A missing 17-year-old girl was safely recovered during the arrest of a human trafficking suspect in Los Angeles, authorities announced Monday.
The investigation began on April 28, 2025, when the girl was reported missing from her home in Irvine, California. According to the Anaheim Police Department, investigators learned that the teen was potentially being exploited for commercial sex. This discovery led to the initiation of a human trafficking investigation.
Over the next day, April 29, the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force located the missing girl in Los Angeles, where she was found in the company of the suspected trafficker. Authorities identified the suspect as 23-year-old Alex Polidore, a convicted felon from Hawthorne, California.
While details of the arrest remain limited, police confirmed that the girl was recovered and taken to safety. Her current health status has not been disclosed. Polidore was arrested and booked at the Anaheim Police Department Detention Facility on a parole violation and multiple human trafficking offenses.
On May 1, 2025, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office formally charged Polidore with the human trafficking of a minor. He remains in custody with a bail set at $1 million.
Authorities urge anyone who may be a victim of human trafficking, or who may know someone who is, to seek help. Victims can contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 888-373-7888, or reach out to their local law enforcement agency for assistance.
