Chapter 8. False Imprisonment And Human Trafficking of California Penal Code >> Title 8. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 8.
False imprisonment is the unlawful violation of the personal
liberty of another.
(a) Any person who deprives or violates the personal liberty
of another with the intent to obtain forced labor or services, is
guilty of human trafficking and shall be punished by imprisonment in
the state prison for 5, 8, or 12 years and a fine of not more than
five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).
(b) Any person who deprives or violates the personal liberty of
another with the intent to effect or maintain a violation of Section
266, 266h, 266i, 266j, 267, 311.1, 311.2, 311.3, 311.4, 311.5, 311.6,
or 518 is guilty of human trafficking and shall be punished by
imprisonment in the state prison for 8, 14, or 20 years and a fine of
not more than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).
(c) Any person who causes, induces, or persuades, or attempts to
cause, induce, or persuade, a person who is a minor at the time of
commission of the offense to engage in a commercial sex act, with the
intent to effect or maintain a violation of Section 266, 266h, 266i,
266j, 267, 311.1, 311.2, 311.3, 311.4, 311.5, 311.6, or 518 is
guilty of human trafficking. A violation of this subdivision is
punishable by imprisonment in the state prison as follows:
(1) Five, 8, or 12 years and a fine of not more than five hundred
thousand dollars ($500,000).
(2) Fifteen years to life and a fine of not more than five hundred
thousand dollars ($500,000) when the offense involves force, fear,
fraud, deceit, coercion, violence, duress, menace, or threat of
unlawful injury to the victim or to another person.
(d) In determining whether a minor was caused, induced, or
persuaded to engage in a commercial sex act, the totality of the
circumstances, including the age of the victim, his or her
relationship to the trafficker or agents of the trafficker, and any
handicap or disability of the victim, shall be considered.
(e) Consent by a victim of human trafficking who is a minor at the
time of the commission of the offense is not a defense to a criminal
prosecution under this section.
(f) Mistake of fact as to the age of a victim of human trafficking
who is a minor at the time of the commission of the offense is not a
defense to a criminal prosecution under this section.
(g) The Legislature finds that the definition of human trafficking
in this section is equivalent to the federal definition of a severe
form of trafficking found in Section 7102(8) of Title 22 of the
United States Code.
(h) For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(1) "Coercion" includes any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to
cause a person to believe that failure to perform an act would result
in serious harm to or physical restraint against any person; the
abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process; debt bondage; or
providing and facilitating the possession of any controlled substance
to a person with the intent to impair the person's judgment.
(2) "Commercial sex act" means sexual conduct on account of which
anything of value is given or received by any person.
(3) "Deprivation or violation of the personal liberty of another"
includes substantial and sustained restriction of another's liberty
accomplished through force, fear, fraud, deceit, coercion, violence,
duress, menace, or threat of unlawful injury to the victim or to
another person, under circumstances where the person receiving or
apprehending the threat reasonably believes that it is likely that
the person making the threat would carry it out.
(4) "Duress" includes a direct or implied threat of force,
violence, danger, hardship, or retribution sufficient to cause a
reasonable person to acquiesce in or perform an act which he or she
would otherwise not have submitted to or performed; a direct or
implied threat to destroy, conceal, remove, confiscate, or possess
any actual or purported passport or immigration document of the
victim; or knowingly destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating,
or possessing any actual or purported passport or immigration
document of the victim.
(5) "Forced labor or services" means labor or services that are
performed or provided by a person and are obtained or maintained
through force, fraud, duress, or coercion, or equivalent conduct that
would reasonably overbear the will of the person.
(6) "Great bodily injury" means a significant or substantial
physical injury.
(7) "Minor" means a person less than 18 years of age.
(8) "Serious harm" includes any harm, whether physical or
nonphysical, including psychological, financial, or reputational
harm, that is sufficiently serious, under all the surrounding
circumstances, to compel a reasonable person of the same background
and in the same circumstances to perform or to continue performing
labor, services, or commercial sexual acts in order to avoid
incurring that harm.
(i) The total circumstances, including the age of the victim, the
relationship between the victim and the trafficker or agents of the
trafficker, and any handicap or disability of the victim, shall be
factors to consider in determining the presence of "deprivation or
violation of the personal liberty of another," "duress," and
"coercion" as described in this section.
