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53-year-old man indicted in DeKalb County for soliciting 17-year-old for sex, AG says

This latest indictment is part of Georgia's statewide crackdown on trafficking.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A Riverdale man has been indicted in DeKalb County in a human trafficking case, the Georgia Attorney General's Office announced Thursday.

The 53-year-old man is accused of soliciting a 17-year-old for sex in Decatur, Attorney General Chris Carr said in a news release.

The indictment is part of the investigation that resulted in the indictment for former Fulton County deputy Courtney Lofton earlier this year. 

"The indictment of (the man) underscores our unwavering dedication to safeguarding our children and upholding the principles of justice," Travis Pickard with Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta said in a prepared statement.

The Attorney General's Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit presented evidence to a DeKalb County grand jury. The grand jury chose to indict the 53-year-old on Aug. 23 on a charge of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude.

As this investigation has roped in several suspects accused of trafficking, the AG's office is not releasing other information about this case or the indictment at this time but said it is continuing its statewide crackdown on finding perpetrators of trafficking and those who solicit the illegal services offered.

In 2019, AG Carr created the statewide Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. Last year, the unit assisted with 33 case investigations and was able to help or rescue 116 victims. 

So far this year, it's obtained 26 new convictions - all of which have included prison sentences, according to the office. The unit has 37 defendants who are currently under indictment for sex or labor trafficking, with some suspects facing charges in multiple jurisdictions.

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