LOS ANGELES – The New Gage Motel located in South Los Angeles is currently on the market for $2.5 million. This comes as the city of Los Angeles announced its efforts to crackdown on alleged prostitution and sex trafficking activities that have been taking place on the property.
On Tuesday, Hydee Feldstein Soto, the City Attorney of Los Angeles, revealed that her team has taken legal action against the proprietors and managers of the New Gage Motel located in South L.A. The lawsuit aims to tackle the rampant prostitution and criminal activities that have been taking place at the motel.
According to a statement released by Feldstein Soto’s office, they are pursuing a permanent injunction to put an end to the reported prostitution and violent criminal activity that has been taking place at 6310 S. Figueroa Street since 2017. The motel, consisting of 16 units, is located along the infamous Figueroa corridor, known as one of the most notorious prostitution tracks in the state. The aim is to eradicate the illegal activities that have been taking place at the property.
As per the city attorney’s office, the Figueroa corridor witnesses a constant flow of sex workers, customers, and traffickers. To tackle this issue, Feldstein Soto’s civil action aims to prevent and stop this nuisance under California’s Red Light Abatement Law, the Public Nuisance Law, and the Unfair Competition Law.
In a statement, Feldstein Soto expressed concerns about the rampant prostitution and violence at the New Gage Motel. The property has been actively involved in facilitating sex trafficking operations for an extended period, and it’s time to put an end to it. The community has had enough, and decisive action is necessary to curb this menace.
According to the complaint, the New Gage Motel has been the target of over a dozen vice investigations by the Los Angeles Police Department since 2017. These investigations have resulted in the arrest of 16 individuals for prostitution-related offenses, including a case involving the sex trafficking of a minor.
According to LAPD investigations conducted just last month, it was discovered that the motel served as a central location for prostitution. Sadly, this is not the only issue associated with the property. It has become a hotbed for criminal activity, with countless incidents of armed robbery, deadly assaults, and brutal muggings taking place over the past four months. The situation is dire, and action must be taken to address the problem.
Representatives from Rish Investments, the owner and operator of the motel, met with prosecutors from the city attorney’s office and LAPD officers in March 2022 to tackle the problems at hand.
According to the city attorney’s office, Rajesh Patel, the CEO of Rish Investments, and Hitandra Bhakta, the company’s CFO and secretary, have been instructed to put in place various physical and managerial measures to alleviate the nuisance.
The authorities have made several requests, which include putting a stop to hourly room rentals, installing a gate around the driveway to control access, setting up security cameras in common areas and allowing LAPD to access them, conducting daily security patrols, and hiring new management to enforce these regulations.
According to the city attorney’s office, despite more than a year passing since Gazi Monirul Islam became involved in motel operations, the owner and operator have not been able to introduce or maintain most of the safety measures. Moreover, criminal activity at the motel has become even more unpredictable and violent.
The lawsuit filed by the city attorney aims to bring about a change in the management and equipment of the property. It seeks to put an end to the unlawful business practices that are being used to operate the motel and prevent any further violation of the Unfair Competition Law. The lawsuit also demands civil penalties against the defendants for their involvement in these illegal practices.
The newly formed Public Rights Branch of the city attorney’s office is in charge of managing the litigation. The aim behind creating this branch by Feldstein Soto is to safeguard and enforce the rights of California residents in various legal matters. These legal matters include but are not limited to unfair or fraudulent business practices, consumer protection, environmental justice, nuisance abatement, and intellectual property. The deputy city attorneys are responsible for overseeing the proceedings.
As per a spokesperson from Rish Investments, there was no comment available from Patel on the subject.
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