among certain low-level, non-violent drug offenders. Over a two-year period, the program reduced recidivism among its graduates to less than 10 percent. Back on Track was designated as a model for law enforcement by the U.S. Department of Justice.

A copy of the letter is attached below.

SACRAMENTO – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced that the California Department of Justice will create a new anti-methamphetamine team of Special Agents based in Los Angeles funded by a $1 million federal grant. Transnational criminal organizations have made California the single biggest point of entry for methamphetamine into the United States, with 70% entering through the San Diego Port of Entry. 

“Transnational criminal organizations have made California the largest point of entry for methamphetamine into the United States,” Attorney General Harris said. “This funding supports the California Department of Justice's crackdown on this devastating drug by strengthening our enforcement capabilities."

The California Department of Justice team will be comprised of six Special Agents assigned to investigate illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine in California. The team will work in a coordinated effort with other existing California Department of Justice task forces including The Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (LA IMPACT).

“The production and use of meth is a serious threat to the health and safety of our communities,” Ronald L. Davis, COPS Office Director said. “I am pleased to make $6 million available to help state law enforcement agencies fight the abuse of this highly addictive drug.”

The California Department of Justice currently leads 18 task forces across the state, including LA IMPACT, which is a compilation of numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles County. The primary focus of LA IMPACT is to investigate major crimes, with an emphasis on dismantling mid to major level drug trafficking organizations

Last month, LA IMPACT worked with local and federal law enforcement agencies to execute dozens of search warrants and arrests linked to businesses suspected of using “Black Market Peso Exchange” schemes to launder narcotics proceeds linked to Mexican drug cartels. The operation resulted in the seizure of more than $90 million in illicit funds.  

This federal grant was secured through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) within the U.S. Department of Justice. COPS works to advance the practice of community policing in America’s state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies by sharing information and making grants to police departments around the United States. This annual grant program was open to state law enforcement agencies authorized to engage in or supervise anti-methamphetamine investigative activities.

In March, Attorney General Harris called the trafficking of methamphetamine a growing threat to the state and a top priority for law enforcement in a report, Gangs Beyond Borders: California and the Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime, which is the first comprehensive report analyzing the current state of transnational criminal organizations in California. The report also outlined recommendations to address this problem, which include increased funding for state anti-narcotics trafficking task forces and additional coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in combatting transnational criminal organizations. The report is available here: https://oag.ca.gov/transnational-organized-crime.

Following the release of this report, Attorney General Harris led a delegation of state attorneys general to Mexico to strengthen working relationships between the governments of both countries and enhance efforts to combat transnational crime. The delegation met with Mexican state attorneys general and federal officials to discuss the issues of drug, human and firearms trafficking, money laundering and high-tech crime.

SAN FRANCISCO – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today issued an information bulletin to California law enforcement agencies that provides updated information on their responsibilities and potential liability for complying with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) federal detainer requests for undocumented immigrants. The updated bulletin informs state and local law enforcement agencies of new requirements they face since enactment of the Transparency and Responsibility Using State Tool Act (TRUST Act) and new federal case law that creates legal risk for local law enforcement agencies that voluntarily comply with federal detainer requests.

“When local law enforcement officials are seen as de facto immigration enforcers, it erodes the trust between our peace officers and the communities they serve,” Attorney General Harris said. “Federal immigration detainers are voluntary and this bulletin supports the TRUST Act and law enforcement leaders’ discretion to utilize resources in the manner that best serves their communities.”

In December 2012, Attorney General Harris issued an information bulleting titled, “Responsibility of Local Law Enforcement Agencies under Secure Communities”, which clarified that federal immigration detainers issued under the Secure Communities program are not mandatory, but are merely requests enforceable at the discretion of the state and local agency. Since enactment of the TRUST Act and issuance of new federal case law, law enforcement agencies face additional limits in their discretion and possible liability when complying with federal immigration holds. Attorney General Harris issued the updated bulletin to clarify the factors that local law enforcement agencies should consider when they receive detainer requests.

