DeKalb County

Woman pleads guilty to pimping teen girls in human trafficking operation

Woman pleads guilty to human trafficking Virginia Anne Bates, 37, of Forest Park, has pleaded guilty to human trafficking and pimping charges in DeKalb County

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A Forest Park woman has pleaded guilty to human trafficking and pimping charges in DeKalb County.

Virginia Anne Bates, 37, admitted to offering sex with a 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old girl to “sex buyers” in exchange for money.

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The conviction follows an investigation by the Georgia Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit that started in 2021.

Law enforcement said Bates would rent a hotel room for the victims and the buyers. Bates assisted in taking photos of the victims and posting advertisements online, according to prosecutors.

Officers rescued the 16-year-old victim in March 2023. A year later, Bates was arrested on March 25 with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies.

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Bates was sentenced to 40 years, with the first 25 years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation.

She is also required to register as a sex offender.

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