Gwinnett Woman Busted in Human Trafficking Operation

By KRISTAL DIXON (Patch Staff)

Officials from the FBI, in conjunction with its many and varied law enforcement and non-government agency partners, announced on Tuesday that more than 100 underage trafficking victims were rescued in a national human trafficking operation conducted throughout the country.

Along with last week’s operation, 153 pimps were also arrested as part of Operation Cross Country IX. The initiative is a national effort spearheaded by the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, along with state and local law enforcement partners across the country.

One of the people arrested is listed as a Gwinnett County resident in arrest records.

Amanda McConnell, 39, was one of two people arrested by the Alpharetta Police Department and charged with state-related sex trafficking charges. She was listed as a Peachtree Corners resident by police.

Now in its ninth year, the operation “targets criminal enterprises responsible for the commercial sex trafficking of children,” the FBI said.

The youngest victim in this year’s operation was 12 years old. Of the 149 victims recovered, three of those minors were transgender and three were males.

During the operation, 90 victim specialists provided on-scene direct services to the victims of sex trafficking while 105 child victims received on-site direct services, which may have included crisis intervention and resources for necessities such as medical, food, clothing and shelter.

Due to the size of the operation, FBI victim specialists coordinated with local law enforcement victim advocates and non-governmental organizations who provided additional support to the victims.

In Georgia, seven child victims were recovered and nine people were arrested on charges related to pimping as part of the national effort.

Arrested and charged with state-related sex trafficking charges are:

• Amanda McConnell, 39, arresting agency: Alpharetta Police Department
• Kevin Lashawn Adams, 37, of Atlanta, arresting agency: Dekalb County Police Department
• Hadrian Crichlow, 34, arresting agency: Dekalb police
• Shannon Mussa, 24, arresting agency: Alpharetta police
• Latoya Tamara Taylor, 33, of Cleveland, Ohio, arresting agency: Cobb County Police Department
• Sharnece Joyner, 24, arresting agency: Marietta Police Department
• Kelvin Howard, 60, of Decatur, arresting agency: Clayton County Police Department
• Christopher J. Pudwill, 30, of Kathleen, arresting agency: Perry Police Department
• Billy Dewayne Denson, 40, of Warner Robins, arresting agency: Perry police

The Alpharetta Department of Public Safety’s weekly arrest report shows McConnell residing in the Peachtree Corners area and Mussa living in Sandy Springs.

Operation Cross Country IX is the largest in the nine-year history of the initiative, with 53 FBI field offices and 73 Child Exploitation Task Forces, which include federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, taking part in the operation in 135 cities across America, including Georgia.

Nationwide, more than 500 law enforcement officials, including investigators and officers from federal, state and local law enforcement organizations, conducted both “in-call” and “out-call” operations in hotels, casinos, truck stops and in other areas known to be frequented by both prostitutes, sex-traffickers and their customers.

“The FBI and its many task force partners are committed to not only providing significant investigative assets but also leadership toward the overall law enforcement effort in identifying and apprehending those who would exploit our nation’s youth while also making every effort to recover and assist those youths being exploited,” J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office said. “This year’s effort by all of those agencies involved, both law enforcement and otherwise, is a testament to that commitment.”

Operation Cross Country is part of the FBI’s Innocence Lost national initiative, which began in 2003. Since its inception, more than 4,800 children have been recovered from underage prostitution and prosecutors have obtained more than 2,000 convictions, including at least 15 that have resulted in life sentences.

For additional information on Operation Cross Country IX, and the Innocence Lost initiative, visit www.fbi.gov.

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