Woman indicted in DeKalb County for human trafficking, sexual exploitation of children

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia Attorney General’s Office announced a Clayton County woman was indicted in DeKalb County for multiple charges related to human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children.

According to the AG’s office, 37-year-old Virginia Anne Bates was indicted in DeKalb County after the office’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit recovered a 16-year-old girl in March 2023.

The unit investigated Bates, who was accused of knowingly harboring the girl and another woman to provide them to “sex buyers in DeKalb County,” and receiving portions of money earned by both victims for performing commercial sex acts, according to officials.

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Bates was taken into custody on March 25, the AG’s office said.

“As we have said since the beginning – those involved in the sex trafficking of a child will be held accountable,” Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said in a statement. “Our investigators and analysts work each day to identify and locate victims and offenders throughout our state, and this is another example of the results we’re able to achieve thanks to their efforts. We will never stop fighting to protect our most vulnerable Georgians.”

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Now, Bates faces eight charges related to the case, including:

• 4 counts of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude
• 1 count of Sexual Exploitation of Children
• 3 counts of Pimping

A DeKalb County Grand Jury indicted Bates on May 29.

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