The TRUST Act requires that continued detention under Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agency detainers must meet conditions laid out in state law. First, continued detention by state and local law enforcement agencies must “not violate any federal, state, or local law, or any local policy,” and second, the detainee’s criminal history must include serious or violent crimes, federal charges, or inclusion in  the California Sex and Arson Registry among other conviction criteria. Only if both of these conditions are met, then local law enforcement may continue to detain the individual.

Additionally, the bulletin confirms that ICE immigration detainer requests are not mandatory as stated by recent court rulings and correspondence from ICE’s Acting Director.

The information bulletin also informs state and local law enforcement agencies of potential legal liabilities that they may face when voluntarily complying with federal detainer requests. Citing a recent federal district court ruling in the District of Oregon in Miranda-Olivares v. Clackamas Co., the bulletin informs California law enforcement agencies “that because compliance with an ICE detainer is voluntary, a local agency could violate the Fourth Amendment by detaining an individual solely based on the request of ICE, without some other probable cause for arrest.”  The bulletin notes that if a California court adopts the reasoning of the district court in Miranda-Olivares, local jurisdictions could be held liable for damages for such an unlawful detention.

The bulletin also clarifies that the TRUST Act and new federal case law only address discretion to detain individuals and not a law enforcement agency’s discretion to otherwise cooperate with federal immigration officials.

To view Attorney General Harris’s information bulletin click here: http://bit.ly/1lcDrz9

SAN FRANCISCO -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch today announced that defendant Aldo Joseph Baccala, who ran a Ponzi scheme that defrauded victims more than $17 million, was sentenced to 20 years in state prison and ordered to pay a fine of $6.4 million at a hearing today in Sonoma County.

“This fraudulent investment scheme cheated dozens of elderly investors out of millions of their hard-earned dollars,” Attorney General Harris said. “The dedicated investigators in our Financial Fraud Section, along with our local partners, will continue to protect California’s investors and consumers by bringing perpetrators like him to justice.”

“Along with the Attorney General’s Office, our office expended incredible resources in order to bring this scam artist to justice,” District Attorney Jill Ravitch said. “The scale and scope of this man’s fraud on unsuspecting investors is staggering. That so many of his victims lost their livelihoods, their homes and their retirement savings, to this man’s scheming and greed is beyond tragic. This was not just a fraud he perpetrated, but a crime against their futures and the emotional toll is incalculable. Thus, we believed his loss of liberty should be in proportion to their loss.”

Baccala was arrested in June of 2012 and charged with grand theft, securities fraud and elder abuse. On March 12 of this year, Baccala entered no contest pleas to 140 counts and admitted to excessive taking and white collar enhancements. The case was jointly prosecuted by both the Attorney General’s Financial Fraud and Special Prosecutions Section and the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office.

Baccala used his Petaluma-based company, Baccala Realty, Inc., to solicit funds from victims, urging them to invest in ventures in California and other states, such as assisted living facilities, a car wash and other businesses with a promise of a return of monthly payments at an annual rate of 12 percent. He issued promissory notes stating the investments were either secured with real property or were designated for a particular use.

Many victims of the Ponzi scheme were elderly and had known Baccala and his family for many years.

Though he solicited investments in more than 100 notes between 2004 and 2008, Baccala did not own the facilities and his company could not provide any kind of return for those who purchased the promissory notes. Instead, Baccala used the solicited money for his own personal, unsuccessful stock market bets. His company eventually lost over $7 million and, when it collapsed, it had almost $17 million in promissory notes outstanding.

Consumers should exercise caution with investments that seem too good to be true and contain promises that cannot be verified or authenticated. Consumers may report suspected fraud or elder abuse to the Attorney General’s Office here: https://oag.ca.gov/bmfea/reporting.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the arrest of two women accused of operating a sex trafficking ring in San Francisco. The arrests are the result of a five-month joint investigation by the California Attorney General’s Office, the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
 
“The victims in these brothels were treated as commodities in an insidious human marketplace,” Attorney General Harris said. “Human trafficking is a heinous crime that destroys the lives of victims and threatens the safety of our communities. I want to recognize the steadfast commitment of our Task Force agents, law enforcement partners, and community organizations to bring perpetrators to justice and help rebuild these victims’ lives.”
 