Law enforcement agencies shall use due diligence to identify
all victims of human trafficking, regardless of the citizenship of
the person. When a peace officer comes into contact with a person who
has been deprived of his or her personal liberty, a minor who has
engaged in a commercial sex act, a person suspected of violating
subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 647, or a victim of a crime of
domestic violence or sexual assault, the peace officer shall consider
whether the following indicators of human trafficking are present:
(a) Signs of trauma, fatigue, injury, or other evidence of poor
care.
(b) The person is withdrawn, afraid to talk, or his or her
communication is censored by another person.
(c) The person does not have freedom of movement.
(d) The person lives and works in one place.
(e) The person owes a debt to his or her employer.
(f) Security measures are used to control who has contact with the
person.
(g) The person does not have control over his or her own
government-issued identification or over his or her worker
immigration documents.
Upon conviction of a violation of Section 236.1, if real
property is used to facilitate the commission of the offense, the
procedures for determining whether the property constitutes a
nuisance and the remedies imposed therefor as provided in Article 2
(commencing with Section 11225) of Chapter 3 of Title 1 of Part 4
shall apply.
(a) Upon the conviction of a person of a violation of
Section 236.1, the court may, in addition to any other penalty, fine,
or restitution imposed, order the defendant to pay an additional
fine not to exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000). In setting the
amount of the fine, the court shall consider any relevant factors,
including, but not limited to, the seriousness and gravity of the
offense, the circumstances and duration of its commission, the amount
of economic gain the defendant derived as a result of the crime, and
the extent to which the victim suffered losses as a result of the
crime.
(b) Any person who inflicts great bodily injury on a victim in the
commission or attempted commission of a violation of Section 236.1
shall be punished by an additional and consecutive term of
imprisonment in the state prison for 5, 7, or 10 years.
(c) Any person who has previously been convicted of a violation of
any crime specified in Section 236.1 shall receive an additional and
consecutive term of imprisonment in the state prison for 5 years for
each additional conviction on charges separately brought and tried.
(d) Every fine imposed and collected pursuant to Section 236.1 and
this section shall be deposited in the Victim-Witness Assistance
Fund, to be administered by the California Emergency Management
Agency (Cal EMA), to fund grants for services for victims of human
trafficking. Seventy percent of the fines collected and deposited
shall be granted to public agencies and nonprofit corporations that
provide shelter, counseling, or other direct services for trafficked
victims. Thirty percent of the fines collected and deposited shall be
granted to law enforcement and prosecution agencies in the
jurisdiction in which the charges were filed to fund human
trafficking prevention, witness protection, and rescue operations.
(a) Within 15 business days of the first encounter with a
victim of human trafficking, as defined by Section 236.1, law
enforcement agencies shall provide brief letters that satisfy the
following Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) endorsement regulations as
found in paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 214.11 of Title
8 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) The LEA must be submitted on Supplement B, Declaration of Law
Enforcement Officer for Victim of Trafficking in Persons, of Form
I-914. The LEA endorsement must be filled out completely in
accordance with the instructions contained on the form and must
attach the results of any name or database inquiry performed. In
order to provide persuasive evidence, the LEA endorsement must
contain a description of the victimization upon which the application
is based, including the dates the trafficking in persons and
victimization occurred, and be signed by a supervising official
responsible for the investigation or prosecution of trafficking in
persons. The LEA endorsement must address whether the victim had been
recruited, harbored, transported, provided, or obtained specifically
for either labor or services, or for the purposes of a commercial
sex act.
(c) Where state law enforcement agencies find the grant of a LEA
endorsement to be inappropriate for a victim of trafficking in
persons, the agency shall within 15 days provide the victim with a
letter explaining the grounds of the denial of the LEA. The victim
may submit additional evidence to the law enforcement agency, which
must reconsider the denial of the LEA within one week of the receipt
of additional evidence.
(a) To prevent dissipation or secreting of assets or
property, the prosecuting agency may, at the same time as or
subsequent to the filing of a complaint or indictment charging human
trafficking under Section 236.1, file a petition with the criminal
division of the superior court of the county in which the accusatory
pleading was filed, seeking a temporary restraining order,
preliminary injunction, the appointment of a receiver, or any other
protective relief necessary to preserve the property or assets. The
filing of the petition shall start a proceeding that shall be pendent
to the criminal proceeding and maintained solely to effect the
remedies available for this crime, including, but not limited to,
payment of restitution and payment of fines. The proceeding shall not
be subject to or governed by the provisions of the Civil Discovery
Act as set forth in Title 4 (commencing with Section 2016.010) of
Part 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The petition shall allege that
the defendant has been charged with human trafficking under Section
236.1 and shall identify that criminal proceeding and the assets and
property to be affected by an order issued pursuant to this section.
