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Okla. A.G. Drummond: FTC's Caremark Settlement a Win for Patients, Pharmacies
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, July 22 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on July 21, 2026:
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Drummond: FTC's Caremark settlement a win for patients, pharmacies
Attorney General Gentner Drummond today applauded President Trump and the Federal Trade Commission following the announcement of a proposed settlement with CVS Caremark, one of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The settlement would increase transparency, promote fair competition and help lower prescription drug costs for the health plans that ultimately bear them.
"This
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, July 22 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on July 21, 2026:
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Drummond: FTC's Caremark settlement a win for patients, pharmacies
Attorney General Gentner Drummond today applauded President Trump and the Federal Trade Commission following the announcement of a proposed settlement with CVS Caremark, one of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The settlement would increase transparency, promote fair competition and help lower prescription drug costs for the health plans that ultimately bear them.
"Thisproposed settlement represents another important step toward restoring accountability in the prescription drug marketplace," Drummond said. "President Trump and the FTC deserve credit for continuing to pursue reforms that put patients, employers and health plans ahead of opaque business practices."
The proposed settlement follows a similar agreement the FTC reached with Express Scripts earlier this year and would require Caremark to overhaul its pricing, rebate and reimbursement practices.
Drummond has made PBM accountability a priority under state law, investigating below-cost reimbursement, reimbursement appeal practices and transparency issues affecting patients, independent pharmacies and health plans. Oklahoma's enforcement relies on state law, while the FTC acts under federal antitrust authority. Both efforts are aimed at the same objective: greater transparency, fair competition and accountability in the prescription drug marketplace.
"Meaningful PBM reform requires leadership at every level of government," Drummond said. "The Trump Administration has demonstrated a strong commitment to bringing greater accountability and transparency to the prescription drug marketplace. Oklahoma shares that commitment, and we stand ready to assist our federal partners while continuing to aggressively enforce Oklahoma law to protect patients, pharmacies and the health plans that serve Oklahomans."
The proposed consent agreement is subject to a 30-day public comment period before the FTC decides whether to finalize it.
Read the Proposed Settlement (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/news-documents/2026/july/CaremarkandZinc-DecisionandOrder.pdf)
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2026/july/drummond-ftcs-caremark-settlement-a-win-for-patients-pharmacies.html
N.J. A.G. Davenport Sues Trump Administration Over Rule Weakening Regulation of Highly Potent Greenhouse Gas Linked to Climate Change
TRENTON, New Jersey, July 22 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on July 21, 2026:
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AG Davenport Sues Trump Administration Over Rule Weakening Regulation of Highly Potent Greenhouse Gas Linked to Climate Change
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), challenging its rule that would weaken regulations designed to phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in commercial equipment, such as air conditioning and refrigeration.
HFCs
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TRENTON, New Jersey, July 22 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on July 21, 2026:
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AG Davenport Sues Trump Administration Over Rule Weakening Regulation of Highly Potent Greenhouse Gas Linked to Climate Change
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), challenging its rule that would weaken regulations designed to phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in commercial equipment, such as air conditioning and refrigeration.
HFCsare chemicals used for refrigeration and cooling that are up to 10,000 times more potent climate pollutants than the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide, and they are among the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions both in the United States and around the world.
By rolling back deadlines for industry to transition to less harmful alternatives, this rule undermines EPA's current regulations under the bipartisan American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act), which President Trump himself signed into law during his first term in 2020. The prior regulations are designed to phase out HFCs by approximately 85% by 2036. In the petition filed Tuesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Attorney General Davenport and the coalition petition the Court to review EPA's new rule because it is contrary to law and EPA fails to justify its change in position.
"New Jersey is one of the fastest-warming states in the country, and this proposed rollback is nonsensical, especially given that President Trump himself supported the transition to less harmful chemicals just six years ago," said Attorney General Davenport. "Our residents and businesses want a safer, stable environment, not drought, wildfires, worsening floods, and severe storms that threaten our lives and our properties. We are asking the Court to set aside EPA's dangerous new rule."
HFCs are used in commercial, residential, and mobile cooling systems. HFCs were discovered to pose a major threat to the climate, with greenhouse effects hundreds to thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide over a hundred-year period. HFCs have been projected to contribute up to about 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit to global warming by 2100 if they are not controlled.
The AIM Act provides a framework through which the United States will phase out the production and consumption of HFCs by about 85% by 2036. That law limits production and imports of HFCs in the U.S. on an increasing basis over time - 60% today, declining to 30% in 2029, and 15% in 2036. The law requires EPA to help industry transition to a lower supply of these gases by setting limits for sectors with more readily available alternatives to protect costs and supply for those sectors that will take longer to transition.
