International operation resulted in the recovery of 11 missing children in Georgia
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that his Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has secured the indictment of Eric Gordon, 36, of Decatur, for the trafficking of a 16-year-old female in Fulton County.
The victim was recovered during Operation “Global Chain” – an international law enforcement effort to combat human trafficking. This operation took place from June 8, 2026, to June 12, 2026, and included partnerships with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), INTERPOL, EUROPOL, and AMERIPOL, as well as Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. Overall, the operation resulted in the recovery of 11 missing children in Georgia alone, including the victim in this case.
“This is exactly why we can never stop fighting to recover a missing child, and we’re using all available resources to bring them home,” said Carr. “By partnering with law enforcement both in Georgia and around the globe, we’re able to locate even more victims and ultimately save even more lives, but our work doesn’t stop here. We’re going after everyone involved in the trafficking of a child, and we won’t rest until they’re off our streets and behind bars.”
This case was investigated by the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. The Georgia Department of Human Services Special Investigations Unit, Atlanta Police Department, FBI’s Atlanta Field Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Special Operations Unit, and Richmond County Sheriff’s Office all assisted in the victim’s recovery as part of Operation “Global Chain.”
Fulton County Indictment
On Aug. 17, 2026, the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit presented evidence to a Fulton County Grand Jury, resulting in the indictment* of Eric Gordon.
The defendant is facing the following charges.
- 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46: Did unlawfully provide a minor for the purpose of sexual servitude
Gordon was taken into custody on Aug. 4, 2026, with the help of the U.S. Marshals Service.
No further information about the investigation or the indictment may be released at this time by the Attorney General’s Office.
Previous and Ongoing Operations Targeting Human Traffickers
Earlier this year, Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit participated in Operation “Coast to Coast” – a nationwide effort to locate victims of human trafficking, arrest buyers and sellers, and seize criminal assets. Eleven missing children were recovered, and multiple human trafficking investigations were initiated as a result of this operation.
In two years, Carr’s team has shut down more than 40 illicit massage businesses in Athens-Clarke, Cobb, Cherokee, Fulton, Floyd, Gwinnett, Hall, and Henry counties through an effort known as Operation “In Plain Sight.”
This Unit also previously partnered with the U.S. Marshals Service and other local, state and federal partners for Operation “Not Forgotten,” which resulted in the safe location of 39 missing children in 2020 and 20 missing children in 2021.
This includes a 17-year-old victim who was previously reported as missing from her home in Kansas City, Missouri, and located at a hotel in Fulton County, where she was trafficked. From that one recovery, Carr’s team has successfully prosecuted 13 traffickers, including those who bought and sold the child for sex.
