Local Man Makes Rescuing Young Victims Of International Sex Trafficking His Mission
"This is the most significant problem, plague I call it, on Earth," Tim Ballard says.
Watch CBS News
"This is the most significant problem, plague I call it, on Earth," Tim Ballard says.
Local and federal authorities will announce the results of a task force's eight-month effort to target human sex traffickers in the Long Beach area and rescue their victims rather than arrest them for prostitution.
A 25-year-old man has been sentenced to more than six years in state prison after pleading guilty to human trafficking and prostitution charges involving 16- and 17-year-old girls.
With tougher laws on the books to punish human traffickers and more awareness about those forced into sexual slavery, prosecutors, lawmakers and police met Friday to plot a plan to eradicate human sex trafficking.
District Attorney Jackie Lacey Wednesday announced a diversion program aimed at getting young victims of sex trafficking off the streets.
The murder Tuesday of 17-year-old Aubreyanna Sade Parks of Yorba Linda, shows how deadly the life can be.
Seventeen people were arrested Wednesday in California, Arizona and New Jersey under an indictment that targets a gang based in San Diego's North Park area.
Hundreds of residents, along with community leaders, gathered in Compton Thursday night to march against sex trafficking.
Two former teen prostitutes shared their stories with CBS2/KCAL9's Melanie Woodrow, revealing some of the dismal details that embody the hard reality of sex trafficking.
A Long Beach man is being charged with Child Sex Trafficking after allegedly forcing a 17-year-old girl to perform sexual activities with up to 50 or more men for profit.
A Long Beach man has been charged with forcing women he recruited online to work as prostitutes.
Two young girls were rescued and 15 people were arrested during a sex trafficking sting in Riverside and San Bernardino counties last week.
Some children in L.A. County's foster care system are reportedly being recruited as child prostitutes and officials want a new task force to address the problem.
The number of people identified as victims of human trafficking in California has increased steadily since 2010 as the crime has become a growing threat, California Attorney General Kamala Harris reported Friday.
Law enforcement, transit and business leaders Thursday unveiled a multimedia ad campaign aimed at raising awareness of child sex trafficking.
A Long Beach was arraigned Monday in federal court after being indicted by a grand jury with sex trafficking and forced labor charges.
When you think about the horrors of human trafficking or sex slaves, you likely think of it as a problem happening "over there."
Sex trafficking is often associated with Eastern Europe or Asia, but few recognize to what extent people are exploited in the United States. Maria Suarez was one such victim who's now working to raise awareness about sex trafficking in Los Angeles.
iSanctuary, a nonprofit organization, is planning a "purchase with a purpose" trunk show Sat., Oct. 9, at A Place of Our Own in Los Alamitos.
A Garden Grove coffee shop was shut down by police last week for alleged illegal activity, which included several code violations for nudity and serving alcohol without a license.
Three people were wounded when a gunman allegedly opened fire in East Los Angeles on Sunday night, authorities said.
A Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighter was hospitalized as crews battled a fire that gutted a vacant building in Artesia on Sunday night.
A Chino family is demanding answers after their Nicaraguan mother, who was awaiting an outcome in her asylum case, was detained by federal immigration agents in January.
Villa's Tacos, a beloved Los Angeles-based taqueria, made a guest appearance during the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, putting an even larger spotlight on the restaurant already loved by Angelenos.
A Garden Grove coffee shop was shut down by police last week for alleged illegal activity, which included several code violations for nudity and serving alcohol without a license.
The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots Sunday to win the 2026 Super Bowl. Get live updates here.
Villa's Tacos, a beloved Los Angeles-based taqueria, made a guest appearance during the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, putting an even larger spotlight on the restaurant already loved by Angelenos.
The 31-year-old Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny took the stage on Sunday dressed in all white, donning a jersey with his last name, Ocasio, and the number 64.
Three people were wounded when a gunman allegedly opened fire in East Los Angeles on Sunday night, authorities said.
Three people were wounded when a gunman allegedly opened fire in East Los Angeles on Sunday night, authorities said.
A Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighter was hospitalized as crews battled a fire that gutted a vacant building in Artesia on Sunday night.
Villa's Tacos, a beloved Los Angeles-based taqueria, made a guest appearance during the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, putting an even larger spotlight on the restaurant already loved by Angelenos.
The crash happened at approximately 4:50 p.m. at the intersection of Redondo Avenue and E. 2nd Street, according to Long Beach police.
A Los Feliz family is hoping to raise enough money to replace an adaptive tricycle that was stolen from their son, who has Down syndrome and autism.
A Garden Grove coffee shop was shut down by police last week for alleged illegal activity, which included several code violations for nudity and serving alcohol without a license.
Police say that all three victims were found suffering from gunshot wounds in the street outside of a house party late Saturday night.
The shooting happened at around 3:50 p.m. near W. McFadden Avenue and Graham Street, according to Santa Ana police.
Orange County officials confirm second measles case in Disneyland visitor
Laguna Beach city leaders are mulling a proposal that would ban large pop-up shade structures on the sand to protect the safety of beachgoers.
A Chino family is demanding answers after their Nicaraguan mother, who was awaiting an outcome in her asylum case, was detained by federal immigration agents in January.
Health officials say that an unvaccinated minor visited the Walmart Supercenter in Ontario on Jan. 29.
Deputies say that the suspect had run from the spot of a hit-and-run crash before they tried to take him into custody.
An unlicensed 15-year-old driver crashed into a motorcyclist on Friday morning in the midst of a school walkout against federal immigration operations across the country.
