Man who sold 14-year-old for sex at Gwinnett hotel to serve 15 years

Devonta Alexander Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of human trafficking in a case involving a 14-year-old girl. (Dreamstime/TNS)

Credit: TNS

Credit: TNS

Devonta Alexander Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of human trafficking in a case involving a 14-year-old girl. (Dreamstime/TNS)

A man who kept a 14-year-old girl at a Gwinnett County hotel and sold her to others for sex will spend 15 years in prison, the Georgia attorney general said Monday.

Devonta Alexander Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of human trafficking on Friday and was sentenced to 25 years, including 15 years to be served in prison, Attorney General Chris Carr said. Williams will also be listed on the state sex offender registry.

“Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our human trafficking prosecution unit and the GBI, another trafficker is off the streets and will spend years behind bars for selling a 14-year-old for sex,” Carr said in a press release. “This conviction and prison sentence is just the latest in our fight to end human trafficking in Georgia and protect our most vulnerable, and our work continues each day. We want to send a strong message to those involved in this horrific industry in our state — you will be stopped and held responsible for your criminal acts.”

The latest conviction was the second guilty plea and 25-year sentence for human trafficking in less than a month, Carr said. In late July, a Clayton County man was sentenced to 25 years, including 15 years in prison, after pleading guilty to sex trafficking and rape involving a 15-year-old girl.

In the most recent case, investigators determined Williams advertised the victim on escort websites in May 2018 and kept the money she was paid for sex, Carr said.

“Child sex trafficking is one of the lowest forms of exploitation,” GBI Assistant Director John Melvin said. “This guilty plea represents the diligent work of the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit, along with the strong prosecutorial team at the Georgia Attorney General’s Office. Our agency remains committed to working with the AG’s human trafficking prosecution unit to hold these criminals accountable.”