Almost two years after an underage victim was rescued, 10 people charged with human trafficking have been indicted by a Fulton County grand jury, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr’s office announced Thursday.
Among the 10, Steven Stone was indicted on three counts of human trafficking after he kept, transported and financially benefited from the sexual servitude of the minor, Carr said. The other nine defendants were indicted on charges of trafficking by solicitation Jan. 13.
“With each indictment and arrest, a criminal is removed from our streets and victims are freed from being enslaved in a life of servitude,” Gov. Brian Kemp said.
The indictments stem from “Operation Not Forgotten 2020,” during which 26 children were rescued, 13 were safely located and nine people were arrested. During the operation, the underage victim involved in the indictment was rescued.
The missing children were considered to be some of the most at-risk and challenging recovery cases in the area based on victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse and health conditions, Carr said at the time. Other children were located at the request of law enforcement to ensure their wellbeing.