Executive Summary
- A months-long undercover sting in Georgia called “Operation Raydiant Shadows” resulted in 12 arrests for offenses including pandering and drug possession.
- The operation was a multi-agency effort involving the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), local police, and Homeland Security Investigations.
- Authorities made contact with six commercial sex workers who were offered victim advocacy services.
- The investigation is ongoing, and officials state that further charges and arrests are possible.
A multi-agency undercover operation targeting sex trafficking in Georgia has resulted in the arrest of 12 individuals, authorities announced Monday. The months-long sting, dubbed “Operation Raydiant Shadows,” was coordinated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit and aimed to reduce the demand for commercial sex while identifying traffickers.
The operation involved collaboration between the GBI, the Albany-Dougherty Special Investigations Unit, the Albany Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Georgia State Patrol. According to investigators, the arrested individuals, who range in age from 17 to 58, traveled from across the region with the intent to either buy or sell sex.
In addition to the arrests, law enforcement officials made contact with six commercial sex workers who were met by victim advocates and offered support services. The primary charge for most of the suspects was pandering.
Charges and Arrests
Eleven individuals were charged with pandering: Don Hill, 46; Alan Adkins, 28; William Price, 58; Michael Saxton Evans, 43; Paige Thomas, 40 (also charged with obstruction); Daniel Alexander Chilel-Garcia, 17; Malik Yoba Lawrence, 26; Brandon Denard Mitchell, 41 (also charged with possession of cocaine); Mason Conley, 32; Malcolm Jefferson, 40; and Patrick Kelly Bushman, 52. An additional individual, Kyle Pack, 37, was charged with possession of drugs and outstanding warrants.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have indicated that additional charges and arrests may be forthcoming. Officials encourage anyone with information to contact the GBI’s HEAT Unit at 404-270-8433 or report suspected human trafficking to Georgia’s statewide hotline. It is important to note that all individuals named are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.