Viral posts suggest Google Maps imagery shows a human trafficking plea in L.A., but police say there's no evidence of nefarious activity.
Huston Hughes, 37, who was on active parole for pimping, was arrested for the alleged sexual battery of a teenage girl in Long Beach, police said.
🔥🚨BREAKING NEWS: This disturbing message was spotted on Google Maps in Los Angeles, California, with the words “Help” and “Traffico” written in the debris, surrounded by shipping containers. It has been confirmed that the lot next to this location is a shipping yard which has… pic.twitter.com/swvBnSogXu
The Long Beach cases were announced just days after LA County prosecutors said three men had been tied to sexual exploitation along the Figueroa Corridor in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Announces Three Felony Charges in Commercial Sexual Exploitation Crimes During Human Trafficking Prevention Month
The task force will combine resources from federal, state and local agencies to root out sexual and labor-related exploitation, authorities said.
The couple was arrested in October 2023 after neighbors saw Lantz lock the oldest girl and her teenage brother in a shed and leave the property. A deputy used a crowbar to get them out.
Social media users worried about a human trafficking ring when downtown Los Angeles messages spelled out in building materials were seen by satellite. But the LAPD says it's
Social media users have noted satellite imagery showing the words "HELP" and "TRAFICO" etched into the ground at a rail yard in Los Angeles.