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.
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"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.
The San Fernando Valley couple said they received two IRS 1099 tax forms indicating that someone had earned thousands of dollars working for Uber using the husband's name and Social Security number.
Many Southern California communities experienced nearly 1 inch of rainfall overnight.
CBS LA has also issued a Next Traffic Alert to warn drivers about the impact on their commute.
The Federal Aviation Administration changed course and said flights would resume after halting all air traffic into and out of El Paso.
Victor Wembanyama scored 37 of his season high-tying 40 points in the first half and the San Antonio Spurs beat the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers 136-108 for their fifth straight victory.
Many Southern California communities experienced nearly 1 inch of rainfall overnight.
CBS LA has also issued a Next Traffic Alert to warn drivers about the impact on their commute.
The Federal Aviation Administration changed course and said flights would resume after halting all air traffic into and out of El Paso.
Newport Beach city leaders are set to implement stiffer fines and add extra police to crack down on the spring break partiers this year after receiving complaints of underage drinking and unruly parties from residents.
Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 43, was charged with a missing teen's murder in 2025. He now faces nine child sexual abuse charges.
The San Fernando Valley couple said they received two IRS 1099 tax forms indicating that someone had earned thousands of dollars working for Uber using the husband's name and Social Security number.
CBS LA has also issued a Next Traffic Alert to warn drivers about the impact on their commute.
Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 43, was charged with a missing teen's murder in 2025. He now faces nine child sexual abuse charges.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion to further evaluate additional temporary housing options for residents who were displaced by the Eaton Fire.
Police arrested a man allegedly tied to a string of bronze plaque thefts in four Orange County cities.
Newport Beach city leaders are set to implement stiffer fines and add extra police to crack down on the spring break partiers this year after receiving complaints of underage drinking and unruly parties from residents.
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A beloved Los Angeles taco shop, an Orange County boy being gifted a Grammy and a Southern California couple getting married on sports' biggest stage were among the ties connecting the Super Bowl halftime show to The Southland.
Showers are expected to hit most of Southern California on Tuesday afternoon.
An Orange County woman wound up in the middle of the romance scam that has cost another woman at least $100,000.
A Southern California man who was "acting as an illegal agent of the People's Republic of China" while working as a political advisor for a San Bernardino County politician was sentenced to four years in prison on Monday, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
A beloved Los Angeles taco shop, an Orange County boy being gifted a Grammy and a Southern California couple getting married on sports' biggest stage were among the ties connecting the Super Bowl halftime show to The Southland.
Showers are expected to hit most of Southern California on Tuesday afternoon.
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.
The Federal Aviation Administration changed course and said flights would resume after halting all air traffic into and out of El Paso.
Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing on Feb. 1 and ransom notes were being investigated.
A 14-year-old girl said she was "crying" and "struggling to breathe" when law enforcement officers herded her onto a racetrack with other detainees and zip-tied her hands.
FBI Director Kash Patel posted videos of a person outside the home of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Savannah Guthrie, on the morning of her disappearance.
Ben Ogden of Team USA won the silver medal in the cross-country sprint Tuesday at the Winter Olympics in Italy.
A federal grand jury refused to indict six Democrats who drew President Trump's ire by taping a video telling members of the military that they must reject "illegal orders," three sources told CBS News.
A 14-year-old girl said she was "crying" and "struggling to breathe" when law enforcement officers herded her onto a racetrack with other detainees and zip-tied her hands.
Democratic leaders a say White House proposal doesn't make the grade as they demand new restrictions on ICE and threaten a shutdown of the Homeland Security Department.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will consider a motion that would increase the sales tax by a half-cent in order to cover the massive healthcare funding cuts made by the Trump administration.
As the deadline approaches for Gov. Gavin Newsom's executive order mandating California state workers return to in-person work four days a week, there is a new bipartisan effort to change state law and allow the current telework structure to continue.
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.
Victor Wembanyama scored 37 of his season high-tying 40 points in the first half and the San Antonio Spurs beat the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers 136-108 for their fifth straight victory.
Kevin Durant scored 26 points and Alperen Sengun added 22 to help the Houston Rockets to a 102-95 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Right tackle Rob Havenstein is retiring after an 11-year career with the Rams.
Ben Ogden of Team USA won the silver medal in the cross-country sprint Tuesday at the Winter Olympics in Italy.
The Oklahoma City Thunder snapped their two-game skid with a 119-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
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.
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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.
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A San Fernando Valley couple says an Uber driver stole the husband's identity to sign up for the ride-sharing platform, raising questions about public safety and how thoroughly drivers are vetted.
Dr. Theresa Price, National College Resources Foundation founder, talks about the upcoming Black College Expo., with on-the-spot college acceptance.
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Dr. Mark Sklansky, Medical Director of Pediatric and Fetal Cardiology Outreach at C.S. Guerin Children's Pediatrics, discusses detection and other advancements as technology improves.
Markuita Brooks, new resident of the affordable Westchester housing development, Red Tail Crossing, shares her story as a single mother and foster parent.
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.
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