(b) The prosecuting agency shall, by personal service or
registered mail, provide notice of the petition to every person who
may have an interest in the property specified in the petition.
Additionally, the notice shall be published for at least three
successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county
where the property affected by the order is located. The notice shall
state that any interested person may file a verified claim with the
superior court stating the nature and amount of his or her claimed
interest. The notice shall set forth the time within which a claim of
interest in the protected property shall be filed.
(c) If the property to be preserved is real property, the
prosecuting agency shall record, at the time of filing the petition,
a lis pendens in each county in which the real property is situated
that specifically identifies the property by legal description, the
name of the owner of record, as shown on the latest equalized
assessment roll, and the assessor's parcel number.
(d) If the property to be preserved consists of assets under the
control of a banking or financial institution, the prosecuting
agency, at the time of filing the petition, may obtain an order from
the court directing the banking or financial institution to
immediately disclose the account numbers and value of the assets of
the accused held by the banking or financial institution. The
prosecuting agency shall file a supplemental petition, specifically
identifying which banking or financial institution accounts shall be
subject to a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, or
other protective remedy.
(e) A person claiming an interest in the protected property or
assets may, at any time within 30 days from the date of the first
publication of the notice of the petition, or within 30 days after
receipt of actual notice, whichever is later, file with the superior
court of the county in which the action is pending a verified claim
stating the nature and amount of his or her interest in the property
or assets. A verified copy of the claim shall be served by the
claimant on the Attorney General or district attorney, as
appropriate.
(f) Concurrent with or subsequent to the filing of the petition,
the prosecuting agency may move the superior court for, and the
superior court may issue, any of the following pendente lite orders
to preserve the status quo of the property or assets alleged in the
petition:
(1) An injunction to restrain any person from transferring,
encumbering, hypothecating, or otherwise disposing of the property or
assets.
(2) Appointment of a receiver to take possession of, care for,
manage, and operate the assets and properties so that they may be
maintained and preserved. The court may order that a receiver
appointed pursuant to this section shall be compensated for all
reasonable expenditures made or incurred by him or her in connection
with the possession, care, management, and operation of property or
assets that are subject to the provisions of this section.
(3) Requiring a bond or other undertaking, in lieu of other
orders, of a value sufficient to ensure the satisfaction of
restitution and fines imposed pursuant to Section 236.1.
(g) The following procedures shall be followed in processing the
petition:
(1) No preliminary injunction shall be granted or receiver
appointed without notice to the interested parties and a hearing to
determine that the order is necessary to preserve the property or
assets, pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings. However, a
temporary restraining order may be issued pending that hearing
pursuant to the provisions of Section 527 of the Code of Civil
Procedure. The temporary restraining order may be based upon the
sworn declaration of a peace officer with personal knowledge of the
criminal investigation that establishes probable cause to believe
that human trafficking has taken place and that the amount of
restitution and fines established pursuant to subdivision (f) exceeds
or equals the worth of the property or assets subject to the
temporary restraining order. The declaration may include the hearsay
statements of witnesses to establish the necessary facts. The
temporary restraining order may be issued without notice upon a
showing of good cause to the court.
(2) The defendant, or a person who has filed a verified claim,
shall have the right to have the court conduct an order to show cause
hearing within 10 days of the service of the request for a hearing
upon the prosecuting agency, in order to determine whether the
temporary restraining order should remain in effect, whether relief
should be granted from a lis pendens recorded pursuant to subdivision
(c), or whether an existing order should be modified in the
interests of justice. Upon a showing of good cause, the hearing shall
be held within two days of the service of the request for a hearing
upon the prosecuting agency.
(3) In determining whether to issue a preliminary injunction or
temporary restraining order in a proceeding brought by a prosecuting
agency in conjunction with or subsequent to the filing of an
allegation pursuant to this section, the court has the discretion to
consider any matter that it deems reliable and appropriate, including
hearsay statements, in order to reach a just and equitable decision.
