Two men arrested in Peach County on child trafficking charges
Two men were arrested in Peach County by Attorney General Chris Carr’s Human Prosecution Unit on child trafficking charges, his office announced Monday.
Virgilio Gabriel Vasquez, 38, and Napoleon Hernandez Gomez, 38, were arrested on Sept. 26 in their residence in Fort Valley on the allegation they trafficked a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl from Peach County, Carr said. Vasquez had allegedly “arranged for the child to perform commercial sex acts with Gomez in exchange for money,” according to Carr. Both suspects were from Guatemala, Carr’s office said.
“Our message is clear,” Carr said. “If you abuse or exploit a child in this state, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
Vasquez faces two counts of trafficking persons for sexual servitude for allegedly benefitting financially and providing a minor for the purpose of sexual servitude. Gomez faces one count of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude for soliciting, one count of rape and one count of child molestation, according to Carr.
The suspects were detained with the help of the Fort Valley Police Department, the Peach County Sheriff’s Office, the Byron Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Carr’s office said.
