The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is proud of the diversity that makes up our county. With more than 100 languages spoken throughout Orange County, victims and witnesses can feel confident that we will always be there for them—in any language. Recently, Senior Deputy District Attorney Shane McDonough, Deputy District Attorneys Evelyn Vasquez and Summer Young, Investigators Cynthia Hines and Fidencio Zepeda participated in a Bilingual Criminal Justice Professionals Panel hosted by @WaymakersOC at Anaheim High School, presenting to more than 200 students enrolled in the school’s Spanish Dual Language Academy. They shared how their bilingual skills allow them to build meaningful connections with the residents they serve across Orange County. Speaking from her experience, DDA Evelyn Vasquez shared how being fluent in Spanish helps her build trust with victims and witnesses who might otherwise feel unsure navigating the justice process. Communicating in their native language allows them to be more open and comfortable asking questions or raising concerns. This connection ensures they feel heard and supported both linguistically and culturally. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office remains committed to honoring the diversity of Orange County and ensuring that every victim feels understood and supported, no matter what language they speak.

“Fiat justitia ruat caelum” is a Latin phrase meaning “Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.” This phrase is inscribed on the Orange County District Attorney’s Homicide Unit Challenge Coin that Deputy District Attorney Justin Sanchez received on his first day in our office. The coin was given to his mother at the end of his grandmother’s murder trial, after she was killed by a wrong way drunk driver in 2018. Justin carries this coin with him every day. It reminds him of the first time in years that he no longer felt helpless—when he saw the District Attorney’s Office stand up and fight for his abuelita. The coin symbolizes the hope and strength he regained through seeing justice pursued on her behalf. Sanchez spoke to hundreds of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, crime victims, and crime advocates at the 2026 Orange County District Attorney’s Crime Victims Ceremony to celebrate crime victims rights call on the state Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom to strengthen California’s weak DUI laws in order to save lives from being needlessly lost to driving under the influence. Read the rest of the article here: bit.ly/48nZW66 @SupChaffee4 @SupervisorFoley @DonWagnerCA @SenJanetNguyen @OCSupSarmiento @SenBobArchuleta @DianeDixonAD72 @crimesurvivors @WaymakersOC

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office congratulates Deputy District Attorney Brennan Zoller and Paralegal John Leary on receiving the @WaymakersOC Shining Star Award. Their dedication to victims and commitment to protecting victims’ rights is truly unwavering. Deputy District Attorney Brennan Zoller is recognized for his professionalism, consistent communication, and tireless efforts to secure Criminal Protective Orders for victims. He takes the time to meet with clients, provides updates, and has worked on challenging cases, including recent vehicular manslaughter cases. Our office thanks him for his contributions and his commitment to supporting victims. Paralegal John Leary is honored for his instrumental role in ensuring Victim Impact Statements are uploaded promptly into our case management system, allowing Deputy District Attorney’s access during court proceedings. His efficiency and excellent communication make him an essential part of victim services, and his work ensures our office can provide the best possible support to victims. Congratulations to both Brennan and John! Thank you for your advocacy, dedication, and outstanding contributions to our office and the victims we serve.

Long Beach Man with Prior Kidnapping Conviction Charged with Multiple Human Trafficking Felonies After Tip Leads Human Trafficking Task Force to Rescue 17-year-old Victim at Anaheim Motel Click here for full press release: bit.ly/4qiQ04P SANTA ANA, Calif. – A 33-year-old Long Beach man with a prior conviction for kidnapping has been charged with multiple sex trafficking felonies after he was arrested by the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF) at an Anaheim motel with a teenage girl he was selling for sex. On January 8, 2026, OCHTTF Investigators received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a 17-year-old girl who was possibly the victim of sex trafficking. The task force immediately launched a human trafficking investigation and began searching for the girl. Just hours later, OCHTTF Investigators found the teenage girl and her trafficker, 33-year-old Michael Terrell Armstrong of Long Beach, at an Anaheim motel. OCHTTF Investigators arrested Armstrong and provided victim services to the teenage girl. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (HEAT) has charged Armstrong with one felony count of human trafficking of a minor, one felony count of pimping a minor over the age of 16 years, and one felony count of pandering with a minor over 16 years old. He faces a maximum sentence of 29 years in state prison if convicted on all charges. Prosecutors successfully argued for Armstrong to be kept in custody in lieu of $250,000 bond. “The faces of human trafficking are unbelievably the faces of children, the most vulnerable victims who are being exploited by some of the most diabolical predators that exist. Our children are not for sale here in Orange County – or anywhere,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “Through our collaborative efforts, the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force continues to be a beacon of hope for victims that help is on the way and that we will be unrelenting in our efforts to rescue each and every victim of human trafficking – and to punish their traffickers with the full force of the law.” This investigation illustrates the commitment of the OCHTTF and its partnering agencies in locating and identifying victims of pimping or human trafficking. The Anaheim Police Department and Waymakers co-chair the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force. The lead agencies for the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force also includes the California Highway Patrol, Garden Grove Police Department, Irvine Police Department, Santa Ana Police Department, California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Orange County Probation Department, Orange County Social Services Agency, U.S. Attorney's Office, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. For more information about the OCHTTF, visit ochumantrafficking.com. A critical component of the OCHTTF is the OCDA’s HEAT Unit, which targets perpetrators who sexually exploit and traffic women and underage girls for financial gain, including pimps, panderers, and human traffickers. The HEAT Unit uses a tactical plan called PERP: Prosecution, to bring justice for victims of human trafficking and hold perpetrators responsible using Prop 35; Education, to provide law enforcement training to properly handle human trafficking and pandering cases; Resources from public-private partnerships to raise public awareness about human trafficking and provide assistance to the victims; and Publicity, to inform the public and send a message to human traffickers that this crime cannot be perpetrated without suffering severe consequences. If you, or anyone you know has been a victim of human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at (888) 373-7888 or contact your local law enforcement department. Deputy District Attorney Steven Bunn of the Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (HEAT) is prosecuting this case. @NCMEC @OCHTTF @WaymakersOC @AnaheimPD @CHP_HQ @GardenGrovePD @IrvinePolice @SantaAnaPD @CA_ABC @FBI @OCProbationDept @OrangeCountySSA @USAO_LosAngeles @DHSgov

