News Releases & Advisories

October 2, 2024: Governor Gavin Newsom Signs Five LADA-Sponsored Public Safety Bills Into Law

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today that California Governor Gavin Newsom signed five LADA-sponsored bills into law during the 2024 legislative session. The laws are designed to prevent gun violence in incidents of domestic violence, stalking, or elder abuse; expressly criminalize AI revenge porn and AI child pornography; and protect kids and adults from sexually explicit deepfakes on social media.

October 2, 2024: Shawn Laval Smith Sentenced to Life in Prison without Parole for Murder of UCLA Student Brianna Kupfer

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that Shawn Laval Smith was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of 24-year-old UCLA graduate student Brianna Kupfer while she worked at a furniture store in the neighborhood of Hancock Park in 2022. 

October 2, 2024: DA Gascón Announces Charges Against Retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy in Sexual Assault of Minor

LANCASTER, CA - Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today that retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Benny Vincente Caluya, Jr. is charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl in August in the city of Lancaster. Caluya and a second man, Clifford Leimana Abihai, also are charged with providing methamphetamine to the minor.

October 1, 2024: Statement from DA Gascón on the Placement of Sexually Violent Predator Christopher Hubbart Following Today’s Court Hearing

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced in September that Christopher Hubbart will be released from the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) and potentially placed in the Antelope Valley per the DSH’s recommendation.

September 30, 2024: DA Gascón Announces Charges Against Man in Metro Bus Hijacking, Murder of Passenger in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today that Lamont Campbell, 51, is charged with allegedly hijacking a public bus with passengers and shooting and killing Anthony Rivera, 48, in the city of Los Angeles on September 25.

September 26, 2024: District Attorney Gascón Announces New 25-Count Grand Jury Indictment Against Atlas Metal, Owners

WATTS, CA - Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today that the S&W Atlas Iron and Metal Corp., and its owners were charged in a new 25-count indictment, which includes a charge related to the explosion in a Aug. 12 blast at the scrap metal recycler, adjacent to Jordan High School in Watts.

September 25, 2024: Grand Jury Indictment Unsealed: Suspected Serial Rapist Charged in 26-Count Indictment Involving 11 Victims

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today that Terrance Hawkins was indicted by the Los Angeles County Criminal Grand Jury. He is charged in a 26-count indictment involving 11 victims throughout the county that includes forcible rape, intimate partner violence, and stalking.

September 24, 2024: DA Gascón Announces Man Found Guilty of Killing Three People and Injuring Two Others in Gardena and Lynwood in 2018

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón today announced that Selvin Fabian Salazar was found guilty by a jury on September 19 of shooting and killing Dolores Sanchez and Francisco Montes, and attempting to murder two others on July 31, 2018, in the cities of Gardena and Lynwood. A fifth victim, Saith Pedraza, also was shot by Salazar that same day and died two years later from his injuries.

September 24, 2024: Governor Gavin Newsom Signs Groundbreaking LADA-Sponsored AI Porn Bills Into Law

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today the successful passage and signing of two trailblazing LADA-sponsored bills written to protect Californians from sexually explicit AI images on social media and to close the revenge porn AI loophole. Both pieces of legislation, SB 926 and SB 981, were signed into law on Sept. 19 by California Governor Gavin Newsom.

September 23, 2024: Freddie Lee Trone Sentenced to 31 Years to Life for Murder of Rap Artist PnB Rock in South Los Angeles in 2022

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today that Freddie Lee Trone was sentenced to 31 years to life in prison for the murder of Rakim Hasheem Allen, also known as rap artist PnB Rock, at a South Los Angeles restaurant on September 12, 2022. Trone also was convicted of two counts of second-degree robbery, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery.

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