Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)
LOS ANGELES – Federal and local law enforcement today arrested six members and associates of the South Los Angeles-based Hoover Criminal Gang charged in a 31-count indictment that charges them with racketeering conspiracy including sex trafficking of children and adults through force, fraud, or coercion – including runaways and children from the foster care system – on the Figueroa Corridor of Los Angeles, recruiting victims through social media and branding them with tattoos.
Today’s takedown is the first major takedown of a sex trafficking operation on the Figueroa Corridor, which is an area notorious for prostitution.
The following defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act:
- Amaya Armstead, 25, a.k.a. “Lady Duck,” of South Los Angeles, the case’s lead defendant and the de facto leader of the 112 set of the Hoover Criminal Gang and who is accused of sex trafficking a 14-year-old girl;
- Kenyondre Young, 22, a.k.a. “Yunkg Poke,” of South Los Angeles;
- Naziz Harris, 19, a.k.a. “N4,” of South Los Angeles;
- Avery Amoako, 27, a.k.a. “Handz,” of Long Beach;
- Jared Evans, 29, a.k.a. “Jmoney,” of the Mid-City area of Los Angeles;
- Mathew Brooks, 22, a.k.a. “Vermont Star,” of Riverside;
- Derail Robinson, 22, a.k.a. “Popkorn,” of South Los Angeles;
- Jalon Phillips, 22, a.k.a. “Chop Em,” of South Los Angeles;
- Bryan Isrel, 31, a.k.a. “4Loc,” of South Los Angeles;
- Tejohn Gray, 25, a.k.a. “Tiny3,” of South Los Angeles; and
- Tommy Crockham, 30, a.k.a. “Tommy Gunz,” of South Los Angeles.
The defendants are charged with various other crimes, including sex trafficking of minors, sex trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion; transportation of a minor for sex trafficking; sexual exploitation of a child; drug trafficking conspiracy; money laundering to promote specified unlawful activity; and conspiracy to straw purchase firearms.
Amoako, Evans, Brooks, Phillips, and Crockham were arrested this morning and are expected to make their initial appearances and be arraigned this afternoon in federal court in downtown Los Angeles. Armstead was transferred from state custody to federal custody and is expected to make her initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in Los Angeles federal court. Law enforcement is looking for Isrel.
“The U.S. Department of Justice, under the leadership of Attorney General Pamela Bondi, is making Los Angeles safer by arresting prolific gang members who are viciously trafficking young woman and children for sex,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “There are no meaningful consequences for their conduct under state law, so the federal government – aided by its local law enforcement partners – will step in to make sure these criminals face lengthy prison sentences. Today’s operation is the first step in returning the Figueroa Corridor – long known as prostitution haven – back to its residents who have suffered for too long while criminals were allowed to run amok.”
“Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes perpetuated throughout the world,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “No human should be for sale – not here in Los Angeles or anywhere in our society. Today’s operation is a result of our commitment to identify and rescue victims of trafficking and to hold accountable these criminal organizations exploiting them.”
“These violent gang members profited from horrific crimes and used online apps to move their money and further their criminal enterprise,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles Field Office. “Special Agents at IRS-CI are experts in tracing illegal funds and linking criminals to their illegal acts. IRS-CI is committed to protecting victims and prosecuting criminal offenders involved in money laundering, sex trafficking, and other violent crime.”
“The exploitation of vulnerable women and children through sex trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes our society faces,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “The victims in this case – many of them minors, runaways, or from the foster care system – were preyed upon by individuals who sought to profit from their pain. The Los Angeles Police Department remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our federal partners to dismantle these criminal networks, bring their perpetrators to justice, and ensure survivors receive the protection and support they deserve.”
According to the indictment, from February 2021 to August 2025, the Hoovers largely controlled sex trafficking and prostitution in the Figueroa Corridor of South Los Angeles. Members and associates of the gang acted as pimps to promote and manage sex trafficking. The defendants facilitated each other’s pimping by managing and monitoring their victims, pooling resources to rent several motel rooms for commercial sex dates, disciplining each other’s victims, driving each other’s victims to and from the street where victims solicited commercial sex work, sourcing third parties to create online profiles for sex advertisements, and sending each other money via Cash App and Apple Pay.
Victims were required to remit all proceeds from commercial sex dates to the pimp. A victim who refused or who otherwise disobeyed a pimp faced discipline, including assaults, berating, public humiliation, and withholding of affection, drugs or food. Victims also were branded with tattoos of a defendant’s moniker.
The defendants also worked together to recruit new victims via social media or in person, focusing on vulnerable minor girls and young women, particularly those with financial or emotional struggles or who had run away from home. Pimps also plied their victims with drugs ranging from oxycodone to amphetamines. Victims were recruited via false promises of a luxurious lifestyle, intimidation, and actual or threatened violence.
For example, in April 2022, Gray and two accomplices drove to an area of San Bernardino which is notorious for prostitution activities and attempted to force two female victims into their car, grabbing them. Ultimately, both victims broke free.
In April 2024, Armstead and Evans utilized rooms at the Stadium Inn, a South Los Angeles motel, to traffic their victims. One victim included a 14-year-old girl. Armstead gave the victim – who was sex trafficked for at least three consecutive days – condoms to use for commercial sex dates with “Johns” or sex buyers.
Some members of the Hoovers criminal enterprise produced rap music and videos, which often glorified the gang, sex trafficking, drug sales, and firearms possession. Members of the gang also posted videos and photographs of their assaults on others to social media, in order to intimidate their victims and ensure their compliance in performing commercial sex work for the enrichment of their pimps and the Hoover gang itself.
An indictment contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, some defendants would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and would face a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office are investigating this matter. The investigation was supported by the Nebraska State Patrol, Keith County Attorney’s Office, Nebraska Department of Justice Office of the Attorney General, California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and Saving Innocence.
Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Mirelle Raza of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.