Duo convicted, sentenced for sex trafficking

By Carlton Fletcher

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    ATLANTA (Albany Herald) — Attorney General Chris Carr has announced that the office’s Human Trafficking and Gang Prosecution Units have secured the convictions of Robert Wingfield Jr. and Jamie Rosier in Dougherty County.

Wingfield is a member of the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods, a national criminal street gang originally based in California with local affiliations throughout the country. Rosier is a high-ranking member of the gang in southwest Georgia. Both defendants were involved in the trafficking of a 16-year-old female who had been missing from the Albany area for approximately one month. They have each been sentenced to prison.

A total of five individuals have now been convicted in this case, including three high-ranking members of the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods. Wingfield and Rosier, along with six other defendants, were first indicted in July 2021.

“These two men committed horrific acts to advance the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods, and their convictions serve as another significant step towards justice,” Carr said. “With the help of our law enforcement partners, we’re continuing to dismantle the violent and criminal networks that are targeting our children and terrorizing communities throughout our state. We stand firm in the fight against human trafficking and gang activity, and we’re using all available resources to keep Georgians safe.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Christopher Keegan of the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant Attorney General Michael Tabarrok of the Gang Prosecution Unit. It was investigated by the Albany Police Department, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.

The Gang Prosecution Unit is based in Atlanta, with regional, satellite prosecutors and investigators in Albany and Augusta. Since its creation in July 2022, this statewide Unit has secured the conviction of 13 individuals in Dougherty County, including nine members of the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods.

“We are grateful to have the assistance of the Attorney General’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in addressing gang activity, especially when it involves human trafficking,” Albany Police Chief Michael Persley said. “It is our hope that the victims have received the justice they deserve and our efforts to continue this fight will continue to prevail. We are always committed to using all resources to keep our community safe.”

“The GBI will continue to provide investigative resources to state and local law enforcement partners to ensure human trafficking victims get justice,” GBI Director Chris Hosey said. “This case highlights the malicious nature of criminal street gangs, and we won’t rest until each criminal is arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Wingfield, 22, of Albany, admitted to recruiting and selling the 16-year-old female for commercial sex. He pleaded guilty to the following charges and was sentenced to 40 years, with the first 25 years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation. Wingfield is also required to register as a sex offender.

— 5 counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude;

— 14 counts of violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act;

— 3 counts of violation of the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

Jamie Rosier, 33, of Albany, admitted to benefitting financially from the sale of the 16-year-old female and a second underage victim. He pleaded guilty to the following charges and was sentenced to 25 years, with the first 10 years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation. Rosier is also required to register as a sex offender.

— 2 counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude;

— 4 counts of violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act;

— 3 counts of violation of the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

Last year, the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit rescued and assisted 129 victims. The unit has obtained 35 new convictions since January 2023.

The Gang Prosecution Unit officially began its work on July 1, 2022. In total, this unit has secured 41 convictions and indicted 139 people in Athens-Clarke, Barrow, Bryan, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Dougherty, Fulton, Gwinnett, Laurens, Muscogee, Richmond and Thomas counties.

Starting on July 1, 2024, the Gang Prosecution Unit will expand to include new prosecutors and investigators in Columbus, Macon and southeast Georgia.

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