Ventura County Human Trafficking Task Force shutters residential brothel near Middle School in Thousand Oaks

November 4, 2024, Thousand Oaks, Calif. --Ventura County Sheriff’s human trafficking investigators have dismantled a residential brothel, connecting potential human trafficking victims with vital support services.

In April 2024, prompted by community tips of suspicious activity, detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Special Crimes Unit launched an investigation into a residence in the 200 block of Camino Manzanas in Thousand Oaks that is directly behind Redwood Middle School. Detectives suspected this location was operating as a brothel where commercial sex acts were taking place.

On November 4th, detectives served a search warrant at the residence where they contacted Jian Hu. Detectives located evidence of Hu benefitting financially from her employees who were providing commercial sex acts at the location. Detectives also contacted two adult females, believed to be Chinese nationals, who were determined to be potential human trafficking victims. Both potential victims were connected with local victim services providers.

As a result of the investigation, detectives developed probable cause to arrest Hu for violating California Penal Code Section 266h – Pimping. Hu was arrested for the above listed charge and booked into the Ventura County Sheriff’s Main Jail. Hu was released from custody after posting the scheduled bail of $20,000.00.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office extends its gratitude to the community for their continued support and vigilance in providing valuable information that aids in solving crimes. Success is strengthened by the vital partnerships shared with the public.

About Ventura County Human Trafficking Task Force 

Sheriff’s Special Crimes Unit Human Trafficking investigators are part of the Ventura County Human Trafficking Task Force which is made up of members from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Ventura Police Department, Santa Paula Police Department, Simi Valley Police Department, Oxnard Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, California Department of Justice, and several victim service providers. The primary mission of the task force is combatting sex and labor trafficking of humans within Ventura County. The Ventura County Human Trafficking Task Force works closely with surrounding cities and counties to fulfill their mission.

THE LAW

266h. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), any person who, knowing another person is a prostitute, lives or derives support or maintenance in whole or in part from the earnings or proceeds of the person’s prostitution, or from money loaned or advanced to or charged against that person by any keeper or manager or inmate of a house or other place where prostitution is practiced or allowed, or who solicits or receives compensation for soliciting for the person, is guilty of pimping, a felony, and shall be punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for three, four, or six years.

(b) Any person who, knowing another person is a prostitute, lives or derives support or maintenance in whole or in part from the earnings or proceeds of the person’s prostitution, or from money loaned or advanced to or charged against that person by any keeper or manager or inmate of a house or other place where prostitution is practiced or allowed, or who solicits or receives compensation for soliciting for the person, when the prostitute is a minor, is guilty of pimping a minor, a felony, and shall be punishable as follows:

(1) If the person engaged in prostitution is a minor 16 years of age or older, the offense is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for three, four, or six years.

(2) If the person engaged in prostitution is under 16 years of age, the offense is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for three, six, or eight years.

CASES OF NOTE

People v. Campbell, 51 Cal. App. 5th 463, 265 Cal. Rptr. 3d 136 (3d Dist. 2020)
While the crime of pandering requires no monetary gain, the related crime of pimping involves the deriving of support from another person's prostitution. Cal. Penal Code §§ 266i(a), 266h(a). 

People v. Vaughn, 77 Cal. App. 5th 609, 292 Cal. Rptr. 3d 649 (4th Dist. 2022).

Pimping is general intent crime. Cal. Penal Code § 266h. 

People v. Shields, 2018 WL 2426451 (Cal. App. 1st Dist. 2018).
Pimping in all its forms is not a specific intent crime. 

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