Child prostitution charges filed against Newport Beach CEO of international food company

By ERIC LICAS | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: October 6, 2020 at 7:08 p.m. | UPDATED: October 7, 2020 at 8:56 a.m.

Prosecutors accused a Newport Beach man who runs of global food distribution company of engaging in prostitution with teenage girls, and also filed human trafficking charges against a Huntington Beach woman, officials said Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Ian Charles Schenkel, 59, is the CEO of Haliburton International Foods, and faces seven felony and two misdemeanor allegations involving intercourse and lewd acts with two underage victims, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday Sep. 29. He is suspected of soliciting sex with 15-year-old and a 16-year-old, and having sexual contact with them seven times between Jan. 27, 2019 and October 8,  2019.

Investigators believe Amanda Emilia Perez, 22, helped arrange those meetings. She faces six felony charges related to pimping underage girls, according to court records.

Newport beach police began investigating after a man reported in October 2019 that his daughter had sexual contact with Schenkel, Orange County District Attorney’s officials said in a news release. The girl told authorities Perez introduced her to the CEO and other men, then took a portion of the money clients paid to have sex with the teen.

Schenkel was arrested Sept. 29, and Perez was taken into custody the following day, Newport Beach police said. It was not immediately clear from court records if either defendant had been assigned an attorney as of Tuesday.

Schenkel could not immediately be reached on Tuesday. Representatives for Haliburton International Foods, which is headquartered in Ontario CA., did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

Schenkel has been released on a $100,000 bond, officials said. Perez was allowed to leave jail after posting a $70,000 bond.

“The exploitation of children for sex acts shocks the public conscience,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement Tuesday. “It is reprehensible and it is unlawful.”

Schenkel and Perez could face as many as eight and 14 years in state prison, respectively, if convicted as charged.

Authorities are working to identify additional potential victims. Anyone with information relevant to this case should contact Newport Beach Police at 949-644-3790.

Other incidents of possible human trafficking can be reported to the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force by calling 949-250-4058, or  visiting www.ochumantrafficking.com .

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https://www.ocregister.com/2020/10/06/child-prostitution-charges-filed-against-newport-beach-ceo-of-international-food-company/