South LA Man Faces Federal Child Trafficking Charges

A South Los Angeles man, Derrick Harrison Enrico Brooks, Jr., has been arraigned on federal charges related to sex trafficking minors and other offenses. Brooks, 31, from Baldwin Village, faces a four-count federal indictment, which includes two counts of sex trafficking of children by force, fraud, or coercion, one count of distribution of controlled substances to a person under 21, and one count of attempted kidnapping.

Brooks pleaded not guilty to all charges during his arraignment in the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. His trial is set to commence on December 1. Last month, a federal magistrate judge ordered Brooks to be detained without bond.

Allegations of Trafficking and Violence

According to the indictment and other court documents, Brooks is accused of sex trafficking a 15-year-old girl, referred to as 'Minor Victim 1', in November 2025. The documents allege that Brooks and the victim traveled from California to Colorado in his green limousine for commercial sex work. Brooks allegedly demanded that Minor Victim 1 earn $1,000 per day and physically assaulted her multiple times, to the extent that she feared for her life.

Brooks is also accused of posting an advertisement of her on Craigslist. Minor Victim 1 eventually returned to Los Angeles and escaped from Brooks while working on the Figueroa Corridor, a known area for prostitution.

In early 2026, Brooks allegedly trafficked a 17-year-old girl, 'Minor Victim 2', who also worked on the Figueroa Corridor. The indictment claims that Brooks physically assaulted Minor Victim 2 and distributed Ecstasy to her.

Attempted Kidnapping Incident

In August 2026, Brooks allegedly attempted to kidnap a woman, identified as 'Victim 3', in a mobile phone store in Baldwin Village. The indictment states that Victim 3 had fled Brooks' nearby apartment after he choked her and punched her in the face. Brooks was arrested two weeks after this incident.

If convicted on all charges, Brooks faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison, with a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department, Pomona Police Department, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell and Mirelle Raza of the Major Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.

It is important to note that an indictment contains allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.