Court orders convicted child sex trafficker to pay more than $450,000 to survivor
Restitution order recognizes lasting psychological harm of child sexual abuse
– A San Luis Obispo County judge 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, according to District Attorney Dan Dow.
The order includes $450,000 for noneconomic losses, a type of restitution allowed under California law to compensate a survivor for psychological and emotional harm. Superior Court Judge Timothy S. Covello issued the order at a restitution hearing Nov. 4 after reading 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 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.”
In July 2025, a jury convicted Murphy of human trafficking of a minor for a sex act, pimping a minor under 16, a lewd act upon a 14- or 15-year-old by a person at least 10 years older, and child sexual abuse material offenses. The jury also found the trafficking was carried out with planning, sophistication, or professionalism. His conviction for a felony lewd act on a child made the survivor eligible for noneconomic restitution under California law.
Prosecutors asked the court to order $1 million for the psychological harm, at the survivor’s request. The order also includes $1,680 in economic restitution, reflecting income-loss benefits the California Victim Compensation Board paid on her behalf, calculated at minimum wage for the three weeks she was trafficked in January 2021. The defense opposed that portion of the order.
In October 2025, 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. Three separate juries heard the case at the same time, which the District Attorney’s Office described as historic for the county. Murphy has appealed his conviction. Paso Robles Daily News previously reported on the sentencing.
The case was investigated by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation. Victim services were provided by the District Attorney’s Christopher G. Money Victim Witness Assistance Center. To protect the survivor’s privacy, the District Attorney’s Office did not release her name.
Read the full press release from the District Attorney’s Office.
