- A 26-year-old Thousand Oaks man pleaded not guilty to labor trafficking a 14-year-old boy he allegedly recruited from a thrift store.
- The teen was forced to prep hundreds of clothing items for resale, had his phone taken, and was given Adderall to work through the night.
- The boy was abandoned on a Los Angeles freeway at midnight — and walked himself to safety.
- Brandon Holguin faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted on six felony charges.
THOUSAND OAKS, California — A 26-year-old man from Thousand Oaks is facing serious felony charges after prosecutors say he lured a 14-year-old boy into a labor trafficking scheme — forcing him to sort and prepare hundreds of clothing items for online resale before abandoning him alone on a Los Angeles freeway in the middle of the night.
Brandon Holguin pleaded not guilty Wednesday to six felony counts, including human trafficking, child stealing, and child abuse, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.
How It Started — At a Thrift Store
Prosecutors say Holguin first approached the teen at a thrift store four to six months before the incident.
He allegedly built trust with the boy over time before the situation turned dangerous in early May 2025.
That is when Holguin allegedly took the teen’s cell phone, sold it, and used a fake ID to pawn jewelry that had been gifted to the boy by his own family — pocketing hundreds of dollars that were never given to the teen.
Motel Room, Adderall, and a Forced Work Session
Holguin allegedly drove the teen to a motel room and gave him Adderall so he could stay awake and work late into the night preparing clothing items for resale online.
The substance made the boy sick.
For three days, the teen’s family and law enforcement had no idea where he was — or whether he was alive.
Abandoned on the Freeway at Midnight
On the night of May 5, 2025, Holguin allegedly dropped the teenager off on the side of a Los Angeles freeway — alone, in the dark, with no phone.
The teen walked off the freeway on his own and made it to a nearby location where someone called 911.
He was reunited with his family that same day.
What Prosecutors Are Saying
“For three terrifying days, the victim’s parents and law enforcement desperately searched for this missing teen, fearing the worst,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
Hochman added that human exploitation remains widespread across the county in 2026 and that the Labor Justice Unit will hold anyone involved in such crimes accountable.
Holguin is due back in a Pasadena courtroom on June 3 for a pretrial hearing. If convicted on all charges, he faces up to 14 years in state prison.
Investigators Believe There May Be More Victims
The investigation is ongoing. Authorities say they are concerned Holguin may have targeted additional victims beyond this case.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Salvador Ponce of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at 818-236-4015, or report anonymously through LA Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.
If this story raises questions or concerns for you, share your thoughts in the comments below — stories like this are a reminder of how important it is for communities to look out for one another.
