Full Notification

On Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at 4:28 pm deputies assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station responded to a restaurant on the 23300 block of Valencia Boulevard, Santa Clarita regarding a tip that an employee was allegedly being forced to work against his will.

Deputies arrived at the restaurant and began an investigation. They located an employee at the business who said he had been forced by the owner of the restaurant to work as a cook without pay for approximately three years. The victim regularly worked twelve to fourteen hours a day, seven days a week. The victim alleged that he was physically assaulted by the owner whenever he made any mistakes while performing his duties. Deputies were also told that the victim had been forced to live at the restaurant owner’s home, and was driven to and from work. The victim further said he was not allowed to communicate with anyone in the outside world.

Santa Clarita personnel notified the Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Bureau who responded with their Human Trafficking Task Force members. Their Federal partners, Homeland Security Investigations Bureau, also responded to assist along with a Los Angeles County District Attorney investigator. The Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Bureau handles all commercial sex and labor related human trafficking crimes throughout the County.

The owner of the restaurant, later identified as Pardeep Kumar, a 47-year-old male from Newhall, was placed under arrest for Mayhem, Assault With A Deadly Weapon, Involuntary Servitude, and Human Trafficking, and is currently being held at Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station in lieu of $100,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in North Valley Superior Court on March 26, 2015.

Anyone who may have witnessed any other incidents relating to this case, or if you have any further information, please contact the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station at 661-255-1121.

You can also remain anonymous by calling “LA Crime Stoppers” at 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website at LAcrimstoppers.org (reference #01113).

This investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.

Authored by:
Lieutenant David Oliva
Major Crimes Bureau – Vice
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
11515 S. Colima Road Room E-108
Whittier, CA. 90604

Forwarded by:

Deputy Mike Barraza

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Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

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Jim McDonnell, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department