Georgia Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit expands to Macon
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced on Thursday that his Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit will expand to Macon and Augusta.
Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit will receive $187,036 on April 1 to expand to Macon and Augusta and to fill in six positions for prosecutors and investigators, according to the amended budget for the 2025 fiscal year signed by Gov. Brian Kemp. It was passed by the General Assembly on Thursday.
“From successful prosecutions to life-saving recoveries, we have created an environment in Georgia where traffickers live in fear and victims know that help is on the way,” Carr said. “Together, we will continue to send a strong message that Georgia’s children are not for sale.”
By the following year, the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit’s funds will increase to $748,143 in order to annualize six positions, according to the budget for the 2026 fiscal year.
The unit’s investigation led to a recent indictment of three people for allegedly trafficking a 13-year-old girl from Houston County, with a grand jury returning an indictment for Emma-Lee Garcia, Noe Borromeo Hernandez and Brian Smith on sex trafficking charges.
The Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit began after “the child disclosed that she was sold for sex in Warner Robins,” Carr said.
Garcia faces five counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude; Hernandez faces one count of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, one count of statutory rape and two counts of child molestation; and Smith faces two counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, one count of statutory rape and one count of child molestation, Carr said.
Their cases are ongoing.
Thirteen are arrested in Macon on sex trafficking charges
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation led an investigation called Operation Macon Plays last year. It targeted sex traffickers and commercial sex buyers in Bibb County and led to 13 arrests.
The Georgia Bureau of I,nvestigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia State Patrol arrested:
- Georgia Marie Emmons, 37, of Americus. She was charged with pimping and providing false identification to law enforcement. Emmons also had two unrelated outstanding warrants, according to the GBI.
- Darrell Lee Gillis, 33, of Macon. He was charged with pimping.
- Anthony Ramond Bowens, 27, of Macon. He was charged with prostitution and violating parole.
- Suhntain Naurice Griffin, 45, of Macon. He was charged with providing false identification to law enforcement.
- Bobby Darien Harden, Jr., 33, of Macon. Although related to the investigation, Harden was arrested on an unrelated outstanding warrant.
- Thomesha Armstrong, 33, of Macon. She was charged with possessing marijuana, cocaine and a controlled substance.
They also arrested Johntaz Bryant, 37, of Macon; Torri Vontrea Walton, 37, of Macon; Clinton Cardiable Harris, 54, of Columbus; Cecilio Gabriel Lopez Hernandez, 34, of Macon; Jose Alfredo Cruiz, 32, of Blackshear; Loc Tan Nguyen, 49, of Macon; and Mark Alan Gunter, 61, of Rincon. They all allegedly traveled with the intent to purchase sex and were arrested and charged with pandering.
The 13 had no indictments on these charges as of Thursday, March 6.
