U.S. Marshals say that they, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and law enforcement agencies in Georgia found a total of 39 missing “endangered” children over the course of a two-week operation in Atlanta and Macon. Twenty-six of the children were described as being rescued, while the remaining 13 were reportedly found safe thanks to “Operation Not Forgotten.”
“The U.S. Marshals Service is fully committed to assisting federal, state, and local agencies with locating and recovering endangered missing children, in addition to their primary fugitive apprehension mission,” said Director of the Marshals Service Donald Washington in a press statement. “The message to missing children and their families is that we will never stop looking for you.”
Officials said that they arrested “nine criminal associates” in the operation. From the press statement:
Additionally, investigators cleared 26 arrest warrants and filed additional charges for alleged crimes related to sex trafficking, parental kidnapping, registered sex offender violations, drugs and weapons possession, and custodial interference. The 26 warrants cleared included 19 arrest warrants for a total of nine individuals arrested, some of whom had multiple warrants.
The nine arrested were identified in a WSB-TV report:
Zachary Bailey: for alleged human trafficking, enticing of a minor for indecent purposes, and enticement of a minor for solicitation.
Moradeyo Amos Bandele: for an alleged rape.
Stanson Causey: He was described as a registered sex offender on an alleged probation violation.
James Garcia: aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, and incest with a minor.
Sally Garcia: Interference with child custody.
Trayon Moore: alleged sex trafficking and probation violation warrants.
Faye Smith: alleged probation violation.
Kirk Waters: Charged as a felon in possession of a firearm.
Trevonte Shareef: alleged interference with custody and obstruction.
Four defendants–Bandele, James Garcia, Sally Garcia, and Faye Smith–were arrested in Florida. The other five were arrested in Georgia.
[Image via U.S. Marshals]
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