11 Juveniles Rescued as 71 Georgians Arrested in Sex Trafficking Sweep

Eleven juveniles forced to work as prostitutes or in computer-based exploitation were rescued by federal agents Monday when the FBI arrested 71 people across Georgia as part of a national effort to bust child sex traffickers.

Those arrested face state charges that include pimping, criminal attempt child molestation/enticement of a minor, prostitution, and solicitation, reports WXIA TV. 

Nationwide in 106 cities, 168 child victims were recovered and 281 pimps were arrested on state and federal charges as part of Operation Cross Country VIII.

In the last decade, the FBI has focused on fighting the growing problem of child prostitution. In Georgia, the problem of sex trafficking has become an important issue since metro Atlanta’s many conventions have also made it No. 1 in the country for the sex trade.

Atlanta Ranked No. 1 for Sex Trafficking; Conventions to Blame?

The author of a study of sex trafficking around the United States, conducted by Washington D.C.'s Urban Institute for the U.S. Justice Department, looked at the sex trade in eight major American cities.

"Atlanta went from $232 million to $290 million over that five year span," Meredith Dank, the lead author for the report, told WSB Radio in March. As a comparison, $290 million is more than the revenue generated by metro Atlanta's illegal drug and gun trade combined.

Atlanta's revenue also was far above any other city studied, with Miami second at $200 million. Denver's sex trade was worth $40 million, San Diego's $97 million and Dallas' $99 million.

The culprit? Dank says the many events and conventions in the Atlanta bring people to town with lots of time and money. Some escorts charge more than $1,000 per hour.

One pimp the researchers spoke with in Atlanta made, on average, about $33,000 a week, according to the WSB story.

The investigations that led to this week’s FBI task force arrests began as local enforcement actions that target truck stops, casinos, street “tracks,” and websites that advertise dating or escort services, based on intelligence gathered by officers working in their respective jurisdictions, authorities said. Initial arrests are often violations of local and state laws relating to prostitution or solicitation. Information gleaned from those arrested frequently uncovers organized efforts to prostitute women and children across many states.

To date, the FBI and its task force partners have recovered more than 3,400 children from being exploited.

Those arrested during the FBI operation in Georgia were:

Bobby Oneal Negri, Jr., age 47, of Powder Springs, GA - Criminal Attempt Child Molestation/Enticement

Keith Brown, age 51, of Stone Mountain, GA – Criminal Attempt Child Molestation/Enticement

Johnathan Bradford, age 43, of Stone Mountain, GA – Criminal Attempt Child Molestation/Enticement

Timothy Kimball, age 28, of Beaufort, S.C. – Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes

Justin Turner, age 26, Rochester, N.Y. – Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes

Jerald Hammond, age 34, of Ridgeland, S.C. – Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes

Joseph Lee Dickerson, age 30, of Martinez, GA – Attempted Child Molestation

Alan Keith Lee, age 24, of Grovetown, GA – Attempted Child Molestation

Gary Lee Jump, Jr., age 28, of Dearing, GA – Attempted Child Molestation

Jammie Wade Coleman, age 34, of Centerville, GA- Online Enticement of a Minor

Andrew Novak, age 30, of Marietta, GA – Interstate Interference with Custody

Jonathan Lyons, age 24, of Decatur – Pimping

Darryl Carlisle, age 27, of Atlanta, GA – Pimping

Danny Lamar Wilcox, age 25, hometown unk.- Pimping

Byron Wilson, age 28, of Covington, GA – Keeping a Place of Prostitution

Natasha Hardy, age 22, of Decatur, GA – Contributing to Deprivation of a Minor

Antonio Bowman, age 29, of Hinesville, GA – Pimping

Karl Hudnall, age 48, of Riverdale, GA – Pimping

Altameese Nikkole Casen, age 30, of unknown – Pimping

Muhamad Vasser, age 28, of unknown - Pimping

Raymond Chapman, age 33, of unknown – Pimping

Branden Peterson, age 21, of St. Louis, MO – Keeping Place of Prostitution

Linda Raines, age 25, of Chattanooga, TN – Loitering

Tenisa Farmer, age 30, of Jasper, TN – Loitering

Regina Robinson, age 38, of unknown – Loitering for Sex

Cedarius Gilberts, age 21, of Fayetteville, GA – Solicitation

Britley Prather, age 21, of Manchester, GA – Solicitation

Nicole Bozeman, age 26, of Decatur, GA – Solicitation

Emmanuella Dubuche, age 24, of Atlanta, GA - Solicitation

Derrick Eugene Corporal, age 26, hometown unk. – Possession of Narcotics

Teronica Few, age 20, of unknown – Prostitution

Kara Brown, age 24, of unknown – Prostitution

Ronika Norwood, age 20, of unknown – Prostitution

Lakesha White, age 20, of unknown – Prostitution

Nakosha White, age 21, of unknown - Prostitution

Tarah Casandra Ellis, age 34, of Flowery Branch, GA – Prostitution

Kayla Knight, age 20, of Norcross, GA – Prostitution

Christin Randolph, age 18, of Chattanooga, TN – Prostitution

Brittany Wright, age 22, of Champaign, IL – Prostitution

Ashley Paden, age 24, of Marietta, GA – Prostitution

Alexis Seals, age 26, of Decatur, GA – Prostitution

Sheronna Phillips, age 26, of Marietta, GA – Prostitution

Monique Woods, age 21, of Atlanta, GA – Prostitution

Jennifer Lauren Smith, age 30, of Atlanta, GA – Prostitution

Felicia Clark, age 24, of Chattanooga, TN – Prostitution

Keira Hudson, age 23, of Decatur, GA – Prostitution

Jessica Smart, age 19, of unknown – Prostitution

Jamyah Adams, age 18, of St. Louis, MO – Prostitution

Joanna Thomas, age 29, of unknown – Prostitution

Shanna Williams, age 28, of Atlanta, GA – Prostitution

Shana Gutzmore, age 20, of unknown – Prostitution

Joy Martin, age 21, of Thomasville, GA – Prostitution

Aisha Nicole Greenlee, age 23, of Williamston, S.C.- Prostitution

Aleysa Brooks, age 20, of Riverdale, GA – Prostitution

Alexis Christian, age 18, of Covington, GA – Prostitution

Shidira Peterkin, age 19, of Athens, GA – Prostitution

Sharita Jackson, age 23, of Riverdale, GA – Prostitution

Brittany Moore, age 20, of Morrow, GA – Prostitution

Monique Long, age 27, of Forest Park, GA – Prostitution

T'ore Tigner, age 19, of Decatur, GA - Prostitution

Saneitra Jackson, age 18, of Decatur, GA – Prostitution

Akia Johnson, age 20 of Riverdale, GA - Prostitution

Lashaunda Collins, age 29, of Hinesville, GA – Prostitution

Diamond Gardener, age 23, of Akron, OH – Prostitution

Sarah Holland, age 29, of Tampa, FL – Prostitution

Robin Hudson, age 24, of Hinesville, GA – Prostitution

Ashley Cole, age 21, of Hinesville, GA – Prostitution

Bertenia Jo Dial-Brown, age 33, of Columbia, S.C.- Prostitution

Laura Marie Campbell, age 29, homeless - Prostitution

Alesha Lorraine Ericson, age 30, homeless – Prostitution

Jamine Lakeisha Salletette, age 23, of unknown – Outstanding warrant/Contempt of Court