ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that the office’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has indicted two alleged sellers and three alleged buyers in Cherokee and Fulton County. These two indictments involve the alleged trafficking of one underage female victim. Specifically, Cedric Johnson and Mark Thomas, who is facing charges in both counties, are alleged to have sold the underage victim for sex. Jose Medina Dominguez, Cesar Juarez Oaxaca and Ruben Tolentino are alleged to have purchased the underage victim for sex.

“Our Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit works each day to get traffickers off the streets and help every victim within our reach,” said Carr. “Whether a buyer or a seller, we will not rest in our pursuit of those who abuse and exploit Georgia’s children for sex. By working hand-in-hand with local, state and federal law enforcement, we will continue to dedicate every resource available to protecting the most vulnerable in our state.”

Case Summary

On Dec. 18, 2021, in Cherokee County, a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle driven by Mark Thomas. A 16-year-old female was located in the passenger seat. Following this traffic stop, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations launched a multi-county investigation in partnership with the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s SWAT Team.

The 16-year-old female disclosed that she had been sold for sex by Mark Thomas for approximately three months beginning in September 2021 when she was 15 years old. Thomas is alleged to have driven the child to Woodstock, Georgia, to be sold to Jose Medina Dominguez and Cesar Juarez Oaxaca. Those acts which are alleged to have occurred in Cherokee County are the subject of one indictment.

Mark Thomas is also alleged to have sold the child for sex along Fulton Industrial Boulevard and in surrounding hotels. Cedric Johnson is alleged to have assisted Mark Thomas, including receiving a portion of the financial proceeds from the sale of the underage victim. Ruben Tolentino is alleged to have purchased the child for sex. Those acts which are alleged to have occurred in Fulton County are the subject of a separate indictment.

Cherokee County Indictment

The Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit presented evidence to a Cherokee County Grand Jury on Oct. 10, 2022, resulting in the indictment* of Mark Thomas, Jose Medina Dominguez and Cesar Juarez Oaxaca.

Specifically, the indictment charges the defendants with the following which, if convicted, can carry the respective penalties.

Mark Thomas:

  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly transport and provide a person under the age of 18 years for the purpose of sexual servitude. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison. 
  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly benefit financially from the sexual servitude of a person under the age of 18 years. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison. 

Jose Medina Dominguez:

  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly solicit and patronize a person under the age of 18 years for the purpose of sexual servitude. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison. 
  • 1 count of Statutory Rape in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-6-3(a): The accused, being older than 21 years of age, did engage in sexual intercourse with a person under 16 years of age. This charge carries a potential sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison.

Cesar Juarez Oaxaca:

  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly solicit and patronize a person under the age of 18 years for the purpose of sexual servitude. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison. 
  • 1 count of Statutory Rape in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-6-3(a): The accused, being older than 21 years of age, did engage in sexual intercourse with a person under 16 years of age. This charge carries a potential sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison.

Fulton County Indictment

The Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit presented evidence to a Fulton County Grand Jury on Oct. 17, 2022, resulting in the indictment* of Mark Thomas, Cedric Johnson and Ruben Tolentino.

Specifically, the indictment charges the defendants with the following which, if convicted, can carry the respective penalties.

Mark Thomas:

  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly subject and maintain a person under the age of 18 years for the purpose of sexual servitude. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison.
  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly benefit financially from the sexual servitude of a person under the age of 18 years. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison.
  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly transport a person under the age of 18 years to a hotel in Fulton County for the purpose of sexual servitude. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison.
  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly transport a person under the age of 18 years to a hotel in Fulton County for the purpose of sexual servitude. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison.  
  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly transport a person under the age of 18 years to a hotel in Fulton County for the purpose of sexual servitude. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison.   
  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly transport a person under the age of 18 years to a hotel in Fulton County for the purpose of sexual servitude. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison.   
  • 1 count of Battery in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-23.1: The accused did intentionally cause visible bodily harm by striking the victim on her head and face causing red marks and bleeding, using the hand of the accused. This charge carries a potential sentence of 12 months in custody.
  • 1 count of Battery in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-23.1: The accused did intentionally cause substantial bodily harm, to wit: pain, to the victim by striking the victim on her head and face with the hand of the accused. This charge carries a potential sentence of 12 months in custody.
  • 1 count of Aggravated Assault in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-21: The accused did make an assault upon the victim with a firearm, an object which when used offensively against a person is likely to result in serious bodily injury by striking the victim on her head with a firearm. This charge carries a potential sentence of 20 years in prison.
  • 1 count of Child Molestation in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-6-4(a): The accused did commit an immoral and indecent act to a child under the age of 16 years with the intent to arouse and satisfy the sexual desires of the accused by engaging in sexual intercourse with said child. This charge carries a potential sentence of 20 years to life in prison. 
  • 1 count of Aggravated Child Molestation in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-6-4(c): The accused did commit an immoral and indecent act to a child under the age of 16 years with the intent to arouse and satisfy the sexual desires of the accused and said act involving an act of sodomy. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison.
  • 1 count of Cruelty to Children in the First Degree in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-70: The accused did maliciously cause a child under the age of 18 years cruel and excessive mental and physical pain by maintaining said child in sexual servitude through the use of drugs and alcohol and through the use of violence and threats of violence. This charge carries a potential sentence of 20 years in prison.      

Cedric Johnson:

  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly benefit financially from the sexual servitude of a person under the age of 18 years. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison.   

Ruben Tolentino:

  • 1 count of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude in violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46(c): The accused did knowingly solicit and patronize a person under the age of 18 years for the purpose of sexual servitude. This charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison. 

No further information about the investigation or about the indictments may be released at this time.

About the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit

In 2019, with the support of Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp and leaders in the Georgia General Assembly, Attorney General Chris Carr created the first-of-its-kind statewide Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.

In 2021, the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit initiated 25 cases, arrested nine individuals, investigated and prosecuted 51 defendants, and rescued and assisted 107 victims.

During the 2022 legislative session, Carr secured additional resources to expand the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and rescue even more victims.

*Members of the public should keep in mind that indictments contain only allegations against the individual against whom the indictment is sought. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and it will be the government’s burden at trial to prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the allegations contained in the indictment.

Contact

Communications Director Kara Richardson

[email protected]