human trafficking

67-year-old Georgia man charged with human trafficking of a child for sexual purposes

A 67-year-old Pickens County resident was arrested on charges related to human trafficking of a child for sexual purposes Monday. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Roland Buchanan was arrested and charged with one count of Criminal Attempt to Commit the Offense of Human Trafficking, one count of Criminal Attempt to Commit Aggravated Child Molestation, one count of Pandering, and one count of Sexual Exploitation of Children by the GBI Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit. The GBI received information regarding Buchanan’s potential involvement in a transaction involving the exchange of currency for sexual contact with a child. An…

Four accused of human trafficking in DeKalb County

Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that the office’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has indicted four individuals on human trafficking charges. A DeKalb County Grand Jury returned the indictment on Aug. 24. “We thank the DeKalb County Grand Jury for their careful consideration of the evidence in this case,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “Our Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit looks forward to presenting our case in court. We hope to send a strong message that buyers and traffickers’ actions are equally as despicable, and we will aggressively prosecute both.” A summary of the charges against these individuals is below: Trayon Moore…

Everything you need to know about Georgia’s new human trafficking laws

Gov. Brian Kemp signed three bills Tuesday aimed at boosting protections for victims of human trafficking in Georgia and raising awareness for children on the dangers and signs of trafficking. The newly enacted measures mark the latest steps by Kemp’s administration and First Lady Marty Kemp, who heads the trafficking-focused GRACE Commission, to combat human traffickers and help victims in the metro Atlanta and elsewhere in the state. “If you are someone who’s trapped, someone currently being trafficked, know that we will not stop until you are set free,” Kemp said at a bill-signing ceremony in Buford. “We are working…

The Sunrise Report: Happy Birthday, Georgia

Good morning, Georgians! It is Friday and we're heading into the Valentine's Day weekend. Today marks Day Four of the Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump. Here is some of the news you might be interested in today. Headlines: Tom the Turkey had another run-in with The Kennesaw Police Department. The feisty fowl does not keep a low profile.Two 14-year-olds were arrested in Atlanta. Police say they attempted a carjacking.In Bibb County, a police chase involving a stolen truck ended in an arrest.Lawmakers in the state Senate passed two bills to protect victims of human trafficking in Georgia.Coronavirus vaccines will…

Georgia senate passes bills to protect human trafficking victims

The Georgia Senate passed two bills Thursday aimed at protecting victims of human trafficking, advancing a key plank of Gov. Brian Kemp’s legislative agenda. One bill sponsored by state Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Buford, would allow human-trafficking victims to sue their traffickers in civil court for monetary damages. The other bill, also sponsored by Dixon, would shield human-trafficking victims from public scrutiny if they seek to legally change their names by keeping name-change petitions under seal. Dixon, a freshman who is one of the governor’s floor leaders in the Senate, said the governor-backed bills aim to protect some of the state’s most vulnerable community…

New bills take aim at human trafficking in Georgia

State lawmakers plan to bring new legislation aimed at helping victims of human trafficking in Georgia recover from abuse and protect their identities, Gov. Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp announced Monday. One bill would change state law to give privacy protections for human-trafficking survivors who want to legally change their names, Marty Kemp said at a news conference. Another bill would let survivors sue their traffickers for damages in civil court. A third bill would require anyone seeking to obtain or renew a commercial driver’s license in Georgia to complete a human-trafficking awareness course, the first lady said.…

Eight charged with gang-related child sex trafficking

After a year-long joint investigation, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has arrested 8 people in Albany on charges of child sex trafficking and violation of the gang statute. On October 23, 2019, the Albany Police Department requested the investigative assistance of the GBI regarding the commercial sexual exploitation of children, also known as child sex trafficking. On August 2, 2019, the Albany Police Department received a report regarding the rape and commercial sexual exploitation of a 16-year-old girl. The victim reported being trafficked during an almost two-month period from June 2019 through August 2019 in Albany. The trafficking of the victim…