For example, under the prior Technology Transitions rule, new remote condensing units -- typically used to refrigerate food by retailers like supermarkets, bakeries, and conveniences stores -- were limited to using refrigerants with lesser climate effects, depending on the system, starting January 1, 2026.
With EPA's rollback, new remote condensing units could use refrigerants with 10 times greater global warming potential until January 1, 2032.
If allowed to move forward, EPA's new rule will increase HFC emissions, accelerating the damage already threatening our planet and communities from climate change.
In the lawsuit, Attorney General Davenport and the coalition allege that EPA's final rule is arbitrary and capricious and violates the AIM Act.
Joining Attorney General Davenport in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Massachusetts, and Washington, who led the complaint, along with the attorneys general of Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia, and the City of New York.
Complaint (http://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-0721_State-and-Local-Government-Petition-for-Review.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/ag-davenport-sues-trump-administration-over-rule-weakening-regulation-of-highly-potent-greenhouse-gas-linked-to-climate-change/
Md. A.G. Brown Joins Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration Rule That Weakens Regulation of Highly Potent Greenhouse Gas
BALTIMORE, Maryland, July 22 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on July 21, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Joins Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration Rule That Weakens Regulation of Highly Potent Greenhouse Gas
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a coalition of attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), challenging its rule that would weaken regulations designed to phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in commercial equipment.
HFCs are chemicals used for refrigeration
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, July 22 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on July 21, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Joins Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration Rule That Weakens Regulation of Highly Potent Greenhouse Gas
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a coalition of attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), challenging its rule that would weaken regulations designed to phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in commercial equipment.
HFCs are chemicals used for refrigerationand cooling that have a global warming potential up to 10,000 times more than carbon dioxide, and they are among the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions both in the United States and around the world. The rule rolls back some of the existing deadlines for industry to move from using HFCs as refrigerant gases to refrigerants with less greenhouse effect, known as Global Warming Potential (GWP). This undermines the EPA's current regulations under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 (AIM Act), which are designed to phase out HFCs by approximately 85% by 2036.
In the petition filed today in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Attorney General Brown and the coalition ask the Court to review the EPA's new rule because it is contrary to law and the EPA fails to justify its change in position.
"Every summer, Marylanders hear the same report: this is the hottest year on record. That trend will only accelerate if refrigerant gases like these go unchecked," said Attorney General Brown. "We are challenging the EPA's rule because our climate's future depends on protections against dangerous greenhouse gases."
HFCs are widely used in commercial, residential, and mobile cooling systems, such as air conditioning and refrigeration. Once deemed a safer alternative for the environment relative to ozone-depleting substances (chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs), which damage the earth's ozone layer, HFCs were later discovered to pose a major threat to the climate. With GWPs hundreds to thousands of times higher than carbon dioxide over a hundred-year period, HFCs have been projected to contribute up to 0.5 degrees Celsius (about 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit) to global surface warming by 2100 if they are not controlled. Because of this extreme potency, HFCs' increasing share of emissions, and their relatively short lifespan in the atmosphere, reducing consumption and production of HFCs is particularly important for addressing climate change.
In December 2020, President Trump signed the Bipartisan AIM Act into law. The AIM Act provides a framework through which the United States will phase out the production and consumption of HFCs by about 85% by 2036. That law limits production and imports of HFCs in the U.S. to declining amounts of historic baseline levels - 60 percent today, declining to 30 percent in 2029, and 15 percent in 2036. The law requires the EPA to help industry transition to a lower supply of these gases by setting limits for sectors with more readily available alternatives to protect costs and supply for those sectors that will take longer to transition. That's what the prior Technology Transitions rule did: it required specific sectors that use refrigerants to, when installing new equipment, install equipment that uses gases with lower GWP. For example, under the prior Technology Transitions rule, new remote condensing units - typically used to refrigerate food by retailers like supermarkets, bakeries, and conveniences stores - were limited to using refrigerants with 150 to 300 GWP, depending on the system, starting January 1, 2026. With the EPA's rollback, new remote condensing units could use refrigerants with 10 times greater global warming potential (up to 1,400 GWP) until January 1, 2032.
If allowed to move forward, the rule will increase HFC emissions, accelerating the damage already threatening our planet from climate change. Further, by undermining the parallel reduction in HFC supply and demand, the rule threatens to cause shortages and price spikes in the HFC market that could be passed from retailers to consumers.
