Man held woman at motel for 5 months, trafficked her for sex, police say

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A motel in Cobb County is under investigation after police say a man held a woman against her will there for five months and trafficked her for sex.

Police told Channel 2's Chris Jose that the woman was abused and sexually assaulted at the Knight's Inn on Blair Ridge Road in Austell.

According to the arrest warrant, Brian Brown-Tate held the woman captive between March and September. She told police at least 15 different men paid for sex with her.

She said if she didn't follow Brown-Tate's orders, he threatened physical violence.

Police said Brown-Tate also beat the woman and sexually assaulted her. They arrested him last Thursday near the motel.

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Jose talked to the owner of the motel, who said that he had no idea the woman was in danger.​​​​​​ Mike Patel later sent Jose an email, saying, in part:

"He had only been staying here for five nights, not five months. This is the first I've heard about this. Not even the police have contacted me. I was unaware of what was going on. I'm very sorry."

Jose talked to Steve Holt-Hammett, who lives near the hotel.

"To know it's in this area, I'm terrified," Holt-Hammett said. "I  feel for her.That's very frightening. That's a long-term abuse that happened to you. You're not going to live a normal life."

Brown-Tate is now at the Cobb County Jail with no bail. He's been charged with numerous felonies including sex trafficking, rape and false imprisonment.

Federal lawsuits filed recently allege that some metro Atlanta motels are turning a blind eye to sex trafficking. Investigators are using Georgia's public nuisance law to curb the problem at hotels.

If hotel owners don't comply, they could be sued.

Cox Media Group