A Cobb County man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for the 2020 kidnapping of a then-12-year-old Barrow County girl.
A release Wednesday from the office of U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan said James Anthony Reynolds, age 25 of Acworth, is still facing additional charges in the case.
Buchanan said Reynolds and the girl met on a social media app in May of 2020 before Reynolds ultimately picked up the girl in the early morning hours of May 7, sexually assaulted her and then drove her to Chattanooga, Tennessee. He then allegedly abandoned the child in the parking lot of a Walmart store there.
The girl approached a store employee who was able to help her contact her parents.
“No prison sentence can repair the damage James Anthony Reynolds has done. We hope this sentencing is of great comfort to the victim and her family,” FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke said. “The FBI is committed to partnering with our law enforcement partners to prevent, deter, and punish crimes like these.”
Reynolds pleaded guilty to the kidnapping charge in November of 2023. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said he was thankful to see Reynolds sentenced for the crime.
“As Sheriff I am very proud of the work all agencies did to catch this predator and get him off the streets so that no one else could possibly fall victim to his crimes,” Smith said. “Human trafficking is a real problem and I urge if you or anyone you know might be in trouble to call your local law enforcement or the GA Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking at 866-363-4842.”
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, which is aimed at apprehending and prosecuting individuals who exploit children.
Reynold's 20 years in federal prison is to be followed by five years of supervised release, according to Buchanan's office.
