CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — A fake charity that’s been operating in Georgia for nearly four years was actually a front for a human trafficking ring, according to investigators.
On Monday, a grand jury indicted 14 people on more than 100 counts of human trafficking, racketeering, criminal street gang activity, charity fraud and money laundering.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Investigators say the Georgia Peach Youth Club of America Inc. operated in several Georgia counties from October 2017 until May 2021. It was touted as a work and recreation program for minors that claimed to be against gangs, gun violence and drugs. But according to the indictment, it was the exact opposite. Prosecutors say the group was a labor-intensive human trafficking ring that was used to fund criminal street gang activity.
The group was operated by the alleged criminal enterprise known as the Nine Trey Bloods, a subset of the United Blood Nation which is a well-known criminal street gang out of Los Angeles.
The indictment says gang members recruited children from economically disadvantaged areas of Atlanta using posters, word of mouth and a website that advertised prizes and trips for the children for selling items, such as candy.
TRENDING STORIES:
- CDC warns of rare deadly disease found in Georgia
- Second body pulled from Georgia lake during homicide investigation 2
- 2 charged with murder, child cruelty in Clayton County basketball player’s death
The group would pick the children up in vans and drive them to other areas, including Cherokee County where the group was indicted. The children would then sell the candy to collect donations for the charity outside retails stores or by going door-to-door in residential neighborhoods. Once the children collected the money, the group would keep it for its own financial gain instead of giving the children the advertised prizes, the indictment said.
Attorney General Chris Carr said he hopes this indictment serves as a warning that this will not be tolerated in Georgia.
“We will charge gang members who try to exploit our children in order to further their criminal enterprise,” Carr said. “We will not tolerate it, and we look forward to presenting our case in court.”
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said this type of criminal activity is a top priority for them.
“Top priorities for the GBI are to conduct criminal street gang, human trafficking, and crimes against children investigations,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vic Reynolds. “This case is an example of our commitment to working with the Georgia Attorney General’s Office to conduct cases that lead to successful prosecutions.”
Here’s a full list of all 14 defendants and the charges they are facing:
- JAMAINNE CHARLES HALL – Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 4 counts of Violation of Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, 5 Counts of Money Laundering, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 186 years
- MIGUEL J. BAEZ, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 4 counts of Violation of Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, 5 Counts of Money Laundering, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 186 years
- JULE W. HUSTON, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 5 Counts of Money Laundering, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 126 years
- RONALD JOHN CROWE, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 5 Counts of Money Laundering, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 126 years
- ROBERT PETER BLACKWOOD, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 4 counts of Violation of Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 161 years
- ROMAINE MATTHEW ROBERTS, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 101 years
- KAVON KEITH THOMPSON, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 101 years
- KIYA A. JEFFERSON, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 101 years
- DOMINIQUE PROVOST, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 101 years
- KIVA VIOLA CLARKE, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 101 years
- ISAIAH RUBEN CORDERO, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 101 years
- NATHAN JAMES JACKSON, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 101 years
- RAHEEM ICARUS POPLEY CARVEY, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 101 years
- AARON YUSEF ABDULLAH, - Racketeering, 4 Counts of Human Trafficking, 1 Count of Charity Fraud – 101 years
IN OTHER NEWS:
©2021 Cox Media Group
