Four males who detectives believe to be involved in sexually trafficking at least one teenage girl in Fulton and DeKalb counties have been apprehended. A manhunt is on for a fifth suspect. Numerous sex trafficking accusations are being brought against Albert Wells, Eugene Talmes Smith, Taalib Blount, and Levi Sears. If you know where Harold Poole, the fifth suspect, is, police kindly ask you to phone 911.
At a news conference held in Fulton County on Friday, the Special Victims Unit of the Atlanta Police Department reported that on February 29, a 911 call was received regarding a missing 15-year-old girl. When police got at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, they found out she had been reported missing in December 2023.
APD Special Victims Unit investigator Tracy Lewis stated, “She actually went to a place of refuge and the place that she went to seek refuge from was actually very nice to her and actually called 911 for her.”
During their questioning, the teenager gave police the names of the other suspects and named Albert Wells as her trafficker. After learning that everything began in DeKalb County, the girl was flown to Atlanta. Police said a forensic investigator who heard her account noticed parallels between this case and one the investigator had previously worked on.
The investigator linked investigators in both cases, enabling police to uncover three more female victims in Fulton and DeKalb counties who they suspect were also trafficked by Wells. The victims were between the ages of 14 and 16. While they have identified these teenagers, investigators stated during the press conference that they have not yet conducted interviews with them.
“You entice them in with freedom so they can hang out and party with you. Many times, subjects who want to be their boyfriends start out being sweet and buying them things that indicate their love and affection, but then they suddenly have to start demonstrating their love,” said Lewis.
These males had never before come up on APD’s radar, according to investigators. Moreover, not one of these males lives in Atlanta. Investigators do suspect a victim was trafficked out of Smith’s apartment in Atlanta, but Smith was eventually evicted, according to authorities.
She recalled such things as tag numbers. And she kind of attempted to remember things because she watches crime shows, as she told us,”Added Lewis. No city or county is home to all traffickers. Indeed, in an attempt to elude detection, they frequently relocate their victims,” stated DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office Casey Benton.
Lewis said social media recruiting for sex trafficking is a major issue, even if investigators did not disclose how the woman in this case vanished. She said that traffickers frequently use partying or attempting to become a teenager’s significant partner to entice them in with freedom and excitement. Lewis stated, “It’s always different on how they’re being recruited.”
Lewis also gave the adolescent victim in this situation praise. She said the girl sought sanctuary at a location where someone “was nice to her” and dialed 911 on her behalf. According to Lewis, the victim was quite aware of what was happening and took care to recall details, including tag numbers. Lewis noted that part of the victim’s alertness is her passion of crime programs. Her future is bright. We merely hope that this won’t affect her,” Lewis remarked.
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Among the seven counts against Wells are rape, luring a youngster for immoral reasons, and trafficking a person for sexual servitude. Rape and child molestation are the two charges against Sears. Smith is accused of four counts, including kidnapping, rape, and human trafficking for sexual servitude. Among the seven accusations Blount is facing are aggravated assault, rape, and aggravated child molestation.