AUGUSTA, Ga. - Georgia officials charged a Hephzibah man Tuesday following a multi-agency investigation into the sexual exploitation and trafficking of a missing 16-year-old girl in Richmond County.
What we know:
A Richmond County grand jury indicted 34-year-old William Wyche on Tuesday on multiple felony counts, according to the Georgia Attorney General's Office. Prosecutors allege Wyche harbored, transported and solicited the missing teen girl for sexual servitude, while also creating sexually explicit material depicting the child.
Law enforcement officers took Wyche into custody on July 22. He faces two counts of trafficking for sexual servitude by soliciting a minor, two counts by harboring a minor, one count by transporting a minor, two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released details regarding where or when the 16-year-old girl originally went missing.
State officials stated that no further information about the ongoing investigation or trial proceedings can be shared at this time.
The backstory:
The victim was recovered through a joint operation involving the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Additional assistance was provided by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Gwinnett County Police Department, Georgia Department of Human Services, U.S. Secret Service, and U.S. Marshals Service.
What they're saying:
Attorney General Chris Carr expanded the statewide Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit to the Augusta region last year to target local exploitation. Since its creation in 2019, the specialized unit has rescued more than 200 children and secured over 70 criminal convictions across Georgia.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, who detailed the charges in a official news release, as well as statements provided by Richmond County Sheriff Eugene Brantley, Columbia County Sheriff Clay Whittle, and GBI Director Chris Hosey.