“The interruption of this sex trafficking, under the leadership of the Attorney General Harris’s Office, is just another example of San Francisco’s commitment to protecting and preserving the basic rights of all; especially our most vulnerable,” SFPD Chief Greg Suhr said. “Fully understanding the gravity of the human trafficking trade, the San Francisco Police Department developed its own Human Trafficking Unit, partnering with other agencies to conduct proactive victim-centered investigations of sex and labor trafficking crimes.”
 
Defendants Qiao He, a.k.a. “Judy,” 37, and her sister Gaineng He, 36, both of San Francisco, were arrested today and charged with felony pimping and pandering. They are both being held at the San Francisco County Jail on $25,000 bail each and will be prosecuted by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. The Attorney General’s Office is still investigating potential tax fraud and conspiracy violations.
 
In January 2014, the Tax Recovery and Criminal Enforcement (TRaCE) Task Force of the California Attorney General’s Office initiated an investigation of an alleged sex trafficking ring in San Francisco’s Richmond District operated by sisters Qiao He and Gaineng He.
 
Over a period of several months, TRaCE’s investigation revealed that “Johns” allegedly paid as much as $200 for sexual intercourse with their choice of one of several young Asian women in the brothels. During the investigation, the defendants repeatedly told undercover agents that “new girls” were brought in every Sunday.
 
On May 7, agents with the California Department of Justice, HSI and SFPD executed search warrants on four San Francisco locations, including 385 7th Avenue, 4719 Geary Boulevard #601, 2094 24th Avenue, and 1511 24th Avenue.
 
The joint investigation was led by the California Attorney General’s TRaCE Task Force, which includes representatives of the FBI, California Franchise Tax Board, California Board of Equalization, California Employment Development Department and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.  TRaCE is a statewide task force created in 2014 to combat organized elements of the underground economy engaged in the manufacturing, importation, distribution and sale of pirated intellectual property, and other economic crimes resulting from the evasion of business and income taxes.
 
In March of this year, Attorney General Harris released a report, Gangs Beyond Borders: California and the Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime, which is the first comprehensive report analyzing the current state of transnational criminal organizations in California (http://oag.ca.gov/transnational-organized-crime). In addition, the report made recommendations to address the issue of transnational crime and human trafficking in our state, which included funding the state task forces that investigate and disrupt these organizations.
 
Attorney General Harris has been a strong advocate for increased collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies during the investigation and prosecution of the crime of human trafficking.
 
In 2012, Attorney General Harris released a report, The State of Human Trafficking in California, which outlined the growing prevalence of the crime of human trafficking in the state (http://www.oag.ca.gov/human-trafficking/2012). The report describes the evolving challenges California faces in addressing this crime, which has become a $32 billion-a-year global industry.
 
Please note that these are only allegations and, as with all defendants, those named here must be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

SAN BERNARDINO – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the arrest of two individuals suspected of operating a methamphetamine conversion lab in San Bernardino County. Agents with a California Department of Justice task force and detectives with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department seized a total of 206 lbs. of crystal methamphetamine and 250 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, which is capable of producing 1,250 lbs. of crystal methamphetamine. The street value of the methamphetamine seized is estimated at $7.2 million.

“Methamphetamine is one of the most toxic drugs available, destroying the bodies and minds of countless people,” Attorney General Harris said. “California is the national epicenter of its trafficking and distribution, so I have made it a priority of the California Department of Justice’s task forces to stop those who would sell and manufacture this debilitating drug. This bust significantly reduces the amount of methamphetamine on our streets, and I thank the agents and partners who worked collaboratively to seize these drugs.”

Agents and detectives arrested Jorge Valdez, 34, and Miguel Angel Sanchez, 24, of Hinkley. Both were booked at the San Bernardino County Jail and are currently being held on $1,000,000 bail each. Both are charged with two felony counts each for the manufacture and possession for sale of methamphetamine and are being prosecuted by the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.

“I stand with my law enforcement counterparts with an unwavering commitment to stop the manufacturing and dealing of narcotics in San Bernardino County,” San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said. “Drug use undermines traditional values and it is our responsibility to put an end to it.”