Morning! We're doing a training for the @OntarioPD using the @htcvive Focus today. @WaymakersOC #VRtraining

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer was honored to attend the Waymakers Victims’ Rights Conference, where Sr. DDA Mallory Miller and ADA Paul Chrisopoulos were recognized with Victim Service Awards for their outstanding commitment to supporting crime victims. These awards celebrate their relentless pursuit of justice and their deep compassion for those they serve. A heartfelt thank you to @WaymakersOC for your steadfast partnership and for being a powerful voice and guiding force in victims’ paths toward healing and justice.

On Tuesday, I attended the Orange County District Attorney’s Crime Victims’ Rights Ceremony. The Board presented a resolution for Crime Victims Rights to @OCDAToddSpitzer, Founder and CEO of @crimesurvivors Patricia Wenskunas, & @WaymakersOC Chief Program Officer Lita Mercado.

After a childhood spent sleeping on the floor of a San Clemente apartment with five brothers and sisters, 22-year-old Sam Perez, the son of a gardener and a hotel maid who worked around the clock to provide for their six children, realized his dream of becoming a wildland firefighter with the Orange County Fire Authority. Ten-year-old Alex Luna and his three sisters became orphans after their father passed away from COVID and then a few months later their mother died from complications from a stroke. The fifth grader from Orange wants to be an astronaut and go to the moon – a dream fitting for a little boy whose last name that means moon in Spanish. A powerful mentoring program for children through the Orange County District Attorney’s Office in partnership with local police departments and the County’s Sheriff’s and Probation Department, the Orange County Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership is helping young people like Alex and Sam shoot for the stars – and the moon – instead of turning to gangs and a life of crime. The OC GRIP program is in schools in Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Tustin, Westminster, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Stanton, and unincorporated areas of North Orange County. KCAL Channel 2/9 recently featured Sam and Alex along with OC GRIP mentor and Orange County District Attorney Investigator Jose Flores, showing viewers the powerful lifetime impact mentors have on children who are at a crossroads in their life. OCDA Investigator Flores was one of those kids, who escaped a domestic violence situation along with his mother and sister, who ended up sleeping under a school lunch table. A police officer saved him – and steered him away from gangs and into law enforcement. Now he’s working to save as many children as he can – including 10-year-old Alex who says he and Investigator Flores are inseparable. Mentorship matters. #ocgrip #mentors #ifyoucandreamityoucanbeit @ocsheriff @OCProbationDept @AnaheimPD @BuenaParkPD @CostaMesaPD @FPDPIO @GardenGrovePD @CityOfOrangePD @PlacentiaCA @SantaAnaPD @TustinPolice @WestminsterPDCA @OCFireAuthority @WaymakersOC Watch the video here: youtu.be/iYvAVZGiatg?si=EdCD…

