ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE
June 3, 2015
Case # 13NF2746
SANTA ANA – A Contra Costa County man was sentenced today to five years and eight months in state prison for sex trafficking, pimping and pandering charges after he trafficked a northern California woman to Orange County. Laton Lateef Belle, 29, El Sobrante, pleaded guilty May 8, 2015, to one felony count each of human trafficking, attempted pimping, and pandering.
Circumstances of the Case
Belle is a pimp/modern-day slave owner who exploits women for financial gain. Pimps often establish rigid rules that their victims are expected to follow including requiring victims to not speak to other African-American males and setting daily quotas that the victims are expected to fulfill. The victims are required to turn over all payments received from sex purchasers to their pimp. Failure to follow these rules can result in physical and/or emotional abuse. Continue reading