The announcement highlights DA Hochman’s commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and holding traffickers accountable

January 23, 2025 - LOS ANGELES — District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced on Wednesday that felony charges have been filed against three individuals who allegedly engaged in human sex trafficking and pandering of multiple victims.

“Human trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar business and should be viewed as nothing short of modern-day slavery,” District Attorney Hochman said. “Los Angeles County has the tragic distinction of being one of the nation's capitals of human trafficking. This is completely unacceptable and must be stopped. The victims are some of the most vulnerable, defenseless individuals in our community, often just kids, and they need our protection and the prosecution of their tormentors. Please know if you are engaged in these despicable acts, we will come after you, arrest you, prosecute you, and see that you spend years behind bars."

Derran Adkins, 27, of the city of Paramount is charged with one felony count of human trafficking of a minor for a commercial sex act by force, fear, fraud, or threat of injury and one felony count of human trafficking of an adult. He also faces allegations of personal infliction of great bodily injury during the commission of these offenses. He faces a third strike sentence on the current charges based on his prior felony convictions.

At prosecutors’ request, the court ordered no bail for Adkins due to public safety concerns. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Jan. 7 and his preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for Feb. 24 in Dept. 31 of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. If convicted as charged, he faces 70 years to life, plus 20 years in state prison.

The defendant’s alleged crimes occurred between Nov. 4, 2024 and Jan. 3, 2025. Some of the alleged conduct occurred in the Figueroa Corridor.

Case 25CJCF00109 was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department’s South Bureau Human Trafficking Task Force.

Fabian Gilbert, 20, of the city of Los Angeles is charged with one felony count of pandering and one count of felony possession of a firearm by a felon in case 24CMCF02114. He faces a special allegation of committing a new felony offense while out on bail.

Gilbert pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Dec. 31, 2024 and is scheduled for his preliminary hearing setting on Feb. 10, Dept. 10 of the Compton Courthouse. If convicted as charged Gilbert faces eight years, eight months in prison.

On Dec. 27, 2024, Gilbert is accused of commercial sex activity along the Figueroa Corridor.

The case was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Kevin Thomas, 25, of the city of Los Angeles is charged with one felony count of pandering in case 24CMCF01983. He also faces an allegation of having a prior conviction for a serious or violent felony.

His bail was set for $100,000. Thomas pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Nov. 22, 2024. His pretrial conference is set for Jan. 27, Dept. L of the Compton Courthouse. If convicted as charged he faces 12 years in prison.

On Nov. 20, 2024, Thomas is accused of commercial sex activity along the Figueroa Corridor.

The case was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.

The announcement and cases highlight DA Hochman’s commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and holding traffickers accountable.

DA Hochman praised the combined efforts with local law enforcement and prosecutors, specifically acknowledging the Los Angeles Police Department South Bureau Human Trafficking Task Force and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, for their collaborative role in addressing this urgent issue.

“The District Attorney’s Office, in partnership with law enforcement agencies, remains committed to investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases in accordance with the law." DA Hochman said. "We will continue to hold offenders accountable and ensure that survivors receive the support they need.”

The charges filed in these cases are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Recently Completed LADA Sex Trafficking Cases

• Raymond Reese case 24CJCF07067: Convicted charge: One felony count of pandering. He was sentenced to four years in state prison, execution of sentence suspended. Defendant was placed on two years of formal felony probation with several conditions, including 180 days of county jail, stay away order from Figueroa and 76th Street, and completion of a 26-week anger management program.

  In this case, undercover officers were standing on the corner of 77th and Figueroa while dressed in clothes consistent with those worn by commercial sex workers. Reese approached the officers and attempted to recruit them to work for him as a sex workers.

• Tyrell Davenport case 24CJCF00048: Convicted charges, all felonies: Two counts of human sex trafficking, one count of human sex trafficking of a minor; three counts pimping; three counts of pandering; and one count of pandering of a minor. He was sentenced to 75 years to life, plus eight years.

  Davenport forced a victim to travel with him to different areas, held her against her will, threatened her with violence, and used physical force to assault her and coerce her to work as a sex slave.

• Martel Neal case BA499178: Convicted charges, all felonies: One count of human trafficking, one count of pimping; one count of kidnapping for ransom; one count of kidnapping; one count of forcible oral copulation; one count of sexual battery; and one count of forceable rape.

  Neal duped one victim into a sexual relationship, quickly morphed into her pimp, and sex-trafficked the victim for several months. He repeatedly beat, strangled, violently sexually assaulted, threatened to kill the victim, and held her small child captive as a means of forcing her to continue working in the sex trade for the defendant’s financial benefit.

  He was sentenced to 87 years to life. 

• Cedric Watson case BA514788: Convicted charges: One felony count of pimping of a minor and one felony count of lewd act on a child. He was sentenced to three years, eight months in prison with sex offender registration.

  Los Angeles Police Department Vice officers were working undercover near Western Avenue and Oakwood Avenue, when they saw Watson solicit a minor to engage in prostitution.

• Dennis Meadows case 24CJCF00832: Convicted charges: One count of human sex trafficking of a minor. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, plus lifetime sex offender registration.

  Meadows met the 14-year-old victim at a metro station in Long Beach. The victim had nowhere to go, as she had run away from a treatment facility nearby. She “befriended” the defendant and asked him to take her to Los Angeles, where Meadows made the victim sell her body for sex and was paid with fake money.

• Emmanuel Wright case BA517758. Convicted charges: One count of human trafficking of a minor. He was sentenced to six years, plus lifetime sex offender registration.

  On July 20, 2023, the 16-year-old victim met Wright in Hollywood. They exchanged a few messages wherein the defendant told the victim that he would show her “how things are done” and help her make money. The victim began working for Wright as a commercial sex worker the next day.

View video clips of alleged illegal activity at the Figueroa Corridor here and here.
Source: Los Angeles County District Attorney