Man Allegedly Labor Trafficked California Boy To Prep Clothing For Online Resale

A California man is being held on $650,000 bail for allegedly labor trafficking a 14-year-old boy and forcing him to prepare and photograph clothing for online resale, authorities said.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said 26-year-old Brandon Holguin pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to six felony charges: child stealing; human trafficking; child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death; furnishing a minor a controlled substance; employing a minor during unauthorized hours; and false personation for a written instrument.

According to prosecutors, from May 2 to May 5, 2025, Holguin trafficked a then-14-year-old boy from a location near his home to multiple other locations in Los Angeles County, after originally targeting the boy in a thrift store months prior.

Holguin allegedly took the victim’s cell phone and jewelry and pawned them for hundreds of dollars in cash. He then allegedly took the victim to a motel room and put him to work sorting and photographing clothing items for online resale. Holguin allegedly forced the victim to ingest Adderall so the boy could keep working late into the night.

When Holguin’s alleged plan to traffic the victim to northern California fell through, he allegedly abandoned the boy on the side of the freeway on the night of May 5, 2025.

The victim sought help from a nearby business where staff called 911. Holguin was arrested on May 9, 2025.

“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.”

Hochman said the investigation remains ongoing, and urged anyone with information about Holguin to contact the Detective Salvador Ponce at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at 818-236-4015, or submit an anonymous tip.

Holguin is currently being held on $650,000 bail, and a pretrial hearing was scheduled for June 3. If convicted on all charges, he faces up to 14 years in state prison.