“Thanks to the extensive work of the Attorney General’s task force and our Sheriff’s Department, we were able to prevent a significant amount of the destructive drug, methamphetamine, from making it to our streets,” San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos said. “We look forward to prosecuting these individuals to the fullest extent of the law and sending the message that this type of behavior will not be tolerated in San Bernardino County.”

An investigation headed by a California Department of Justice task force led agents to a residence at 37767 Mountain View Road in the city of Hinkley in Santa Bernardino County, which they believed contained a methamphetamine conversion lab. On Wednesday, May 28, agents obtained a search warrant for the residence and discovered a methamphetamine conversion lab onsite. Inside, law enforcement personnel arrested Valdez and Sanchez, seized 206 lbs. of crystal methamphetamine, and approximately 250 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, which is capable of producing 1,250 lbs. of crystal methamphetamine.

Photos from the seizure may be found attached to the electronic version of this release at: https://oag.ca.gov/news

Attorney General Harris is currently working with the state legislature to secure funding for Department of Justice task forces and special operations units that specialize in anti-narcotics investigations.

Agencies that participated in this operation include: The California Department of Justice, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations.

A March 2014 report issued by Attorney General Harris called the trafficking of methamphetamine a growing threat to the state and a top priority for law enforcement. The report, Gangs Beyond Borders: California and the Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime, is the first comprehensive report analyzing the current state of transnational criminal organizations in California and the threats they pose to the state’s public safety and economy. The report also outlined recommendations to address this problem, which include increased funding for state anti-narcotics trafficking task forces and additional coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in combatting transnational criminal organizations. The report is available here: https://oag.ca.gov/transnational-organized-crime.

LOS ANGELES – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the creation of a recidivism reduction pilot program with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) and other public and private sector partners. Attorney General Harris made the announcement at the Renewing Communities conference sponsored by the Ford Foundation.

“We must reject the false choice of being ‘tough’ or ‘soft’ on crime,” Attorney General Harris said. “It is time for smart on crime policies that keep our communities safe, hold offenders accountable, and reduce our prison population. Back on Track LA will work to reduce levels of recidivism by connecting offenders with the education and job opportunities that get their lives back on track.”

The “Back on Track LA” pilot program will deliver critical education and comprehensive re-entry services before and after an individual is released from jail. The pilot program will build on LASD’s “Education Based Incarceration Program,” through a partnership with the Los Angeles Community College District – specifically, Los Angeles Mission College and Los Angeles Trade Tech College to provide higher education opportunities for incarcerated participants that include prerequisites to community college degrees, credentials and certificates. The program will focus on the critical time following an individual’s release from jail, by providing the seamless re-entry services essential for success, including employment and life skill services.

“Back on Track LA” will emphasize accountability by assigning participants a case manager or coach to develop a plan that holds individuals accountable to their families, communities and victims.

Individuals will be enrolled in the pilot program for 24-30 months—divided into 12-18 months in-custody and 12 months out-of-custody. Participants will consist of non-serious, non-violent and non-sexual crime offenders between the ages of 18 to 30 years old who are incarcerated in the LASD jail system following the implementation of Public Safety Realignment.   

The “Back on Track LA” pilot program will seek funding through a combination of public and private foundation dollars. Partners in the pilot program also include the Los Angeles County Probation Department, Ford Foundation, Rosenberg Foundation, California Community Foundation, California Wellness Foundation, and the California Endowment. 

In October 2013, Attorney General Harris created the Division of Recidivism Reduction and Re-Entry, an initiative designed to curb recidivism in the state by partnering with counties and District Attorneys on best practices and policy initiatives.  Specifically, the new division is tasked with the development of a statewide definition of recidivism, identifying grants to fund the creation and expansion of innovative anti-recidivism programs and using technology to facilitate more effective data analysis and recidivism metrics.

In 2005, then San Francisco District Attorney Harris created a reentry initiative called Back on Track, which aimed to reduce recidivism among certain low-level, non-violent drug offenders. Over a two-year period, the program reduced recidivism among its graduates to less than 10 percent. Back on Track was designated as a model for law enforcement by the U.S. Department of Justice.