FBI announces prostitution sting and sexual exploitation arrests in Atlanta and other cities
The FBI and other law enforcement agencies conducted numerous underage sex stings in the Atlanta metro area over the past three days. In total, the operation has resulted in 35 arrests in the Atlanta area.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution has the story.
The Atlanta stings were part of a national operation known as Operation Cross County IV which targeted child prostitution. Across the nation, more than 700 people were arrested after agents focused primarily on websites, truck stops and casinos. In Atlanta, officers say they arrested six pimps, three johns and 26 prostitution suspects. Agents also say they rescued two juveniles.
Those arrested could face many different types of charges under state and federal laws including child trafficking, sexual exploitation of a child, child pornography, child molestation and solicitation. These crimes carry harsh penalties, and in many cases, also force the offender to register as sex offender. For instance, Georgia law defines the mere possession of an image of a minor engaged in sexual behavior as sexual exploitation of a child, and a conviction can result in a five to 20 year prison sentence. Similarly, under federal law, the charge of child pornography can result in a sentence of 10 years, and if the image was distributed in some manner, the sentence can increase to 20 years.
Pate & Brody is an accomplished Georgia law firm with offices in Atlanta, Macon and Madison. Our lawyers are dedicated to pursuing justice for people charged with serious crimes. We have successfully represented clients facing serious federal criminal charges and state criminal charges in courts across Georgia. Our lawyers have been recognized on the list of Georgia's "Super Lawyers", and included among Georgia's "Legal Elite" by Georgia Trend Magazine. Page Pate was recently the Chairman of the Criminal Law Section of the Atlanta Bar Association.
