Man force-fed 14-year-old Adderall and made him prepare hundreds of items of clothing to be sold online, then abandoned him on the side of the freeway, police say – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Los Angeles County – Early last May, a 14-year-old boy vanished from his family for three days while authorities searched desperately across the region. What began as an encounter at a thrift store escalated into allegations of forced labor, drugging, and abandonment on a busy freeway, according to prosecutors. The case has drawn renewed attention to how traffickers prey on vulnerable minors in everyday settings.
Targeting and Initial Confinement
Prosecutors say Brandon Holguin, now 26, first approached the middle schooler several months earlier at a thrift store in Los Angeles County. By May 2, 2025, the boy was at a local motel under Holguin’s control, sorting and photographing hundreds of used clothing items for online resale. The work stretched late into the night, with the defendant allegedly keeping the victim’s cellphone to prevent any contact with his family. Holguin reportedly told the boy the device had to be discarded so his mother could not track him. Authorities later learned the phone was sold and the victim’s jewelry was pawned using a fake identification, netting the defendant several hundred dollars. These steps left the teenager isolated and without resources as the ordeal continued.
Drugging to Sustain Forced Work
When the cataloging of clothing dragged on, prosecutors allege Holguin instructed the boy to ingest Adderall, a controlled substance containing amphetamine. The medication reportedly made the victim ill yet allowed him to remain awake for the extended labor. The volume of items was substantial, and the process continued well past normal hours in the warm Southern California evening. The defendant’s plan reportedly extended beyond the motel. He intended to transport the minor hundreds of miles north into California for further exploitation. When that arrangement collapsed, the situation took a different turn on May 5.
Abandonment on the Freeway and Rescue
Rather than completing the longer journey, Holguin allegedly left the 14-year-old alone on the side of a Los Angeles freeway in the middle of the night, driving away with the proceeds from the phone and jewelry sales. The boy managed to reach a nearby business, where staff contacted emergency services. Later that same day, Los Angeles police reunited him with his family. The swift response by local officers ended the immediate danger, though the three-day disappearance had already caused significant distress for the victim’s parents and investigators. Prosecutors described the period as one in which authorities feared the worst.
Charges and Current Status
Holguin was arrested on May 9, 2025. He faces one count each of child stealing, human trafficking, child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death, furnishing a minor a controlled substance, employing a minor during unauthorized hours, and false personation for a written instrument. After an initial arraignment and not-guilty plea, additional charges were filed through a criminal information. He was arraigned again on those counts and again pleaded not guilty. The defendant remains detained on a $652,000 bond at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman emphasized the pattern in such cases, noting that human labor traffickers often target vulnerable children, gain their trust, isolate them, and profit from forced labor. The allegations underscore ongoing efforts by law enforcement to identify and prosecute those who exploit minors for financial gain. The victim’s recovery and the subsequent legal proceedings continue to move forward in the courts.
