5 arrested during prostitution sting operation in South LA

Police arrested five people and rescued more than a dozen victims of human trafficking during a prostitution sting operation in South Los Angeles last week. 

On Dec. 30 at around 3 p.m., officers conducted the operation at a motel in South Los Angeles to target commercial sex workers who had posted online advertisements looking to exchange sexual services for money, according to a statement from Los Angeles Police Department. 

Undercover officers, who were posing as sex purchasers, contacted the ad posters and organized meet ups at the motel, the statement said. They obtained four separate violations from people attempting to sell sexual services online, all of whom were arrested by uniformed officers. 

The suspects, who have since been identified as Los Angeles residents Jasmine Reed, 26, Josalyn Greenwood, 40, Elizabeth Vazquez, 30 and Salena Contreras, 29. 

A fifth suspect, identified as 28-year-old Curtis Robinson was arrested for multiple outstanding felony warrants. All but Robinson were issued citations and released from custody.

"This operation is an ongoing effort to prevent the trafficking of women and minors through online advertisements, as well as to deter these individuals from utilizing local motels to further facilitate prostitution related crimes," the statement said. 

LAPD says that continued operations in the Figueroa Corridor in 2023 resulted in 367 arrests and the rescue of 14 minors identified as victims of human trafficking.