ATLANTA — A Lithonia man pled guilty to soliciting a 17-year-old girl for sex, according to a news release from the Georgia Attorney General’s Office.
Authorities believed Shane Bean, 39, bought the girl for sex. She was rescued during Operation Not Forgotten back in 2020. Following the operation, Bean and nine others were indicted in Fulton County, according to the release.
Bean also pled guilty to pandering of a person under the age of 18 in December of 2022. For this charge, he was sentenced to 10 years but will only serve two in prison. The rest of the sentenced will be served on probation. Bean is required to register as a sex offender.
Now that he has pled guilty to another charge, he may have more time tacked onto his sentence.
Attorney General Chris Carr discussed Bean's case following his guilty plea.
“This case started with the rescue of an underage victim, and now one of the men who purchased her for sex will spend time in prison for his illegal actions,” said Carr.
“With our Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, we are working each day to protect our most vulnerable by pursuing both buyers and sellers alike. We are proud of this latest conviction, and we will continue fighting to ensure that all those who engaged in the trafficking of this young woman are held accountable for their actions.”
If you suspect a child is being trafficked, you can submit a tip to the U.S. Marshals by clicking the link here.