The court shall weigh the relative degree of certainty of the
outcome on the merits and the consequences to each of the parties of
granting the interim relief. If the prosecution is likely to prevail
on the merits and the risk of the dissipation of assets outweighs the
potential harm to the defendants and the interested parties, the
court shall grant injunctive relief. The court shall give significant
weight to the following factors:
(A) The public interest in preserving the property or assets
pendente lite.
(B) The difficulty of preserving the property or assets pendente
lite where the underlying alleged crimes involve human trafficking.
(C) The fact that the requested relief is being sought by a public
prosecutor on behalf of alleged victims of human trafficking.
(D) The likelihood that substantial public harm has occurred where
the human trafficking is alleged to have been committed.
(E) The significant public interest involved in compensating
victims of human trafficking and paying court-imposed restitution and
fines.
(4) The court, in making its orders, may consider a defendant's
request for the release of a portion of the property affected by this
section in order to pay reasonable legal fees in connection with the
criminal proceeding, necessary and appropriate living expenses
pending trial and sentencing, and for the purpose of posting bail.
The court shall weigh the needs of the public to retain the property
against the needs of the defendant to a portion of the property. The
court shall consider the factors listed in paragraph (3) prior to
making an order releasing property for these purposes.
(5) The court, in making its orders, shall seek to protect the
interests of innocent third parties, including an innocent spouse,
who were not involved in the commission of criminal activity.
(6) The orders shall be no more extensive than necessary to effect
the remedies available for the crime. In determining the amount of
property to be held, the court shall ascertain the amount of fines
that are assessed for a violation of this chapter and the amount of
possible restitution.
(7) A petition filed pursuant to this section is part of the
criminal proceedings for purposes of appointment of counsel and shall
be assigned to the criminal division of the superior court of the
county in which the accusatory pleading was filed.
(8) Based upon a noticed motion brought by the receiver appointed
pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (f), the court may order an
interlocutory sale of property named in the petition when the
property is liable to perish, to waste, or to be significantly
reduced in value, or when the expenses of maintaining the property
are disproportionate to the value of the property. The proceeds of
the interlocutory sale shall be deposited with the court or as
directed by the court pending determination of the proceeding
pursuant to this section.
(9) The court may make any orders that are necessary to preserve
the continuing viability of a lawful business enterprise that is
affected by the issuance of a temporary restraining order or
preliminary injunction issued pursuant to this section.
(10) In making its orders, the court shall seek to prevent the
property or asset subject to a temporary restraining order or
preliminary injunction from perishing, spoiling, going to waste, or
otherwise being significantly reduced in value. Where the potential
for diminution in value exists, the court shall appoint a receiver to
dispose of or otherwise protect the value of the property or asset.
(11) A preservation order shall not be issued against an asset of
a business that is not likely to be dissipated and that may be
subject to levy or attachment to meet the purposes of this section.
(h) If the allegation of human trafficking is dismissed or found
by the trier of fact to be untrue, a preliminary injunction or
temporary restraining order issued pursuant to this section shall be
dissolved. If a jury is the trier of fact, and the jury is unable to
reach a unanimous verdict, the court shall have the discretion to
continue or dissolve all or a portion of the preliminary injunction
or temporary restraining order based upon the interests of justice.
However, if the prosecuting agency elects not to retry the case, a
preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order issued pursuant
to this section shall be dissolved.
(i) (1) (A) If the defendant is convicted of human trafficking,
the trial judge shall continue the preliminary injunction or
temporary restraining order until the date of the criminal sentencing
and shall make a finding at that time as to what portion, if any, of
the property or assets subject to the preliminary injunction or
temporary restraining order shall be levied upon to pay fines and
restitution to victims of the crime. The order imposing fines and
restitution may exceed the total worth of the property or assets
subjected to the preliminary injunction or temporary restraining
order. The court may order the immediate transfer of the property or
assets to satisfy a restitution order issued pursuant to Section
1202.4 and a fine imposed pursuant to this chapter.
(B) If the execution of judgment is stayed pending an appeal of an
order of the superior court pursuant to this section, the
preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order shall be
maintained in full force and effect during the pendency of the
appellate period.
