Court Orders Convicted Child Sex Trafficker to Pay More Than $450,000 to the Young Survivor He Exploited
Author: District Attorney
Date: 11/5/2026 11:37 AM
District Attorney Dan Dow announces that convicted child sex trafficker, Joshua Diante Murphy has been ordered to pay $451,680 in restitution to the young woman he exploited. Murphy was sentenced in October 2025 to 14 years and 4 months in state prison and register as a sex offender for life.
Restitution order recognizes the lasting psychological harm of child sexual abuse
District Attorney Dan Dow announced today that San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Timothy S. Covello has ordered Joshua Diante Murphy (32) to pay $451,680 in restitution to the young woman he sexually exploited and trafficked when she was 15 years old. The order includes $450,000 for noneconomic losses, a type of restitution allowed under California law to compensate the survivor for the psychological and emotional harm caused by Murphy's sexual abuse.
The Court issued the order at a restitution hearing on November 4, 2026, after reading and considering the written briefs from both sides. Murphy appeared by video from High Desert State Prison, where he is serving his sentence.
"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. "California voters and lawmakers decided that children who are sexually abused deserve to be compensated for the emotional wounds they carry, not just their out-of-pocket costs. We pursued this award because she deserves every protection the law gives her. We remain inspired by her courage, and we will keep standing with her."
"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. It will follow her into adulthood, and the law allows her to be compensated for that."
Why Courts Award Noneconomic Restitution to Child Victims
Restitution in a California criminal case usually covers economic losses. Examples include medical bills, counseling costs, lost wages, and stolen or damaged property. The California Constitution guarantees that "all persons who suffer losses as a result of criminal activity shall have the right to restitution from the persons convicted of the crimes for losses they suffer." (Cal. Const., art. I, § 28.)
California law makes an important exception for children who are sexually molested. Under Penal Code section 1202.4(f)(3)(F), a court may order a defendant convicted of a felony lewd act on a child under Penal Code section 288 to pay restitution for noneconomic losses, "including, but not limited to, psychological harm." This exception recognizes what research and experience show: the deepest injuries from child sexual abuse are often not financial. They can include fear, shame, depression, anxiety, nightmares, broken trust, and harm to relationships. These effects can last for years or a lifetime.
California appellate courts have upheld these awards. In People v. Smith (2011) 198 Cal.App.4th 415, the Court of Appeal affirmed a $750,000 restitution award for psychological harm to a child molestation victim. The Smith court explained that judges should set the amount the same way civil juries decide pain-and-suffering damages: there is no fixed formula, so the court uses its judgment, the evidence, and common sense to reach a reasonable amount. The award may cover both past suffering and the suffering a victim is likely to experience in the future.
Restitution also serves a broader purpose. As one California court put it, restitution helps the offender understand that he "has harmed not merely society in the abstract but also individual human beings." (People v. Baumann (1985) 176 Cal.App.3d 67.)
Why the Court Awarded It in This Case
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, lewd act upon a 14- or 15-year-old child by a person at least 10 years older (Penal Code section 288(c)(1)), and child sexual abuse material offenses. The jury also found that the trafficking was carried out with planning, sophistication, or professionalism.
Murphy's conviction for a felony lewd act on a child under Penal Code section 288 made the survivor eligible for noneconomic restitution. The People asked the Court to order Murphy to pay $1,000,000 for the psychological harm he caused, at the survivor's request. The People pointed to evidence presented at trial of the lasting emotional harm the survivor suffered and the great difficulty she had testifying about the abuse.
The order also includes $1,680 in economic restitution. That amount reflects 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 defense opposed this portion, arguing that a trafficked child forced into commercial sex has no economic loss to recover. The People responded that Penal Code section 1202.4(p) requires restitution for the value of a trafficking victim's labor. The People argued that a child's exploitation does not become less compensable because the trafficker forced her into illegal acts.
After considering the filings and arguments of the parties, Judge Covello ordered Murphy to pay the survivor a total of $451,680.
Background
In October 2025, Judge Covello sentenced Murphy to 14 years and 4 months in state prison. 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. The trial was historic for San Luis Obispo County because three separate juries heard the case at the same time. Murphy has appealed his conviction. The District Attorney's October 2025 release on the sentencing is available on the District Attorney's website.
The case was investigated by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office and the District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigation. Deputy District Attorney Kalina Laleva handled the restitution proceedings. Victim services were provided by Divina Diaz of the District Attorney’s Office Christopher G. Money Victim Witness Assistance Center.
To protect the survivor's privacy, the District Attorney's Office will not release her name or other identifying information. We ask members of the media to respect her privacy.
Help for Survivors
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking or sexual abuse, help is available. You 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.
Members of the media can contact Assistant District Attorney Eric J. Dobroth at 805-781-5819 with any questions.###
