GREENE COUNTY, Ga. — A 32-year-old Ohio man has been arrested, accused of selling a 16-year-old girl for sex around metro Atlanta.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said its Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit worked with the Greene County Sheriff's Office worked on the case. The suspect is currently in the Greene County Jail on a warrant.
Investigators explained that the girl was reported as a missing runaway out of Ohio. The teen is from South Carolina.
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and South Carolina authorities had previously found the teen and learned she was a victim of human trafficking. Investigators said the man and another woman took the girl from South Carolina to metro Atlanta where they continued to exploit her.
Last Wednesday, Greene County Sheriff's Office deputies encountered the group near Greensboro. They tried to stop the man's car, citing an equipment violation, and the man sped away, according to authorities.
This prompted a pursuit with the Taliaferro County Sheriff's Office joining to help. The man was stopped with a PIT maneuver, deputies said. That's how Greene County deputies noticed signs that the 16-year-old was being trafficked and the HEAT Unit became involved.
The man is currently accused of:
- Human trafficking
- Fleeing and eluding
- Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- Possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime
- Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
- Various traffic-related charges
The GBI will continue to investigate and more charges may be forthcoming, authorities said. Once the investigation is done, it will be handed over to the Georgia Attorney General's Human Trafficking Unit.
If one witnesses human trafficking, suspects someone is being exploited for sex, or needs help, call Georgia's human trafficking hotline at 1-866-ENDHTGA (1-866-363-4842). Trained law enforcement agents, advocates and first responders are available 24/7 to answer calls.
