Banks County Sheriff Carlton Speed is sending a message to those who would participate in criminal activity along I-85: Prostitution in the Banks Crossing area will not be tolerated.
Deputies on Wednesday arrested Alicia Nicole Peacock, 39, of Toccoa and Kitana Tajee Mathis, 23, of Athens, charging each with prostitution.
“The prostitution arrest stemmed from a proactive approach to human trafficking in the Banks Crossing area,” Sheriff Carlton Speed said in a written statement. “If ignored, hotels, parking lots, and other areas off the interstate can quickly become a haven for criminal activity. Our deputies continuously conduct special operations throughout the county that target that area’s specific crime.”
Chief Deputy Shawn Wilson explained that deputies and investigators are trained to look for specific enforcement needs throughout the county.
“Banks County Sheriff’s Office analyzes a broad spectrum of data supplied through citations, incidents, complaints, and other records to determine the enforcement needs for different parts of the county,” Wilson said. “In other words, Hollingsworth may not need the same service that Maysville requires and vice-versa. Therefore, analyzing the data allows our office to target specific criminal activity. Good patrol techniques and analyzing our communities saves valuable resources and places criminals in jail, where they belong. Last week’s operation will put human traffickers on notice that prostitution laws will be strictly enforced in our county.”