(2) The order imposing fines and restitution shall not affect the
interest in real property of a third party that was acquired prior to
the recording of the lis pendens, unless the property was obtained
from the defendant other than as a bona fide purchaser for value. If
any assets or property affected by this section are subject to a
valid lien, mortgage, security interest, or interest under a
conditional sales contract and the amount due to the holder of the
lien, mortgage, interest, or contract is less than the appraised
value of the property, that person may pay to the state or the local
government that initiated the proceeding the amount of the difference
between the appraised value of the property and the amount of the
lien, mortgage, security interest, or interest under a conditional
sales contract. Upon that payment, the state or local entity shall
relinquish all claims to the property. If the holder of the interest
elects not to make that payment to the state or local governmental
entity, the interest in the property shall be deemed transferred to
the state or local governmental entity and any indicia of ownership
of the property shall be confirmed in the state or local governmental
entity. The appraised value shall be determined as of the date
judgment is entered either by agreement between the holder of the
lien, mortgage, security interest, or interest under a conditional
sales contract and the governmental entity involved or, if they
cannot agree, then by a court-appointed appraiser for the county in
which the action is brought. A person holding a valid lien, mortgage,
security interest, or interest under a conditional sales contract
shall be paid the appraised value of his or her interest.
(3) In making its final order, the court shall seek to protect the
legitimately acquired interests of innocent third parties, including
an innocent spouse, who were not involved in the commission of
criminal activity.
(j) In all cases where property is to be levied upon pursuant to
this section, a receiver appointed by the court shall be empowered to
liquidate all property or assets, which shall be distributed in the
following order of priority:
(1) To the receiver, or court-appointed appraiser, for all
reasonable expenditures made or incurred by him or her in connection
with the sale of the property or liquidation of assets, including all
reasonable expenditures for necessary repairs, storage, or
transportation of property levied upon under this section.
(2) To a holder of a valid lien, mortgage, or security interest,
up to the amount of his or her interest in the property or proceeds.
(3) To a victim as restitution for human trafficking that was
alleged in the accusatory pleading and that was proven by the
prosecution.
(4) For payment of a fine imposed. The proceeds obtained in
payment of a fine shall be paid in the manner set forth in
subdivision (h) of Section 236.1.
(a) Any interest in a vehicle, boat, airplane, money,
negotiable instruments, securities, real property, or other thing of
value that was put to substantial use for the purpose of facilitating
the crime of human trafficking that involves a commercial sex act,
as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 236.1,
where the victim was less than 18 years of age at the time of the
commission of the crime, may be seized and ordered forfeited by the
court upon the conviction of a person guilty of human trafficking
that involves a commercial sex act where the victim is an individual
under 18 years of age, pursuant to Section 236.1.
(b) In any case in which a defendant is convicted of human
trafficking pursuant to Section 236.1 and an allegation is found to
be true that the victim was a person under 18 years of age and the
crime involved a commercial sex act, as defined in paragraph (2) of
subdivision (g) of Section 236.1, the following assets shall be
subject to forfeiture upon proof of the provisions of subdivision (d)
of Section 236.9:
(1) Any property interest, whether tangible or intangible,
acquired through human trafficking that involves a commercial sex act
where the victim was less than 18 years of age at the time of the
commission of the crime.
(2) All proceeds from human trafficking that involves a commercial
sex act where the victim was less than 18 years of age at the time
of the commission of the crime, which property shall include all
things of value that may have been received in exchange for the
proceeds immediately derived from the act.
(c) If a prosecuting agency petitions for forfeiture of an
interest under subdivision (a) or (b), the process prescribed in
Sections 236.8 to 236.12, inclusive, shall apply, but no local or
state prosecuting agency shall be required to petition for forfeiture
in any case.
(d) Real property that is used as a family residence or for other
lawful purposes, or that is owned by two or more persons, one of whom
had no knowledge of its unlawful use, shall not be subject to
forfeiture.
(e) An interest in a vehicle that may be lawfully driven with a
class C, class M1, or class M2 license, as prescribed in Section
12804.9 of the Vehicle Code, may not be forfeited under this section
if there is a community property interest in the vehicle by a person
other than the defendant and the vehicle is the sole vehicle of this
type available to the defendant's immediate family.
