Nine people were busted over the last four days in an undercover operation by the Grovetown Police Department and a GBI task force targeting child predators in the area.
During the operation, labeled “Operation Fowl Play,” undercover agents and investigators were engaged with over 1,000 individuals over the internet and phone apps,. Among those, 208 verified adults expressed a desire to meet for sexual activity.
“Despite being advised multiple times that they were conversing with a ‘child,’ 68 individuals stated that they wished to travel to meet for sex, with several offering payment in exchange,” Grovetown Police Chief Jamey Kitchens said.
About two dozen indicated that they were in fact willing to travel to pre-arranged meeting locations provided by the investigators. Nine individuals followed through with their plans and traveled to the meeting locations, where instead of a “child” they were met members of the Grovetown Police Department and assisting agencies.
Andrew Scott Wren, 51, Re’Kai Ahmad Creque, 23, Feliciano Lopez, 45, Taqavious Raquan Reid, 22, and Roy Christopher Judkins Sr., 34, were each charged with violating the Computer or Electronic Pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention Act of 2007, also known as computer pornography.
Mark Anthony Cosby, 34, Dentavius Roberts, 31, Julius Dukes III, 38, and Lavondre Nix, 25, were each charged with trafficking of persons for sexual servitude.
Six of them were from South Carolina, with one driving from Manning, over two hours away. The others came from Grovetown, Tignail and Sandersville.
Of the nine arrested, seven had firearms in their possession when they arrived at the meeting location. Additional charges are pending against the nine, Chief Kitchens said.
In addition to those arrested, 28 other individuals have been identified for further investigation with various charges likely pending.
According to warrants, Andrew Wren initiated a chat dialogue on Thursday afternoon with an investigator who represented herself as a 14 year old female juvenile, and stated he wanted to engage in sexual intercourse with the child.
“Accused did travel to an undercover location within Columbia County to meet with the 14 year-old-female juvenile,” a warrant says.
Re’Kai Creque allegedly initiated a chat dialogue Thursday night with the undercover cop and stated he wanted to engage in sexual intercourse with the child. He offered to pay $100 and traveled to meet the girl, before being arrested when he arrived at the undisclosed location.
Creque is the same man charged with a DUI in March in Columbia County.
Feliciano Lopez offered $250 to the have sex with the child while engaging in an online chat with an Investigator who represented himself as a 14-year-old female juvenile.
“(Lopez) stated he wanted to engage in oral sex and sexual intercourse with the child, and would pay,” the warrant says.
Lopez was arrested after arriving at a location where he thought the girl would be, authorities said.
According to Georgia law, it is unlawful for any person intentionally or willfully to utilize a computer wireless service or internet service to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, or attempt those acts on another person believed by such person to be a child.
The Grovetown Police Department thanked the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Army Criminal Investigations Division, Polk County Police Department, Columbia County District Attorney’s Office, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Community Supervision, Floyd County Police Department, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Augusta University Police Department, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
