A north Forsyth man is behind bars for alleged sex trafficking charges after a missing 16-year-old metro Atlanta female was found by Forsyth County detectives in his residence over the weekend.
Matthew Lee Humphries, 31, of Forsyth County has been charged with trafficking in sexual servitude, interference with child custody and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to Cpl. Doug Rainwater of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office.
“On May 19, 2018, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call concerning a juvenile at an address in northeast Forsyth County,” Rainwater said in a press release on the incident. “Once our deputies arrived, the juvenile was interviewed and alert deputies began to suspect this could be a child sex trafficking case.”
Through investigations, Rainwater said it became apparent that the victim was a runaway child from DeKalb County, was involved in prostitution and was allegedly being victimized by Humphries.
Rainwater said that Humphries traveled to the metro Atlanta area to pick up the 16-year-old after the two met online. He added that the victim lived at Humphries’ north Forsyth residence for seven days before she was located by Forsyth County detectives.
“He knew that she was very young and was taking advantage of that,” Rainwater said.
Humphries was booked into the Forsyth County Jail on Saturday under a bond of $12,395, but at his first court appearance in the magistrate Monday, Humphries was denied bond due to prior arrests.
Court records from Fulton County show that Humphries was arrested by the Atlanta Police Department on May 5, for aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, after he allegedly pointed a loaded 9mm handgun at an off-duty College Park police officer and a retired Atlanta police officer while in traffic.
Humphries’ arrest report from May 5 states that he was allegedly seen weaving through traffic on 17th Street near I-75/85 in a yellow Chevrolet Camaro, “switching lanes rapidly” and cutting off other vehicles.
The report states that the off-duty and retired officers approached Humphries’ vehicle when it reached a stop to ask him if everything was OK. Humphries then allegedly pointed the pistol at them.
The off-duty officer stated in the report that he yelled, “I’m a off duty police officer what are you doing,” to which Humphries allegedly said, “I’m white f--- you.”
The report states that a “clear baggie with methamphetamine” was located on Humphries person at the time of the arrest.
Humphries was released from the Fulton County Jail on May 8, on a bond of $7,500.
