By Joe Johnson
An Athens man this week was charged with keeping a place of prostitution for a person under 18 years old.
According to a formal accusation filed Tuesday in Clarke County Superior Court, 24-year-old Terrance O. Jones allowed an underage girl to use his hotel room for the purpose of prostitution.
Jones was arrested Feb. 22, 2019 while local police, at the request of the Henry County Police Department, were searching in Athens for a 16-year-old runaway girl.
“The juvenile was located,” said Capt. Christopher Nichols, commanding officer of the Criminal Investigations Division. “During the investigation we discovered a case of human trafficking. As a result, Jones was identified and arrested,” Nichols said.
According to court records, Jones was initially charged with trafficking a person for sexual servitude.
When denying Jones’ motion for bond, Western Judicial Circuit Judge Eric Norris made a notation in his order that, “Defendant may re-apply for consideration of bail after 30 days, based on pending FBI and other law enforcement reports regarding this case.”
On April 24, 2019, the judge granted Jones a $33,200 property bond with special conditions that included he wear an ankle bracelet, reside at his home on Rhodes Drive where he would be under curfew when not at work, could not visit any establishment that provided alcohol or adult entertainment, and barred him from having any contact with the victim.
Jones is scheduled to enter a plea on March 20, according to court records.
A person convicted of keeping a place of prostitution in Georgia will be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high or aggravated nature. The penalties imposed will depend on the specific circumstances of the case along with any prior criminal history.