ATLANTA — Eight men were recently sentenced to prison for their involvement in the trafficking of a teen girl just three years after she was rescued, according to the Georgia attorney general.
The 17-year-old girl was rescued during "Operation Not Forgotten" in 2020 where 39 missing endangered children were found.
“Since then, our team has continued to pour over every lead in an effort to identify anyone who engaged in the trafficking of this 17-year-old female. We are committed to ensuring both buyers and sellers are held accountable, and that is exactly what we have accomplished," said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr.
Multiple agencies were involved in the operation three years ago, including the U.S. Marshals Service.
"No matter how long it takes, law enforcement will find and rescue these victims— they will never be forgotten,” said Chief Deputy United States Marshal J.B. Stevens.
Earlier this month, six men were sentenced in connection to the case. Each of them were sentenced between 10 and 25 years of probation with time served in prison.
Mintaka Bey, Steven Stone, Undra Henderson, Alif Morgan, Daniel Callaway and Warren Watts are also required to register as sex offenders.
Stone pleaded guilty to three counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, the office said.
The rest of them each pleaded guilty to one count of pandering a person under the age of 18.
Last month, 27-year-olds Tony Turner and Kerry Barnett also pleaded guilty to the same charge.
Turner and Barnett were sentenced to 10 years of probation. Turner will spend three years in prison and Barnett will spend 18 months in prison.
Originally, 10 men, including those who were recently sentenced, were indicted in this case at the beginning of last year.
One of them, 39-year-old Shane Bean, was sentenced to prison last December after he pleaded guilty to the charge of pandering a person under the age of 18.
Bean is also required to register as a sex offender, according to the state office.
After Thursday's announcement of the eight new pleas and Bean's prior plea, only one man is left to convict.
