Seventeen people have been arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in what the agency says is a proactive multijurisdictional effort to combat human trafficking in Georgia.
The GBI charged 17 people in Operation “Wrong Room,” which coincided with Operation “Coast to Coast”.
On August 22, 2024, law enforcement and service providers from across the United States came together to conduct a multi-state human trafficking operation. This operation named “Coast to Coast” was a grassroots effort involving 26 states with the common goals of identifying trafficking victims, offering these victims much needed services, arresting traffickers and making our communities safer.
In Operation “Wrong Room” alone, authorities contacted 15 adults and offered services including food, lodging, medical services, drug rehabilitation, counseling/therapy and childcare. Law enforcement seized over $255,000 from suspected traffickers during 2 residential search warrants served in Georgia.
The following people were arrested:
- Siow Ding Chan, age 57, of Alpharetta, GA, charged with Pandering
- Idelbrando Jose Vargas Ballestero, age 34 of Grayson GA, charged with Pandering
- Larry Bruce Moyer, age 41, of Duluth, GA, charged with Pandering
- Roberto Martinez, age 29, of Willacoochee, GA charged with Pandering
- Stewart Notice Jr., age 27, of Fayetteville, GA, charged with Pimping
- Joe Anthony Obboye, age 25, of Duluth, GA, charged with Pandering
- Carlos Anaya Carrasco, age 30, of Atlanta, GA, charged with Pandering
- Daniel Strycek, age 25, of Las Vegas, NV, charged with Pandering
- Melissa AnnMarie Stombaugh, age 32, of Akron, OH, charged with Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act
- Ashley Alexander, age 35, of Winston, GA, charged with Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act
- Lindsay Roberts, age 25, of Midway, GA, charged with Pimping and Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act
- Thomas Piper, age 56, of Woodstock, GA, charged with Pimping
- Brendan Ahn, age 35, of Alpharetta, GA, charged with Pandering
- Christopher Horne, age 35, of Decatur, GA, charged with Pimping
- Jeffrey Li, age 28, of Lawrenceville, GA, charged with Pandering
- Marco Gamboa Lopez, age 39, of Tucker, GA, charged with Pandering
- Justin Sanders, age 23, of Decatur, GA, charged with Pandering
They were booked into the Dekalb County Jail.
The GBI partnered with the Chamblee Police Department, the DeKalb County DA’s Office, the Gwinnett County Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council during Operation “Wrong Room.”
During operation “Coast to Coast,” authorities contacted 94 adults and 1 minor and offered services including food, lodging, medical services, drug rehabilitation, counseling/therapy and childcare. A child under the age of 1 was taken into protective custody before being turned over to state social services. Authorities contacted 39 adults and detained them as part of the operation.
Law enforcement agencies and service providers from Maine, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, Minnesota, New Mexico, California, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Illinois were involved. Private organizations also assisted including the Human Trafficking Training Center, Safe House Project, and Nurses Against Trafficking.
Because of the ongoing investigation, no additional details are being released.
Human trafficking remains a serious issue across the United States, and agencies nationwide are working diligently to reduce its devastating impact. If you suspect human trafficking in your area, please call 911 or the Georgia Human Trafficking hotline at 1-866-ENDHTGA (1-866-363-4842). Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
For more information on Operation “Coast to Coast” from a national perspective please contact Dan Nash –[email protected].
