A trio of local pimps forced women to work the streets from San Diego to Las Vegas and beyond, cops say, and they allegedly made millions doing so.

But now 31-year-old Robert Walker, 34-year-old Daniel Gunther, and 34-year-old David Sheffey, who called their crew the Compton Division, are behind bars, says the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

The department announced the busts late yesterday but was stingy with the details, as usual. In a statement, deputies alleged the trio …
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… were heavily pimping, pandering, and human trafficking victims not only in Compton, but across San Diego, Las Vegas, and other Western States.

Detectives were on the case of Walker, Gunther and Sheffey for eight months, they say. Investigators who had been looking into an increase in alleged prostitution on Long Beach Boulevard in Compton ended up focused on the three, according to a sheriff's statement.

The last of the three, Sheffey, a resident of Inglewood, was arrested April 12, deputies said. Getting the threesome off the streets had an immediate impact, according to the department:

Although these arrests significantly reduce prostitution in Compton, detectives continue to track and monitor illicit activity, through various operations, in an effort to improve the quality of life for residents in the area.

The three face charges of pimping, pandering and human trafficking, deputies said.



Walker and Gunther are both from Compton. Walker, arrested by Long Beach police, was being held in lieu of $4 million bail, the Sheriff's Department said. 

Gunther, arrested by Las Vegas cops based on a $1.3 million Los Angeles Sheriff's Department warrant, has been extradited to L.A., deputies said. He was being held in L.A. County jail in lieu of $1 million bail, according to sheriff's inmate information. Gunther was due in court Wednesday.

Sheffey was arrested by deputies locally and was being held in lieu of $3 million, they said.

Anyone with information on the three Gunther or Sheffey was urged to call the Compton sheriff's station at (310) 605-6500. [Added at 5:15 p.m. on April 18: Authorities say anyone with info on Walker should call Long Beach police Det. Satwan Johnson (and not the Compton Sheriff's station) at (562) 570-5000].

Earlier this month L.A. County officials announced a plan to erect anti-sex-trafficking billboards in the metro area. An example of the message you'll see: “Teens sold for sex aren't prostitutes. They're rape victims.”

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