Joining Attorney General Brown in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Washington, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, and the City of New York.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Joins-Lawsuit-Challenging-Trump-Administration-Rule-That-Weakens-Regulation-of-Highly-Potent-Greenho.aspx
Former AG Balderas: New Mexico and SDNY Struck a Deal on Epstein in 2019 - Federal Government Never Held Up Its End
SANTA FE, New Mexico, July 22 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on July 21, 2026:
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Former AG Balderas: New Mexico and SDNY Struck a Deal on Epstein in 2019 - the Federal Government Never Held Up Its End
Letter details the terms of a prosecutorial agreement between the 2019 NMAG investigation and the Southern District of New York, and cites a federal record as evidence of its terms
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In a letter to Attorney General Raul Torrez, former Attorney General Hector Balderas laid out new detail on how his administration's independent investigation into
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SANTA FE, New Mexico, July 22 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on July 21, 2026:
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Former AG Balderas: New Mexico and SDNY Struck a Deal on Epstein in 2019 - the Federal Government Never Held Up Its End
Letter details the terms of a prosecutorial agreement between the 2019 NMAG investigation and the Southern District of New York, and cites a federal record as evidence of its terms
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In a letter to Attorney General Raul Torrez, former Attorney General Hector Balderas laid out new detail on how his administration's independent investigation intoJeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch property intersected with the federal prosecution out of the Southern District of New York (SDNY), and the specific terms both sides allegedly agreed to.
The 2019 investigation:
* Balderas's office opened its own investigation into Epstein and Zorro Ranch in early 2019, working with plaintiffs' counsel to identify victims with a New Mexico connection.
* By mid-2019, NMAG investigators had located and begun formally interviewing victims with potential knowledge of criminal conduct at the ranch, building a case in parallel with the emerging federal investigation.
The agreement with SDNY:
* Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges on July 6, 2019. SDNY contacted Balderas's office shortly after, initially frustrated that state investigators were interviewing witnesses SDNY considered part of its own case.
* Balderas states the two offices reached an explicit agreement: NMAG would stop its interviews and turn over what it had gathered, and SDNY would in turn refer any state-related matters -- including material later surfaced in the redacted Epstein files -- back to New Mexico once its case concluded.
* Balderas cites a federal record released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a handwritten investigator's note (EFTA01681971), as documentation of that agreement's terms.
"Former Attorney General Balderas has confirmed something we've said all along: New Mexico honored its side of an agreement with the federal government, and the federal government did not honor its own," said Attorney General Raul Torrez. "That breach doesn't weaken our position, it strengthens it. New Mexico is entitled to these records, and we will use every tool available, including litigation, to obtain them."
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Background -- NMDOJ's request for access:
* February 13, 2026: Written correspondence to then-Deputy Attorney General Blanche requesting access to a specific EFTA document and all related Zorro Ranch investigative materials.
* March 13, 2026: Formal letter to Attorney General Bondi identifying five illustrative redacted EFTA documents and requesting complete, unredacted versions of all pertinent records.
* April 1, 2026: Telephone conference with Associate Deputy AG Pestana, in which USDOJ affirmed its commitment to cooperation and directed NMDOJ to submit a formal Touhy letter through standard channels.
* May 3, 2026: Comprehensive Touhy letter submitted to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and FBI Albuquerque Special Agent in Charge Justin Garris.
* May 29, 2026: Written follow-up to Acting Attorney General Blanche and Associate Deputy AG Pestana renewing the request after no substantive response to the Touhy submission.
* June 4-5, 2026: Meeting requests to Blanche's office and an Associate Deputy AG seeking an in-person meeting went unanswered.
* June 9, 2026: AG Torrez sends a letter to Acting Attorney General Blanche detailing the 2019 NMAG-SDNY agreement and seeking broad remedies, including forfeiture of the Zorro Ranch property.
* June 30, 2026: Formal written demand transmitted as a final request for compliance prior to pursuing legal remedies, setting a deadline of July 31, 2026 for access to all relevant records.
* July 10, 2026: USAO-DNM hand-delivers its production: 31 pages consisting almost entirely of documents already released through the EFTA portal, redacted materials offering no new investigative content, and photocopies of local news coverage.
* July 13, 2026: Contact attempted with USAO-SDNY representatives to obtain materials purportedly sent but never received.
* July 14, 2026: NMDOJ sends a final written demand to Acting Attorney General Blanche and Associate Deputy AG Pestana, renewing its request for in-person access to the complete, unredacted investigative record and reiterating that absent access by July 31, 2026, NMDOJ will treat the request as denied and pursue all available legal remedies.