After a childhood spent sleeping on the floor of a San Clemente apartment with five brothers and sisters, 22-year-old Sam Perez, the son of a gardener and a hotel maid who worked around the clock to provide for their six children, realized his dream of becoming a wildland firefighter with the Orange County Fire Authority. Ten-year-old Alex Luna and his three sisters became orphans after their father passed away from COVID and then a few months later their mother died from complications from a stroke. The fifth grader from Orange wants to be an astronaut and go to the moon – a dream fitting for a little boy whose last name that means moon in Spanish. A powerful mentoring program for children through the Orange County District Attorney’s Office in partnership with local police departments and the County’s Sheriff’s and Probation Department, the Orange County Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership is helping young people like Alex and Sam shoot for the stars – and the moon – instead of turning to gangs and a life of crime. The OC GRIP program is in schools in Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Tustin, Westminster, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Stanton, and unincorporated areas of North Orange County. KCAL Channel 2/9 recently featured Sam and Alex along with OC GRIP mentor and Orange County District Attorney Investigator Jose Flores, showing viewers the powerful lifetime impact mentors have on children who are at a crossroads in their life. OCDA Investigator Flores was one of those kids, who escaped a domestic violence situation along with his mother and sister, who ended up sleeping under a school lunch table. A police officer saved him – and steered him away from gangs and into law enforcement. Now he’s working to save as many children as he can – including 10-year-old Alex who says he and Investigator Flores are inseparable. Mentorship matters. #ocgrip #mentors #ifyoucandreamityoucanbeit @ocsheriff @OCProbationDept @AnaheimPD @BuenaParkPD @CostaMesaPD @FPDPIO @GardenGrovePD @CityOfOrangePD @PlacentiaCA @SantaAnaPD @TustinPolice @WestminsterPDCA @OCFireAuthority @WaymakersOC Watch the video here: youtu.be/iYvAVZGiatg?si=EdCD…

Repost from @OCHTTF, Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force: The task force presented a workshop at the 2024 Safe Schools Conference in OC @ocdeptofed with 500 in attendance across California and other states. We appreciate the importance that schools, school administrators and teachers are beginning to take with human trafficking and child sexual exploitation issues affecting youths today and learning how to safely protect and prevent this from happening to their kids. Trainers represented victim services from Waymakers Victim Assistance Programs @waymakersoc social services from Children and Family Services @ocsocialservicesagency and prosecution from HEAT unit with the OCDA’s Office @ocdatoddspitzer #humantrafficking #csec #childabuse #humantraffickingprevention #school #schoolsafety #children #student #enditmovement #endinghumantrafficking

Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force released their 2023 report. 420 victims assisted, 36% were under the age of 18 & 97% of perpetrators have previous criminal records. Excellent work in helping these victims & providing the data ⁦@JoshNewmanCA⁩ ⁦@WaymakersOC⁩

This comment from #IrvineHateCrime perp #JamesMai was from 8/25/23. On 8/2/23 #IPDunfounded the cases. Since then, #StalkerSuzanna aka #SuzannaStopaniFlores aka #SuzannaCooperStopani publicly interacts" with @IrvinePolice" on #IPDfacebook page. #IrvinePolice responds with ❤️

#AntiRacist #IrvineCityCouncil #IrvineDemocrats #WokeJokes #YourTaxDollarsatWork ! #EverythingisRacist, except when it's Asian guys #Cyberstalking an Asian female, then it's #IPDUnfounded by @IrvinePolice ! #GenderBasedViolence #VAWA #MarsysLaw @AAAJ_AAJC @ajsocal_ @aaaj_alc

#JamesMai is Vietnamese #CharlesHwang Korean and the victim Indian. So it doesn't fit @tammykimOC's definition of #AAPIHate and it kills liberal narratives about #AsianHateCrime. Kind of like #BLM with #BlackonBlackCrime. If Mai was White you would've strung him up by the balls!

Thank you, @WaymakersOC for your support of #CyberstalkingVictims abandoned by @IrvinePolice. #IrvinePolice has caused health issues for several victims with their apathy and #IPDmisconduct. #IrvineCrime #IPDunfounded

P.S. Not too late to donate to Waymakers IHO my 50th if you are so inclined: tinyurl.com/Jays-Hawaii-5-0 🙏🏽 #ThisIs50 #GenerativityVsStagnation #GetBusyLiving #BePresent #GreatestLoveOfAll #TeachThemWell #LetThemLeadTheWay #IAmAWaymaker #FMRevolution #FMRising 😍

This is why I was stoked to celebrate my 50th birthday and FUNdraise this weekend for @WaymakersOC, a local not-for-profit on whose board I serve that has transformed the lives of at-risk youth in the OC for the past 50 years. 🤙🏽

And here is a direct link where y’all can make a contribution to #MakeJayDance: tinyurl.com/Jays-Hawaii-5-0 🤙🏽 I *will* #HulaForDonations to benefit @WaymakersOC. 🌈 #MakeHealthPrimary #FMRevolution #FMRising 🔥

It’s not too late to register to TOAST or ROAST me on July 8th (all proceeds benefiting @WaymakersOC’ 50yrs of transforming lives of at-risk youth in the OC): waymakersoc.org/events/wayma… 🤙🏽

@WaymakersOC 50 years of transformational work of helping those in need, empowering vulnerable youth & giving a voice to victims with a path to safe and reliable resources and support systems in the OC and beyond. 🙌🏽 #WeAreWaymakers #FMRevolution #FMRising #TheIncredibLEEs 🦸🏻‍♂️🦸🏻