Executive Summary
- Gwinnett County Police rescued a trafficking victim from the Constellation Park Apartments near Duluth.
- Suspect Changze Li, 28, was arrested and charged with felony human trafficking.
- Arrest warrants allege Li used a gun to coerce the victim and prevent her from leaving the apartment.
- The suspect had been released on bond for a misdemeanor pimping charge in January prior to this arrest.
- Advocacy groups are citing the case to urge Georgia lawmakers to increase penalties for pimping offenses.
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Authorities in Gwinnett County have arrested a 28-year-old man on felony human trafficking charges following the rescue of a female victim from a luxury apartment complex near Duluth. According to Gwinnett County Police, the operation took place on Monday at the Constellation Park Apartments on Satellite Boulevard.
Police identified the suspect as Changze Li. Investigators allege that Li rented a unit at the complex specifically to traffic the victim. According to arrest warrants, Li allegedly flashed a firearm at the woman whenever she attempted to leave the premises and forced her to engage in sexual acts with buyers for money.
Camila Zolfaghari, a representative for the advocacy organization Street Grace, told Channel 2 Action News that traffickers often select locations strategically to maximize profit. Zolfaghari noted that offenders may rent upscale properties to charge higher rates, emphasizing that “trafficking happens everywhere.”
Records indicate that Li was previously arrested in late January on a charge of misdemeanor pimping in a separate case but was released on bond. Following this week’s operation, he faces a felony human trafficking charge and is currently being held without bond.
The arrest coincides with efforts by advocacy groups to strengthen Georgia’s laws regarding commercial sexual exploitation. Street Grace representatives reportedly met with state lawmakers earlier this week to push for pimping and pandering to be classified as felonies rather than misdemeanors for first-time offenders.
Legislative and Judicial Context
This case underscores the critical disparity between misdemeanor pimping statutes and felony trafficking charges within the Georgia legal system. While the suspect was previously released on a misdemeanor bond, the elevation to felony charges in this instance reflects the presence of aggravating factors, specifically alleged coercion and confinement. The incident is likely to serve as a focal point for current legislative debates aiming to reclassify pimping as a serious crime, aligning penal codes closer to the severity of buying and selling individuals.
It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
