SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — A San Luis Obispo County judge has ordered convicted trafficker Joshua Diante Murphy to pay $451,680 in restitution to the young woman he exploited when she was 15 years old, the District Attorney announced.
Read the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney release: https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/district-attorney/latest-news/2026/november/court-orders-convicted-child-sex-trafficker-to-pay-more-than-$450,000-to-the-young-survivor-he-explo
District Attorney Dan Dow announced the order on November 5, 2026, according to the release.
Joshua Diante Murphy, 32, appeared by video from High Desert State Prison, where he is serving a sentence of 14 years and 4 months, officials reported.
Superior Court Judge Timothy S. Covello issued the order at a restitution hearing on November 4, 2026, after considering written briefs from both sides, according to the release.
A Restitution Hearing, A Prison Video Appearance, And A $451,680 Order
The order includes $450,000 for noneconomic losses, a form of restitution California law allows to compensate a survivor for psychological and emotional harm, according to the release.
It also includes $1,680 in economic restitution, reflecting income-loss benefits the California Victim Compensation Board paid on the survivor's behalf, calculated at minimum wage for the three weeks she was trafficked in January 2021, the release stated.
Prosecutors had asked the court to order $1,000,000 for the psychological harm the survivor suffered, at her request, according to the release.
"No amount of money can undo what this young woman went through, but this order says clearly that her suffering is real, that it matters, and that the person who caused it must answer for it," said District Attorney Dan Dow.
"This survivor testified for days in front of three juries. She has shown remarkable strength through every stage of this case," said Deputy District Attorney Kalina Laleva, who handled the restitution proceedings. "The Court's order recognizes that the harm done to her did not end when the crimes ended."
Noneconomic Losses, A Constitutional Right, And An Exception For Children
Restitution in a California criminal case usually covers economic losses such as medical bills, counseling costs, and lost wages, according to the release.
The California Constitution guarantees that all persons who suffer losses as a result of criminal activity have the right to restitution from the persons convicted of the crimes, the release stated.
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State law makes an exception for child victims: under PC § 1202.4(f)(3)(F), a court may order a defendant convicted of a felony lewd act on a child under PC § 288 to pay restitution for noneconomic losses, including psychological harm, according to the release.
In People v. Smith (2011), a California appellate court affirmed a $750,000 restitution award for psychological harm to a child victim, the release noted.
Prosecutors argued that PC § 1202.4(p) requires restitution for the value of a trafficking victim's labor, according to the release.
Three Juries, Three Sentences, And An Appeal
In July 2025, a San Luis Obispo County jury convicted Murphy of human trafficking of a minor for a sex act, pimping a minor under the age of 16, a lewd act upon a 14- or 15-year-old child by a person at least 10 years older under PC § 288(c)(1), and child sexual abuse material offenses, according to the release.
The jury also found that the trafficking was carried out with planning, sophistication, or professionalism, officials reported.
In October 2025, Judge Covello sentenced Murphy to 14 years and 4 months in state prison, according to the release. His co-defendants, Tremaine Quincy Tejon Jones and Heather Lynne Hunt, were sentenced to 16 years and 8 years in state prison.
All three must register as sex offenders for life, and Murphy has appealed his conviction, according to the release.
The trial was historic for San Luis Obispo County because three separate juries heard the case at the same time, officials reported.
The case was investigated by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office and the District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation, according to the release.
Anyone who is a victim of human trafficking or sexual abuse can contact the Christopher G. Money Victim Witness Assistance Center at 805-781-5821 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 (text 233733). In an emergency, call 911.
Sources
San Luis Obispo County District Attorney, "Court Orders Convicted Child Sex Trafficker to Pay More Than $450,000 to the Young Survivor He Exploited," November 5, 2026: https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/district-attorney/latest-news/2026/november/court-orders-convicted-child-sex-trafficker-to-pay-more-than-$450,000-to-the-young-survivor-he-explo
Transparency notes
Published: Nov 10, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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