LOS ANGELES – Females who may have been victimized by a Hawthorne man suspected of abducting girls and turning them into prostitutes were asked today to contact police.
Leroy Bragg, 34, pleaded not guilty Thursday to human trafficking and other charges.
He is accused of kidnapping a 14-year-old Upland girl a few days ago, and is also suspected of other abductions, said Jane Robison of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
He was arrested Tuesday night and faces charges including burglary, human trafficking and pimping minor girls as prostitutes, according to prosecutors. He was behind bars on $1.3 million bail.
Bragg was arrested in the backyard of a home in the 13300 block of Roselle Avenue in Hawthorne by Hawthorne and Los Angeles police officers, said Hawthorne police Lt. Gary Tomatani.
Los Angeles Police Department detectives had rescued a kidnapping victim, and they identified Bragg as a suspect, according to the LAPD.
“The LAPD believes there may be additional victims and is asking for the public’s help to provide information regarding this, or other crimes involving Leroy Bragg,” police said in a statement.
Anyone with information about Bragg was urged to call Detective Hector Sanchez, (213) 486-0957, or (877) LAPD-24-7.
