BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. — Officials arrested multiple people in a multi-agency sex trafficking investigation across northwest Georgia.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said ‘Operation Etowah Exploits’ was to combat human trafficking. Those arrested ranged in age from 22 to 59 and traveled from areas around Bartow County with the intent to purchase sex or sell sex.

Authorities said they wanted to identify and arrest pimps and human traffickers through this operation.

According to the GBI, nine sex workers were rescued.

Authorities arrested and charged the following:

• Lakisha Montera Watkins, 43, of Rome, GA, was charged with pimping.
• Danny Williams, 59, of Hudson, FL, charged with pandering.
• Kyefahn Brittain, 44, of Stockbridge, GA, was charged with pandering.
• Bobby Cannon, 31, of McDonough, GA, was charged with pandering.
• Nivanshu Mahajan, 22, of Cartersville, GA, was charged with pandering.
• James Hallock, age 50, of Temple, GA, was charged with pandering.
• James Nesta, 51, of Davidson, NC, was charged with pandering.
• Brandon Treglown, 32, of Evans, GA, was charged with pandering.
• Andrew Frey, 37, of Acworth, GA, was charged with pandering.
• Christopher Smith, 39, of Dallas, GA, was charged with pandering.
• Richie Digsby, 51, of Lindale, GA, was charged with pandering.
• David Webb, 48, of Columbus, GA, was charged with pandering.
• Jordyn Freeman, 31, of Cartersville, GA, was charged with violation of the Georgia Controlled Substance Act.
• Aaron Sands, 51, of Cartersville, GA, was charged with a criminal attempt at child molestation.

The investigation is active and ongoing. More arrests and charges may follow.

Anyone with information is asked to call the GBI’s HEAT Unit at 404-270-8433, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations and Criminal Investigation Division at 770-607-1169, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office at 770-382-5050, or the Cartersville Police Department at 770-382-2526.

Any form of human trafficking can be reported to Georgia’s statewide human trafficking hotline, 1-866-ENDHTGA. Help is available 24/7.