DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — An assistant football coach at St. Pius X Catholic High School in Chamblee is among 17 people rounded up in an undercover investigation into the commercial sex trade last week.
“Unfortunately, in this day and age the internet is rife with commercial sex websites where you can do on and basically order somebody to commit sexual acts for your money,” GBI Special Agent in Charge Ryan Hilton told Channel 2′s Tom Regan.
Hilton says the GBI teamed up with local police for “Operation Wrong Room.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
They posted an ad on a commercial sex website.
Investigators say Larry Bruce Moyer, a Duluth resident and assistant coach at the high school, agreed to meet with whom he thought was a prostitute at a Chamblee motel last Wednesday.
“There is the solicitation right there, and you come to a place for the purpose of fulfilling that sex act for a price. That is where he was arrested,” said Hilton.
Moyer is charged with pandering, a misdemeanor. That was the charge facing most of those taken into custody after arriving at the motel. Two were charged with pimping.
“When we call in girls or women who may be potential victims of human trafficking, sometimes their pimp will show up. Under Georgia law, if you transport someone to a certain location for an act of prostitution, you are guilty of pimping,” said Hilton.
Hilton, who is Special Agent in Charge of the Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit at the GBI, says during their operation they also aided 15 potential victims of human trafficking to get out of the commercial sex trade.
“When they arrive at our operational area, we divert them to resources, counseling, housing, and other services,” said Hilton.
Hilton said law enforcement also seized over $255,000 from suspected traffickers during two residential search warrants in Georgia.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Student given Narcan after medical emergency at Dunwoody High School, principal says
- Nearly 50 arrested after 9 month Gwinnett investigation linked to Surenos street gang
- Brother of Delta worker killed by exploding tire says family trying to wake up ‘from this nightmare’
Moyer was released from jail on Aug. 24, according to jail records.
Channel 2 Action News reached out to the school for comment on the coach’s arrest.
A representative said he was placed on administrative leave.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
IN OTHER NEWS:
This browser does not support the video element.