FBI sex trafficking operation nets 60 arrests, four victims rescued in Georgia

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual effort focusing on underage human trafficking resulted in 60 arrests in Georgia and 84 minors recovered nationwide, according to a release from the FBI’s Atlanta office.

Sixty total suspects were arrested, with 58 of those coming from Atlanta and two in Savannah.

Four pimps/traffickers and three travelers with the intent to engage in sex with a purported minor were arrested in Atlanta, according to the release. Four juveniles were also recovered, three in Atlanta and one in Augusta.

Nationwide, 84 minors were recovered and 120 traffickers arrested, according to the release.

“During operations by FBI Denver’s Rocky Mountain Innocence Lost Task Force, for example, a 3-month-old girl and her five-year-old sister were recovered after a friend who was staying with the family made a deal with an undercover task force officer to sell both children for sex in exchange for $600,” according to the FBI’s release.

The youngest victim recovered this year was 3-months-old and the average age of victims recovered through the operation was 15. According to the release, victims are offered counseling and care from the state as well as the FBI’s Victim Services Division.

"We at the FBI have no greater mission than to protect our nation's children from harm,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Unfortunately, the number of traffickers arrested — and the number of children recovered — reinforces why we need to continue to do this important work.”

Operation Cross Country is in its 11th year as part of the FBI’s Innocence Lost National Initiative. It involves law enforcement agents staging operations in hotels, casinos, truck stops, street corners and online. This year, the operation was conducted nationwide from Oct. 12-15.

According to the release, 55 FBI field offices and 78 state and local task forces took part of the operation including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. In Georgia, participating agencies include:

Atlanta FBI's Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force (MATCH), Child Exploitation Task Forces (CETF) in Savannah and Augusta, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Gwinnett County PD, Alpharetta PD, Marietta PD, Dunwoody PD, DeKalb County PD, Atlanta PD, Smyrna PD, Cobb County PD, Brookhaven PD, Johns Creek PD, Chatham-Savannah Counter-Narcotics Team, Pooler PD, Savannah Chatham Metro PD, Richmond County Sheriff's Office, and Richmond County Marshals Office, Cobb County DFCS, Richmond County DFCS, iCare, Savepath Children's Advocacy and Georgia Cares

"The many men and women of law enforcement working on this operation are keenly aware of the importance of recovering these vulnerable young victims," said David J. LeValley, special agent in charge of the Atlanta FBI Field Office. “I would also like to thank all of the law enforcement agencies who participated and the various non-government agencies who provided specialized relief and services to the victims of this traumatic brand of human trafficking. Operation Cross Country is a perfect example of our commitment each and every day to the fight against child sex trafficking."

This story was originally published October 19, 2017 at 7:38 AM with the headline "FBI sex trafficking operation nets 60 arrests, four victims rescued in Georgia."