ATLANTA — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday it had made 17 arrests tied to human trafficking in what it called "Operation Wrong Room," part of a multi-state anti-trafficking law enforcement action.
According to the bureau, "Wrong Room" was part of a larger effort called "Coast to Coast" conducted across 26 states "with the common goals of trafficking victims, offering these victims much needed services, arresting traffickers and making our communities safer."
The GBI said efforts from "Wrong Room" helped identify 15 adults to offer "services including food, lodging, medical services, drug rehabilitation, counseling/therapy and childcare."
The 17 people arrested by the GBI were nearly all charged with pandering or pimping and were booked into the DeKalb County Jail. The bureau said over $255,000 from suspected traffickers was also seized in two residential search warrants.
The GBI directs trafficking victims or anyone suspecting human trafficking to file tips to the Georgia Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-866-363-4842 or online at this link.
Those charged with pimping included 27-year-old Stewart Notice Jr. of Fayetteville, 25-year-old Lindsay Roberts of Midway, Georgia; 56-year-old Thomas Piper of Woodstock and 35-year-old Christopher Horne of Decatur. There were no details available on whether or not there was any ring or coordination suspected in this case; the GBI said no additional details are being released because of the ongoing investigation.
Those charged with pandering included 57-year-old Siow Ding Chan of Alpharetta, 34-year-old Idelbrando Jose Vargas Bellestero of Grayson, 41-year-old Larry Bruce Moyer of Duluth, 29-year-old Roberto Martinez of Willacoochee, Georgia; 25-year-old Joe Anthony Obboye of Duluth, 30-year-old Carlos Anaya Carrasco of Atlanta, 25-year-old Daniel Strycek of Las Vegas, Nevada; 35-year-old Brendan Ahn of Alpharetta, 28-year-old Jeffrey Li of Lawrenceville, 39-year-old Marco Gamboa Lopez of Tucker, and 23-year-old Justin Sanders of Decatur.
Two other individuals were charged with violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act.
The GBI said the Chamblee Police Department, Gwinnett County Police Department, DeKalb County DA's Office, Homeland Security Investigations and Criminal Justice Coordinating Council were also involved in "Wrong Room."
The bureau said of the larger "Coast to Coast" operation:
During operation “Coast to Coast,” authorities contacted 94 adults and 1 minor and offered services including food, lodging, medical services, drug rehabilitation, counseling/therapy and childcare. A child under the age of 1 was taken into protective custody before being turned over to state social services. Authorities contacted 39 adults and detained them as part of the operation.
Law enforcement agencies and service providers from Maine, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, Minnesota, New Mexico, California, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Illinois were involved. Private organizations also assisted including the Human Trafficking Training Center, Safe House Project, and Nurses Against Trafficking.