Brandon Holguin / Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - A Thousand Oaks man faces up to 14 years in state prison following allegations that he isolated a 14-year-old middle schooler, forced him to work under the influence of narcotics, and abandoned him on a Los Angeles freeway, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
What we know:
Brandon Holguin, 26, allegedly targeted the victim at a thrift store months before the abduction, the DA's office said.
Between May 2 and May 5, 2025, Holguin is accused of taking the minor to various locations, seizing his cell phone to prevent contact with his family, and selling the boy's jewelry for profit.
While held at a motel, the teen was allegedly forced to sort and photograph hundreds of items of clothing for resale.
To ensure the work continued late into the night, Holguin reportedly furnished the victim with Adderall.
After a plan to move the operation to Northern California failed, Holguin allegedly left the boy on the side of a Los Angeles freeway.
The victim eventually found help and was reunited with his family.
Timeline:
- Late 2024: Holguin allegedly first targets the victim at a thrift store.
- May 2, 2025: The victim is reported missing from northern Los Angeles County.
- May 5, 2025: The victim is abandoned on a freeway, found by police, and reunited with family.
- May 9, 2025: The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arrests Holguin.
- Nov. 6, 2025: Holguin pleads not guilty to an amended complaint.
- April 22, 2026: A court holds Holguin to answer on all charges following a preliminary hearing.
- May 7, 2026: Holguin is arraigned on the Information and pleads not guilty.
What they're saying:
"Human labor traffickers frequently target vulnerable children, gaining their trust before isolating them and profiting from the child’s forced labor," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. "For three terrifying days, the victim’s parents and law enforcement desperately searched for this missing teen, fearing the worst had happened. Human exploitation is unfortunately still widespread in our county in 2026, and our Labor Justice Unit will ensure that anyone who participates in this criminal activity is held accountable."
What's next:
Holguin remains in custody on $650,000 bail.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for June 3.
If convicted on all six felony counts—including child stealing and human trafficking—he faces a maximum sentence of 14 years in state prison.
What you can do:
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department believes there may be additional victims.
Anyone with information regarding Brandon Holguin is urged to contact Detective Salvador Ponce at 818-236-4015. Anonymous tips can be submitted to LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.