Crime & Safety

Pre-Masters Sex Sting Nets Arrests for Sex Trafficking at Augusta

An FBI Child Exploitation Task Force targets child sex trafficking and large sporting events like the Masters Tournament. Atlanta area residents were among those arrested last weekend.

Large events like the Masters Tournament bring plenty of visitors to town, but the FBI was also out in full force over the weekend, making arrests in a sweep that targeted prostitution and child sex trafficking.

Five arrests were made in Augusta by a special task force targeting the illegal sex trade, says 11Alive.

"People come to these events to have a good time," FBI Special Agent Stephen Emmett said. "And some people's definition of a good time differs from what the law's idea of a good time is."

Find out what's happening in Loganville-Graysonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Metro Atlanta residents were among three women who were arrested. Shatika Monique Nicholson, 27, of Forest Park, Juanita Patrice Croft, 34, of Graniteville, and Ciera Alexis Capell, 26, of Aiken, were charged with disorderly conduct prostitution.

Lilburn resident Sarawin Nath Intakanok, 36, and Russell Donald Benjamin, 45, of North Augusta were charged with criminal attempt child molestation.

Find out what's happening in Loganville-Graysonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The FBI says increased activity in child exploitation and sex trafficking often happens during big sporting events.

Just last month Georgia made headlines when the author of a study of sex trafficking around the United States said metro Atlanta topped the list in part because of the many conventions and events held in the city.

The report, conducted by Washington D.C.'s Urban Institute for the U.S. Justice Department, looked at the sex trade in eight major American cities and found that Atlanta had the largest sex trade between 2003 and 2007.

According to FBI statistics, Atlanta ranks among the top 14 cities in the United States for domestic minor sex trafficking. And some 300 girls across Atlanta are lured into trafficking every month.   

Last April the Final Four Basketball Tournament was held in Atlanta. A similar task force called "Operation Intentional Foul" rescued seven underage girls who were being pimped, authorities said.

"We've seen that there's a spike in these types of activities during these special events and we're trying to work smarter and a heightened law enforcement presence is a part of that," Special Agent Emmett Said.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Loganville-Grayson