Nearly 40 children were rescued in Georgia following an operation created to combat sex trafficking. On Aug. 27, WSB-TV reported that “Operation Not Forgotten” was successful in the recovery of sexually exploited kids.
The operation was headed by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Hunters and other agencies in Georgia that tracked the suspects who held the children against their will.
In all, nine people were arrested during the operation. Those who were arrested include, Moradeyo Amos Bandele, Trayon Moore, James Garcia, Faye Smith, Sally Garcia, Zachary Bailey, Stanson Causey, Kirk Waters and Trevonte Shareef.
“These missing children were considered to be some of the most at-risk and challenging recovery cases in the area, based on indications of high-risk factors such as victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and medical or mental health conditions,” authorities said in a statement. “Other children were located at the request of law enforcement to ensure their wellbeing.”
Sex trafficking remains a major issue in the state of Georgia. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Georgia ranks 7th in the nation when it comes to sex trafficking.
