6 arrested in juvenile trafficking investigation at Roswell hotel, police say
Child sex trafficking ring busted in Roswell
After two girls were reportedly sex trafficked for days in Roswell, six men were arrested and are now facing dozens of charges.
ROSWELL, Ga. - Officers have arrested six men accused of trafficking two girls and keeping them for days at a Roswell hotel.
Investigators say the victims were both under the age of 16.
What we know:
Authorities tell FOX 5 their investigation began on the morning of March 16, when a caller reported seeing a young girl knocking on car windows and asking for a ride.
When officers arrived, they found the girl and her sister. Both had been reported missing from Paulding County.
According to investigators, the two girls had been talking to adult men through Snapchat. The day they went missing, one of those men reportedly picked them up and abandoned them in a parking lot in Douglasville.
It was then that police say the girls talked with 24-year-old David Rivera, who called an Uber to take them to the Economy Hotel on Old Dogwood Road, Authorities say Rivera brought them to the hotel to sexually abuse them and left them there without resources.
Over the next few days, officials say adults at the hotel gave the girls drugs and alcohol and sexually abused them. Some of those adults were employees at the business.
"Each adult they met had the opportunity to intervene by contacting authorities, but instead only furthered their victimization," the Roswell Police Department said in a release.
During their investigation, authorities say they identified six suspects. The men are facing a total of 51 criminal charges.
Dig deeper:
The list of men arrested and their charges are below:
David Rivera, age 24
- Human Trafficking (x2)
- Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (x2)
- Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes (x2)
- False Statements
Roy Daniel, age 47
- Human Trafficking (x2)
- Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes (x2)
- Sodomy (x2)
- Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (x2)
- Aggravated Sexual Battery
- Sexual Battery
- Child Molestation
- Statutory Rape
Terrance Parker, age 30
- Child Molestation
- Sexual Battery (x2)
- Statutory Rape
- Sodomy
Kyare Griffin, age 31
- Human Trafficking (x2)
- Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes (x4)
- Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (x2)
- Child Molestation
- Statutory Rape
Stephon Abercrombie, age 34
- Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (x2)
Ridomar Vieira, age 39
- Human Trafficking (x2)
- Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes (x2)
- Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (x9)
- Child Molestation (x2)
What they're saying:
"This case is as heartbreaking as it is infuriating. Two young girls—children—were targeted, exploited, and failed by multiple adults who had every chance to protect them but chose not to," said Mayor Kurt Wilson.
"There is a pervasive misunderstanding about what human trafficking tends to look like in the real world," explained Roswell Officer Tim Lupo. "It is very rarely that stranger in a van snatching someone out of a parking lot but much more commonly what we see in situations like this where someone identifies a vulnerable person, gains their trust, and then utilizes that trust to exploit and abuse them."
"Thanks to the courage of a concerned citizen and the swift response of Roswell Police, these girls were found and are receiving support and resources for their recovery—and those responsible are being brought to justice," the mayor continued.
Officials say parents should be careful about their children's use of social media, saying that platforms like Snapchat can be exploited by predators.
"We encourage open conversations about online safety, monitoring digital interactions, and teaching children to recognize warning signs of exploitation," said Chief of Police James Conroy. "By fostering awareness and proactive measures, we can help protect our youth from becoming victims of trafficking and ensure a safer community for all."
What's next:
Authorities say the two victims have been connected with resources to help with their recovery.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials say additional arrests may be forthcoming.
What you can do:
If you have any information that could help with the investigation, call the Roswell Police Department at (770) 640-4100 or Crime Stoppers Atlanta at (404) 577-8477.
The Source: Information for this story came from a release by the Roswell Police Department.