Federal authorities have dismantled a significant sex trafficking operation in Los Angeles's Figueroa Corridor, arresting 10 defendants on charges including sex trafficking of children. The operation, dubbed "Broken Blade," targeted members and associates of the LA Hoover Gang and Ahir Mukeshkumar, the alleged onsite manager of the Stadium Inn and Spa.
According to prosecutors, Mukeshkumar rented rooms where minors as young as 14 were allegedly forced into prostitution. He is accused of profiting from these activities, receiving half of the proceeds from rooms used for sex trafficking. The 65-count superseding indictment unsealed Wednesday details that the Hoover gang largely controlled prostitution in the Figueroa Corridor from 2021 to the present, acting as pimps and engaging in extreme violence against victims. Allegations include severe physical assaults and forcing victims to engage in sex work on the day of medical procedures. The indictment lists 51 victims impacted by these crimes.
Law enforcement officials stated that the Hoover Gang specifically targeted vulnerable individuals, including runaways and foster children, recruiting them through social media or in person with false promises of a better life. They allegedly used violence, threats, and even gang tattoos to control and exploit their victims, sometimes supplying drugs to foster dependency.
The coordinated raids conducted across Los Angeles and Orange County resulted in the arrest of six suspects, including Mukeshkumar, by early Wednesday morning. Prosecutors described the operation as the first gang case to primarily focus on human trafficking within the Figueroa Corridor, an area historically known for prostitution.
LA's top prosecutor, Bill Essayli, emphasized the collaborative effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. He stated that the operation serves as a notice to the gang and highlights the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation in combating organized crime and protecting communities. The investigation leading to the indictment began approximately 11 months prior, with an initial federal grand jury indictment against 11 Hoover members on sex trafficking charges.