(f) Real property subject to forfeiture may not be seized, absent
exigent circumstances, without notice to the interested parties and a
hearing to determine that seizure is necessary to preserve the
property pending the outcome of the proceedings. At the hearing, the
prosecution shall bear the burden of establishing that probable cause
exists for the forfeiture of the property and that seizure is
necessary to preserve the property pending the outcome of the
forfeiture proceedings. The court may issue a seizure order pursuant
to this section if it finds that seizure is warranted or a pendente
lite order pursuant to Section 236.10 if it finds that the status quo
or value of the property can be preserved without seizure.
(g) For purposes of this section, no allegation or proof of a
pattern of criminal profiteering activity is required.
(a) If the prosecuting agency, in conjunction with the
criminal proceeding, files a petition of forfeiture with the superior
court of the county in which the defendant has been charged with
human trafficking that involves a commercial sex act, as defined in
paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 236.1, where the victim
was less than 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the
crime, the prosecuting agency shall make service of process of a
notice regarding that petition upon every individual who may have a
property interest in the alleged proceeds or instruments. The notice
shall state that any interested party may file a verified claim with
the superior court stating the amount of their claimed interest and
an affirmation or denial of the prosecuting agency's allegation. If
the notice cannot be given by registered mail or personal delivery,
the notice shall be published for at least three successive weeks in
a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the property
is located. If the property alleged to be subject to forfeiture is
real property, the prosecuting agency shall, at the time of filing
the petition of forfeiture, record a lis pendens with the county
recorder in each county in which the real property is situated that
specifically identifies the real property alleged to be subject to
forfeiture. The judgment of forfeiture shall not affect the interest
in real property of a third party that was acquired prior to the
recording of the lis pendens.
(b) All notices shall set forth the time within which a claim of
interest in the property seized is required to be filed pursuant to
Section 236.9.
(a) A person claiming an interest in the property, proceeds,
or instruments may, at any time within 30 days from the date of the
first publication of the notice of seizure or within 30 days after
receipt of actual notice, file with the superior court of the county
in which the action is pending a verified claim stating his or her
interest in the property, proceeds, or instruments. A verified copy
of the claim shall be given by the claimant to the Attorney General
or district attorney, as appropriate.
(b) (1) If, at the end of the time set forth in subdivision (a),
an interested person, other than the defendant, has not filed a
claim, the court, upon motion, shall declare that the person has
defaulted upon his or her alleged interest and the interest shall be
subject to forfeiture upon proof of the provisions of subdivision
(d).
(2) The defendant may admit or deny that the property is subject
to forfeiture pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. If the
defendant fails to admit or deny or to file a claim of interest in
the property, proceeds, or instruments, the court shall enter a
response of denial on behalf of the defendant.
(c) (1) The forfeiture proceeding shall be set for hearing in the
superior court in which the underlying criminal offense will be
tried.
(2) If the defendant is found guilty of the underlying offense,
the issue of forfeiture shall be promptly tried, either before the
same jury or before a new jury in the discretion of the court, unless
waived by the consent of all parties.
(d) At the forfeiture hearing, the prosecuting agency shall have
the burden of establishing beyond a reasonable doubt that the
property alleged in the petition comes within the provisions of
Section 236.7.
(e) Unless the trier of fact finds that the seized property was
used for a purpose for which forfeiture is permitted, the court shall
order the seized property released to the person that the court
determines is entitled to possession of that property. If the trier
of fact finds that the seized property was used for a purpose for
which forfeiture is permitted, but does not find that a person who
has a valid interest in the property had actual knowledge that the
property would be or was used for a purpose for which forfeiture is
permitted and consented to that use, the court shall order the
property released to the claimant.
(a) Concurrent with or subsequent to the filing of the
petition, the prosecuting agency may move the superior court for, and
the superior court may issue, the following pendente lite orders to
preserve the status quo of the property alleged in the petition:
(1) An injunction to restrain anyone from transferring,
encumbering, hypothecating, or otherwise disposing of the property.
(2) Appointment of a receiver to take possession of, care for,
manage, and operate the assets and properties so that the property
may be maintained and preserved. The court may order that a receiver
appointed pursuant to this section be compensated for all reasonable
expenditures made or incurred by him or her in connection with the
possession, care, management, and operation of property or assets
that are subject to the provisions of this section.
