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Georgia woman sentenced for trafficking missing teen

LEGAL NEWSLINE

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Georgia woman sentenced for trafficking missing teen

State Supreme Court
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Attorney General Chris Carr | Ballotpedia

Attorney General Chris Carr announced the conviction and sentencing of Natasha Bridges, 35, from Jonesboro, for trafficking a 17-year-old female in Fulton County. The victim, missing from Kansas City, Missouri, was found in a Fulton County hotel during a multi-agency operation in 2020. Bridges facilitated commercial sex acts involving the victim and financially benefited from these activities.

The Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has now prosecuted 12 individuals linked to this case. “When we created Georgia’s first statewide Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, we promised to go after anyone involved in the trafficking of a child, and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” said Carr. “We have convicted 12 traffickers in this case so far, but our work doesn’t stop here. We’re committed to securing maximum justice for the victim, and we will continue fighting to combat human trafficking in every corner of our state.”

Assistant Attorney General Kaitlyn (Fain) Salinas prosecuted the case with Chief Investigator Bryan Kimbell and Analyst Tish Murray leading the investigation.

On October 3, 2024, Bridges pleaded guilty to two counts of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude under O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c). A Fulton County Superior Court Judge sentenced her to 25 years; seven years will be served in prison with the remainder on strict probation. She must also register as a sex offender.

In 2020, Chief Human Trafficking Investigator Bryan Kimbell took part in "Operation Not Forgotten," aimed at recovering critically endangered missing children across Georgia. This operation led to locating the underage victim at a hotel in Fulton County.

The extensive investigation by the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit identified multiple individuals involved in her trafficking. Among those previously convicted is Denorris Hutchinson, who received a 40-year sentence in July 2024 along with ten other men prosecuted by December 2023.

Additionally, Terry Florence is being prosecuted by Carr's unit in DeKalb County for allegedly trafficking this same victim and two other women.

The Attorney General's Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit was established in 2019 with support from Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp among others. Since its creation, it has secured convictions against numerous offenders while rescuing nearly 200 children.

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