14 men including four from Santa Ana convicted of trying to hook up with prostitutes

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 12, 2017

14 MEN CONVICTED OF LOITERING WITH INTENT TO COMMIT PROSTITUTION OR AGREEING TO ENGAGE IN PROSTITUTION

*Conviction details of sex purchasers are featured on the OCDA website

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) convicted 14 men in November and December 2016 of loitering with the intent to commit prostitution or agreeing to engage in prostitution. The defendants in these cases approached a woman whom they believed to be a prostitute, or loitered in areas known for prostitution and human trafficking in Orange County. Each of the defendants below agreed to engage, or loitered with the intent to engage, in commercial sex with a woman and were subsequently arrested by law enforcement.

Defendant/Conviction/Sentence:

• Ameet Alawi, 32, Santa Ana – Found guilty by a jury of one misdemeanor count of agreeing to engage in prostitution. One year informal probation, 40 hours of community service, and must submit to AIDS testing and education.
• Donoban Canada Franco, 29, Santa Ana – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of loitering with the intent to commit prostitution. Ten days of CalTrans in lieu of jail, three years informal probation, must submit to AIDS testing and education, and must submit a DNA sample.
• Alejo Guzman-Montes, 39, Garden Grove – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of loitering with the intent to commit prostitution. Ten days of CalTrans in lieu of jail, three years informal probation, must submit to AIDS testing and education, and must submit a DNA sample.
• Mario Jonathan Lara, 37, Lake Forest – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of agreeing to engage in prostitution. Ten days of CalTrans in lieu of jail, three years informal probation, must submit to AIDS testing and education, and must submit a DNA sample.
• Oliver Owen Medina, 21, Anaheim – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of loitering with the intent to commit prostitution. Ten days of CalTrans in lieu of jail, three years informal probation, must submit to AIDS testing and education, and must submit a DNA sample.
• Anthony Morales, 30, Hawthorne – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of agreeing to engage in prostitution and one misdemeanor count of loitering with the intent to commit prostitution. Ten days of CalTrans in lieu of jail, three years informal probation, must submit to AIDS testing and education, and must submit a DNA sample.
• Chin Van Nguyen, 38, Costa Mesa – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of agreeing to engage in prostitution and one misdemeanor count of loitering with the intent to commit prostitution. 120 days in Orange County jail.
• Jesus Nolasco, 47, Santa Ana – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of agreeing to engage in prostitution. Ten days of CalTrans in lieu of jail, three years informal probation, must submit to AIDS testing and education, and must submit a DNA sample.
• Mitchell Park, 26, Santa Ana – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of agreeing to engage in prostitution. Ten days of CalTrans in lieu of jail, three years informal probation, must submit to AIDS testing and education, and must submit a DNA sample.
• Samuel Pinedo, 23, Garden Grove – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of agreeing to engage in prostitution. Ten days of CalTrans in lieu of jail, three years informal probation, must submit to AIDS testing and education, and must submit a DNA sample.
• Thomas Louis Pompeo, 38, Irvine – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of agreeing to engage in prostitution. Ten days of CalTrans in lieu of jail, three years informal probation, must submit to AIDS testing and education, and must submit a DNA sample.
• Isaias Barrios Rodriguez, 18, Anaheim – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of agreeing to engage in prostitution. Ten days of CalTrans in lieu of jail, three years informal probation, must submit to AIDS testing and education, and must submit a DNA sample.
• Dalzell Pierce Wagstaff Trader, 26, Garden Grove – Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of agreeing to engage in prostitution. Ten days of CalTrans in lieu of jail, three years informal probation, must submit to AIDS testing and education, and must submit a DNA sample

The OCDA posts the booking photos, when available, and conviction details of defendants on the sex purchasers section of the OCDA’s website, and can be found at: http://orangecountyda.org/media/sexpurchasers.asp.

The Garden Grove Police Department (GGPD), Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD), and Santa Ana Police Department(SAPD) investigated these cases, as well as the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF). Members of the OCHTTF and the OCDA work proactively to protect women and minors from falling victim to commercial sexual exploitation. OCHTTF is a partnership between the Anaheim Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Costa Mesa Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Huntington Beach Police Department, Irvine Police Department, Newport Beach Police Department, OCDA, OCSD, SAPD, and community and non-profit partners.

Deputy District Attorney Laila Nikaien of the HEAT Unit prosecuted these cases.

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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney

Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718

Public Affairs Unit
Office: 714-347-8405

Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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