Executive Summary
- Three suspects were indicted in Columbia County for trafficking minors in two separate cases.
- Sean Feutral faces charges for allegedly purchasing and transporting a missing 16-year-old.
- Monica Daughtery and Keshawn Bennett are charged with harboring and selling a missing 16-year-old.
- Both victims were recovered by the AG’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and partner agencies.
Three individuals have been indicted in Columbia County, Georgia, on charges related to two separate human trafficking cases involving underage females, following investigations by the Georgia Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. Attorney General Chris Carr announced on Monday that the defendants include two alleged sellers and one alleged buyer, with both cases involving victims who were 16 years old at the time and had been reported missing prior to their recovery by law enforcement.
In the first case, a Columbia County Grand Jury returned an indictment on December 18, 2025, against Sean Feutral, 29, of Grovetown. According to the Attorney General’s Office, Feutral is charged with three counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude. Prosecutors allege that Feutral purchased and transported a 16-year-old female to his residence for the purpose of commercial sex. The victim had been reported missing from Richmond County and was located by authorities in September 2025. The investigation involved cooperation between the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Grovetown Police Department, and out-of-state agencies including the San Diego Police Department.
The second indictment charges Monica Daughtery, 41, and Keshawn Bennett, 19, both of Augusta, with trafficking offenses. Officials state that the pair financially benefitted from the sale of a 16-year-old girl who had been reported missing from Clayton County. The victim was recovered in October 2025. Investigators allege that Daughtery and Bennett harbored the minor at various local hotels to facilitate commercial sexual exploitation. Daughtery faces five counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, alongside traffic violations, while Bennett is charged with five counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude.
Attorney General Carr emphasized the state’s commitment to eradicating such crimes. “With each new case, we’re sending a message that human trafficking won’t be tolerated anywhere in this state, and both buyers and sellers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Carr said in a statement regarding the indictments.
Prosecutorial Strategy & Legal Implications
These indictments highlight the operational reach of the Georgia Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, particularly its expansion into the Augusta region. The successful coordination between local law enforcement in Georgia and agencies as far away as California and South Carolina demonstrates a robust, multi-jurisdictional approach to locating missing minors and building criminal cases against alleged traffickers. As these cases proceed to trial, they serve as a significant indicator of the state’s intent to apply strict scrutiny to both the supply and demand sides of human trafficking networks. It is important to note that an indictment is merely a formal accusation, and all individuals named in this report are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
