Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced that Emma-Lee Garcia, 25, of Warner Robins, has been convicted of trafficking a 13-year-old female in Houston County. Garcia posted online advertisements selling the child for sex, booked a hotel room in which the child was exploited, and benefited financially from the sexual servitude of the child.
“This case is a devastating reminder of the dangers facing the most vulnerable in our state and it’s why we can never stop fighting to combat human trafficking in our communities,” said Carr. “Georgia’s children are not for sale, and we’re using all available resources to protect them. This conviction is one step in our ongoing efforts, and we won’t rest until every victim is recovered and every trafficker is behind bars.”
This case was investigated by Chief Human Trafficking Investigator Bryan Kimbell and prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Maggie Meetze. Both serve in Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, which recently expanded to include one new prosecutor and two new investigators who are based in Macon and will work cases throughout the region.
Conviction and Sentencing of Emma-Lee Garcia
On May 22, 2025, Garcia pleaded guilty to five counts of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c), for the following acts that occurred in November 2020:
- Did knowingly provide a person under the age of 18 for the purpose of sexual servitude (2 counts each);
- Did knowingly benefit from the sexual servitude of a person under the age of 18 (2 counts each); and
- Did knowingly harbor a person under the age of 18 for the purpose of sexual servitude.
Garcia was sentenced to 40 years, with the first 18 years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation. The defendant is also required to register as a sex offender.
Case Summary
Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit initiated its investigation after receiving information that the child was sold for sex in Warner Robins, Georgia. On Dec. 10, 2024, an indictment was obtained in Houston County charging Garcia and two other male defendants with Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude. The male defendants, who are alleged to have purchased the victim, were additionally charged with other sexual acts committed against the child. The State’s case against these two alleged buyers remains active and ongoing.
After this initial indictment was secured, Chief Human Trafficking Investigator Bryan Kimbell continued to investigate the case and was able to identify an additional male who is also alleged to have purchased the 13-year-old for sex. On May 13, 2025, a separate indictment was returned charging this fourth individual in Houston County. This case also remains active and ongoing.