* July 20, 2026: Former AG Balderas sends a letter to AG Torrez corroborating the 2019 SDNY agreement and asserting the federal government's continued refusal constitutes a breach.
Copy of the Letter (https://nmdoj.gov/wp-content/uploads/AG-DOJ-Refusal-Letter.pdf)
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Original text here: https://nmdoj.gov/press-release/former-ag-balderas-new-mexico-and-sdny-struck-a-deal-on-epstein-in-2019-the-federal-government-never-held-up-its-end/
Oxford Center Safety Manager Pleads to Involuntary Manslaughter in Fatal Hyperbaric Chamber Explosion
LANSING, Michigan, July 21 -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release:
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Oxford Center Safety Manager Pleads to Involuntary Manslaughter in Fatal Hyperbaric Chamber Explosion
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LANSING - Today, Oxford Center Safety Director Jeffrey Mosteller pled no contest to one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in connection with the death of 5-year-old Thomas Cooper, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Per a plea and sentencing agreement submitted to the Court, Mosteller will be sentenced to 19 months to 15 years' incarceration.
The Oxford Center, located
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LANSING, Michigan, July 21 -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release:
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Oxford Center Safety Manager Pleads to Involuntary Manslaughter in Fatal Hyperbaric Chamber Explosion
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LANSING - Today, Oxford Center Safety Director Jeffrey Mosteller pled no contest to one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in connection with the death of 5-year-old Thomas Cooper, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Per a plea and sentencing agreement submitted to the Court, Mosteller will be sentenced to 19 months to 15 years' incarceration.
The Oxford Center, locatedin Troy, provided therapy for adults and children with various health conditions, including autism, ADHD, and autoimmune diseases, through Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. On January 31, 2025, while Cooper was undergoing treatment, the hyperbaric chamber caught fire from the inside and exploded. Both the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Sechrist, the manufacturer of the hyperbaric chamber, publish strict safety protocols that must be followed before treatment. However, Mosteller deliberately discarded these protocols and ignored precautions at the time of Cooper's death.
"A young child lost his life in a completely preventable tragedy because this defendant allowed an outdated device to operate in defiance of safety standards," said Attorney General Nessel. "While no outcome can reverse this loss, it is my hope that this conviction provides a sense of justice to Thomas's family."
Mosteller is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Kwame L. Rowe of the 6 th Circuit Court in Oakland County on August 13.
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Original text here: https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2026/07/21/oxford-center-safety-manager-pleads-to-involuntary-manslaughter
N.M. A.G. Torrez Secures Critical Win in Lawsuit to Block Warner Bros./Paramount Merger
SANTA FE, New Mexico, July 21 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following statement on July 20, 2026:
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Attorney General Raul Torrez Secures Critical Win in Lawsuit to Block Warner Bros./Paramount Merger
Albuquerque, NM - Attorney General Raul Torrez today issued the following statement after the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted a request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) halting the merger of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (Warner Bros.) by Paramount Skydance Corporation (Paramount).
The TRO halts the merger while the court considers
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SANTA FE, New Mexico, July 21 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following statement on July 20, 2026:
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Attorney General Raul Torrez Secures Critical Win in Lawsuit to Block Warner Bros./Paramount Merger
Albuquerque, NM - Attorney General Raul Torrez today issued the following statement after the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted a request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) halting the merger of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (Warner Bros.) by Paramount Skydance Corporation (Paramount).
The TRO halts the merger while the court considersa ruling on a preliminary injunction, which would block the merger for the duration of the litigation.
Statement:
"This victory is a great first step in preserving choice and affordability in entertainment for New Mexico working families, as well as the longevity of our state's film industry," said Attorney General Raul Torrez. "If this merger and near monopoly were allowed to go forward, it would reduce competition for all of us and it could have a detrimental impact on good-paying jobs. My office will continue to protect the rights of consumers in New Mexico, as well as our state's unique film industry."
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Background:
Last week, Attorney General Torrez filed a lawsuit alongside 12 attorneys general challenging the unlawful merger, which is expected to result in higher prices, lower content quality and fewer movies and TV shows. If allowed to merge, the combined titan would control nearly one-third of theatrical motion pictures, and nearly one-third of basic cable programming.
The proposed $110 billion merger -- the largest in Hollywood history -- would combine two of Hollywood's five major film distributors and two of the five major owners of basic cable channels, extinguishing competition between Paramount and Warner Bros., and inflicting substantial harm on movie theaters, basic cable distributors, and ultimately, audiences nationwide.
For more about the lawsuit, visit HERE (https://nmdoj.gov/press-release/attorney-general-raul-torrez-challenges-warner-bros-paramount-merger/).
