The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has taken into custody Reed Skelton, a 26-year-old from Hart County, on charges related to human trafficking, specifically, "Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude." The arrest follows an inquiry into a case that originated in Fulton County, Georgia, where Skelton is alleged to have engaged with a minor via social media platforms, as reported by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's official release.
Some time in the fall of 2024, it was discovered that Skelton communicated with and then traveled to Fulton County with the aim to meet with the underage individual and, after moving the minor to a hotel in the area, paid for sexual acts which led to his arrest in Hall County where he now resides in jail. The GBI HEAT Unit, alongside multiple law enforcement agencies such as the Hart County Sheriff's Office, the Hall County Sheriff's Office, the Gainesville Police Department, and several others, worked in cooperation to bring the case to this point but the investigation remains open and active, with officials urging anyone with information to contact the GBI.
The multitudinous presence of law enforcement working in unison illustrates the gravity with which Georgia treats crimes of this nature; the Cobb County Police Department, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia State Patrol, and the Georgia Attorney General’s Office have all also contributed to the ongoing efforts. The GBI has made it clear that their HEAT Unit is committed to aggressively tackling human trafficking across Georgia, emphasizing the seriousness of such offenses and the focus on bringing justice for the victims.
While the exact details of the investigation have not been released, Skelton’s case will be transferred to the Georgia Attorney General’s Office for prosecution upon completion the collaborative effort exhibited by the state and local agencies in such cases underlines the interconnected approach deemed necessary in confronting and dismantling networks and individual acts of human trafficking. The GBI has provided a hotline at 404-270-8433 for any information related to the case and accepts anonymous tips through their website and the See Something, Send Something mobile app, which further extends opportunities for public involvement in aiding these investigations.
