Thursday, 10 December 2020 _Los Angeles County deputies arrested nearly 160 people at a "massive underground party" that violated state coronavirus orders, authorities said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the "super-spreader" event, which was held in a vacant home in Palmdale on Saturday, was also the site of alleged underage trafficking.
"This was a flagrant violation of the governor's health order," Villanueva said at a press briefing Tuesday. But, he added, "even without the health order, these actions were criminal in nature."
Los Angeles County deputies arrested 120 adults and 38 juveniles at the party, all of whom were issued citations for violating health orders, authorities said. Among those arrested, five people were also charged with burglary, one with possession of a firearm and one with obstruction. The "entire organizing network" of the party -- three 18-year-olds and two 17-year-olds -- was arrested, authorities said.
Deputies recovered six firearms and were able to rescue a 17-year-old human trafficking victim, Villanueva added.
A rental truck with video equipment was found at the scene, authorities said. "This is how brazen this operation was," Villanueva said.
The sheriff's department is targeting these types of "super-spreader events," as opposed to restaurants and businesses that violate county and state health orders, Villanueva said.
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