On Tuesday, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced that an investigation led by Georgia’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, which was established in 2019 under Republican Governor Brian Kemp, has resulted in the conviction of 38-year-old Mark Thomas for sex trafficking an underage victim.
“These life sentences should send a message to all those who prey on our children – you will be vigorously pursued and aggressively prosecuted,” said Carr. “We will not rest in our efforts to protect our most vulnerable Georgians, and anyone who seeks to abuse and exploit them will be met with the full force of the law. We are proud of this latest outcome, and we will keep fighting until every person who engaged in the trafficking of this young woman is put behind bars.”
As explained in a press release from Carr’s office, “On Dec. 18, 2021, a traffic stop was conducted in Cherokee County on a vehicle driven by Mark Thomas. A 16-year-old female was located in the passenger seat.”
“The 16-year-old female disclosed that she had been sold for sex by Mark Thomas for approximately three months beginning in September 2021 when she was 15 years old. Thomas drove the child to Woodstock, Georgia, to be sold to Jose Medina Dominguez and Cesar Juarez Oaxaca,” the press release added.
The investigation was done by the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s (GBI) Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta Field Office.
“These convictions are the result of the diligence of the GBI’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit, working alongside state and federal partners,” said GBI Director Mike Register. “Human trafficking victims deserve justice, and our agency will continue to work closely with the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit to investigate these deplorable crimes.”
“These sentences say loud and clear that predators like Thomas will be found and held accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Everyone in the community can breathe easier knowing he will no longer be able to victimize anyone, thanks to the great work by the agents, officers and law enforcement partners involved in the case.”