In filing the lawsuit, Attorney General Torrez joins the attorneys general of California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington.
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Original text here: https://nmdoj.gov/press-release/attorney-general-raul-torrez-secures-critical-win-in-lawsuit-to-block-warner-bros-paramount-merger/
Cracking Down on Demand: Attorney General Bonta Targets Human Trafficking in Sacramento
SACRAMENTO, California, July 21 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Cracking Down on Demand: Attorney General Bonta Targets Human Trafficking in Sacramento
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SACRAMENTO -As part of the Sacramento Regional Human Trafficking Task Force (SRHTTF), California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the results of a human trafficking operation focused on quelling the demand for illegal commercial sex. The operation occurred on July 15 in Sacramento County with the goal of arresting sex buyers, assisting trafficking victims, and ultimately, arresting
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SACRAMENTO, California, July 21 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Cracking Down on Demand: Attorney General Bonta Targets Human Trafficking in Sacramento
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SACRAMENTO -As part of the Sacramento Regional Human Trafficking Task Force (SRHTTF), California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the results of a human trafficking operation focused on quelling the demand for illegal commercial sex. The operation occurred on July 15 in Sacramento County with the goal of arresting sex buyers, assisting trafficking victims, and ultimately, arrestingtraffickers. As a result of the operation, 13 individuals were arrested. Additionally, SRHTTF recovered a juvenile trafficking victim reported missing by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and provided them with essential services.
"The California Department of Justice will continue to dismantle sex trafficking networks by cutting off the demand for these illegal services and supporting survivors along the way," said Attorney General Rob Bonta. "It is vital that our efforts remain rooted in a trauma-informed, culturally competent approach that prioritizes the dignity, healing, and diverse backgrounds of survivors. Human trafficking and sexual exploitation are profound violations of human rights that have no place in California. I am grateful for the dedication of our law enforcement and community partners here in Sacramento. This operation proves that when we work together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish to make California safer."
"We are proud of the strong regional partnerships that make operations like this possible," said Sacramento Police Department Interim Chief Zachary Bales. "Together, we remain committed to holding those who fuel exploitation accountable and protecting the most vulnerable members of our community."
"To end sex trafficking in the Sacramento region, we must confront the demand head-on," said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. "Every purchase of sex fuels exploitation, so holding buyers accountable is essential to protecting survivors and preventing future harm. We all have a part in this battle -we need our community to report suspicious activity, participate in the justice process, and support victims and the organizations that stand beside them. Together, we can reduce the demand, disrupt trafficking networks, and safeguard our most vulnerable."
"HSI in Northern California is committed to investigating, disrupting, and dismantling child exploitation, human trafficking, and forced labor operations," said HSI San Francisco Special Agent-in-Charge Jeff Brannigan. "Our success in these areas is only realized through close collaboration with our law enforcement partners in California and across the globe."
Twelve sex buyers were arrested for solicitation of a sex worker and cited. One sex buyer was booked at Sacramento County Jail for solicitation and resisting arrest. This operation is part of a regional strategy aimed at addressing human trafficking and sexual exploitation by concentrating on the demand for commercial sex services. It involves targeted enforcement that depends on both the surveillance of identified locations and the deployment of undercover officers. The cases are being referred to the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office for prosecution.
This announcement underscores the commitment of the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to fight against human trafficking through the efforts of three specialized teams, the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, Fresno Human Trafficking/Sexual Predator Apprehension Team and SRHTTF. SRHTTF is a cooperative effort involving DOJ, Sacramento County District Attorney's Office, Sacramento Police Department, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Homeland Security Investigations.
DOJ's Human Trafficking Task Forces have worked tirelessly to investigate, identify and recover victims exploited for profit and gain by human traffickers and sexual predators. Since 2021, DOJ has secured 1,109 arrests and rescued and offered assistance to 1,164 victims. Human Trafficking is the exploitation by force, fraud, fear, or coercion of vulnerable people, for mandatory labor, domestic servitude, or commercial sex operations.
DOJ Victims' Services Unit (VSU) works in conjunction with victim service providers and all across the state to provide victim-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally-sensitive support services to all crime victims, including underserved, at-risk, underrepresented, and vulnerable populations. More information about VSU is available at oag.ca.gov/victimservices or by calling (877) 433-9069 or visiting oag.ca.gov/victimservices/contact.
If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave, you can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 to access help and services. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. Additional information and resources to support survivors of human trafficking is available at https://oag.ca.gov/human-trafficking.
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Original text here: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/cracking-down-demand-attorney-general-bonta-targets-human-trafficking-sacramento