(b) No preliminary injunction may be granted or receiver appointed
without notice to the interested parties and a hearing to determine
that an order is necessary to preserve the property, pending the
outcome of the criminal proceedings, and that there is probable cause
to believe that the property alleged in the forfeiture proceedings
are proceeds, instruments, or property interests forfeitable under
the provisions of Section 236.7. However, a temporary restraining
order may issue pending that hearing pursuant to the provisions of
Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court in
granting these motions may order a surety bond or undertaking to
preserve the property interests of the interested parties.
(d) The court shall, in making its orders, seek to protect the
interests of those who may be involved in the same enterprise as the
defendant, but who were not involved in human trafficking that
involves a commercial sex act, as defined in paragraph (2) of
subdivision (g) of Section 236.1, where the victim was less than 18
years of age at the time of the commission of the crime.
(a) If the trier of fact at the forfeiture hearing finds
that the alleged property, instruments, or proceeds are forfeitable
pursuant to Section 236.7 and the defendant was engaged in human
trafficking that involves a commercial sex act, as defined in
paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 236.1, where the victim
was less than 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the
crime, the court shall declare that property or proceeds forfeited to
the state or local governmental entity, subject to distribution as
provided in Section 236.12. No property solely owned by a bona fide
purchaser for value shall be subject to forfeiture.
(b) If the trier of fact at the forfeiture hearing finds that the
alleged property is forfeitable pursuant to Section 236.7 but does
not find that a person holding a valid lien, mortgage, security
interest, or interest under a conditional sales contract acquired
that interest with actual knowledge that the property was to be used
for a purpose for which forfeiture is permitted, and the amount due
to that person is less than the appraised value of the property, that
person may pay to the state or the local governmental entity that
initiated the forfeiture proceeding the amount of the registered
owner's equity, which shall be deemed to be the difference between
the appraised value and the amount of the lien, mortgage, security
interest, or interest under a conditional sales contract. Upon
payment, the state or local governmental entity shall relinquish all
claims to the property. If the holder of the interest elects not to
pay the state or local governmental entity, the property shall be
deemed forfeited to the state or local governmental entity and the
ownership certificate shall be forwarded. The appraised value shall
be determined as of the date judgment is entered either by agreement
between the legal owner and the governmental entity involved, or, if
they cannot agree, by a court-appointed appraiser for the county in
which the action is brought. A person holding a valid lien, mortgage,
security interest, or interest under a conditional sales contract
shall be paid the appraised value of his or her interest.
(c) If the amount due to a person holding a valid lien, mortgage,
security interest, or interest under a conditional sales contract is
less than the value of the property and the person elects not to make
payment to the governmental entity, the property shall be sold at
public auction by the Department of General Services or by the local
governmental entity. The seller shall provide notice of the sale by
one publication in a newspaper published and circulated in the city,
community, or locality where the sale is to take place.
(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (c), a county may dispose of real
property forfeited to the county pursuant to this chapter by the
process prescribed in Section 25538.5 of the Government Code.
Notwithstanding that no response or claim has been filed
pursuant to Section 236.9, in all cases where property is forfeited
pursuant to this chapter and, if necessary, sold by the Department of
General Services or local governmental entity, the money forfeited
or the proceeds of sale shall be distributed by the state or local
governmental entity as follows:
(a) To the bona fide or innocent purchaser, conditional sales
vendor, or holder of a valid lien, mortgage, or security interest, if
any, up to the amount of his or her interest in the property or
proceeds, when the court declaring the forfeiture orders a
distribution to that person. The court shall endeavor to discover all
those lienholders and protect their interests and may, at its
discretion, order the proceeds placed in escrow for up to an
additional 60 days to ensure that all valid claims are received and
processed.
(b) To the Department of General Services or local governmental
entity for all expenditures made or incurred by it in connection with
the sale of the property, including expenditures for necessary
repairs, storage, or transportation of property seized under this
chapter.
(c) (1) Fifty percent to the General Fund of the state or local
governmental entity, whichever prosecutes or handles the forfeiture
hearing.
(2) Fifty percent to the Victim-Witness Assistance Fund to be used
upon appropriation for grants to community-based organizations that
serve victims of human trafficking.
(a) False imprisonment is punishable by a fine not exceeding
one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail
for not more than one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment. If
the false imprisonment be effected by violence, menace, fraud, or
deceit, it shall be punishable by imprisonment pursuant to
subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
(b) False imprisonment of an elder or dependent adult by use of
violence, menace, fraud, or deceit shall be punishable as described
in subdivision (f) of Section 368.