A motorcyclist who was fleeing from Riverside County Sheriff's Office deputies died after crashing into an uninvolved car at a Perris intersection on Thursday afternoon.
Kawhi Leonard had 41 points and eight rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the slumping Minnesota Timberwolves 115-96 on Sunday.
Team USA defended its Olympic figure skating team event gold medal on Sunday after Ilia "Quad God" ushered the team to victory at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots Sunday to win the 2026 Super Bowl.
Lindsey Vonn, who came out of retirement to compete in the Milano Cortina Games, is in stable condition after her crash.
Savannah Guthrie released a new video on Saturday, saying her family is willing to pay for the safe return of their mother.
President Trump criticized Team USA freestyle skier Hunter Hess after he and other American athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics shared their thoughts on U.S. politics.
Skier Chris Lillis said he was "heartbroken about what's happened in the United States," while skater Amber Glenn said she "will not just be quiet."
President Trump late Friday addressed a video posted to his social media account that included a racist depiction of Barack and Michelle Obama as apes, telling reporters he didn't see the part that showed the former president and first lady.
A judge ordered the U.S. to return three migrant families who were affected by President Trump's family separation policy in his first term and then deported in his second.
The footage is included in a video that promotes false claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against Mr. Trump.
San Francisco officials said Tuesday that the city has filed a lawsuit against leading manufacturers of ultra-processed foods, accusing them of producing products linked to serious health issues and alleging that the companies knowingly made the foods addictive.
A bill that would reverse a 25% tax increase on California's legal cannabis industry is heading to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk, after being approved by the legislature.
Meal kit delivery firm HelloFresh will pay $7.5 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it of misleading customers and making it difficult for them to cancel their subscriptions.
With the help of her daughter and her 5th-grade class, CBS News California (KCAL) Investigative reporter Julie Watts investigates "Sephora Kids" concerns.
A Southern California man has pleaded guilty for his role in a scheme that stole more than $2 million from San Francisco-based food delivery company DoorDash, federal prosecutors said.
Health officials say that an unvaccinated minor visited the Walmart Supercenter in Ontario on Jan. 29.
Health officials said that the traveler arrived at LAX's Tom Bradley International Airport Terminal on a Viva Aerobus Flight on Jan. 26.
Orange County health officials have confirmed their second measles case of 2026 in an international traveler who arrived in California at Los Angeles International Airport before visiting Disneyland and California Adventure last week.
Millions of people with an Affordable Care Act health plan face a massive jump in premiums next year — this chart shows just how much.
"I don't know how I'm going to pay for this," said one person with an Affordable Care Act plan that will cost her $1,100 a month starting in January.
The Fremont factory will still manufacture Model 3 and Y, but the space where Model S and X are made will instead focus on mass production of Tesla's Gen 3 Optimus robots.
About 30% of San Francisco was without power at the height of the outage, according to utility provider PG&E.
The DMV said it is giving Tesla Motors 60 days to address its misleading use of "autopilot," or it could have its dealer license temporarily suspended.
California is set to join a growing list of states banning the practice of cat declawing, under a new law taking effect in January.
San Francisco officials said Tuesday that the city has filed a lawsuit against leading manufacturers of ultra-processed foods, accusing them of producing products linked to serious health issues and alleging that the companies knowingly made the foods addictive.
Villa's Tacos, a beloved Los Angeles-based taqueria, made a guest appearance during the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, putting an even larger spotlight on the restaurant already loved by Angelenos.
The 31-year-old Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny took the stage on Sunday dressed in all white, donning a jersey with his last name, Ocasio, and the number 64.
Jazzy Davidson had 27 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists as the Trojans secured their fourth-straight win on the road on Sunday against Illinois.
Kawhi Leonard had 41 points and eight rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the slumping Minnesota Timberwolves 115-96 on Sunday.
Lauren Betts had 16 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and three blocks to help No. 2 UCLA hold off No. 8 Michigan for a 69-66 win on Sunday.
The 31-year-old Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny took the stage on Sunday dressed in all white, donning a jersey with his last name, Ocasio, and the number 64.
Reactions poured in when Bad Bunny was named Super Bowl halftime headliner, with some praising and others criticizing the choice.
Brad Arnold, the founder and lead singer of the 3 Doors Down has died following "his courageous battle with cancer," the rock band announced Saturday on social media.
Bad Bunny took the stage at halftime for the 2026 Super Bowl. Here's who else performed at Super Bowl 60.
Don't miss the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony. Here's how to watch live, stream for free and catch replays.
Monday will be another warm day in Southern California before rain makes its way to the area on Tuesday night.
Villa's Tacos, a beloved Los Angeles-based taqueria, made a guest appearance during the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, putting an even larger spotlight on the restaurant already loved by Angelenos.
Seven measles cases have been reported in Southern California in the last two weeks, three each in Los Angeles and Orange counties and one in San Bernardino County, according to public health officials.
A man died while mountain biking in the Shadow Hills area of Los Angeles on Sunday morning, authorities confirmed.
Police shut down an Orange County coffee shop last week because it was allegedly operating as a strip club. Zach Boetto reports.
Widely considered the greatest architect of his time, Frank Gehry helped shape Los Angeles' skyline.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
The Franklin Fire in Malibu quickly grew overnight and threatened several homes. Evacuation orders were issued and Pepperdine University instructed students to shelter in place.
Several people have been injured and multiple homes burned after the Mountain Fire broke out Wednesday morning in Ventura County, burning over 10,000 acres within hours.