Perry man gets 25-year sentence in Houston County child trafficking case

The Georgia Attorney General’s Office says Brian Smith pleaded guilty to trafficking, molesting and raping a 13-year-old girl in a 2020 Houston County case.

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Perry man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to trafficking, molesting and raping a 13-year-old girl in Houston County.

According to a news release from the Office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, 43-year-old Brian Smith pleaded guilty on October 9 to two counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, one count of aggravated child molestation and one count of statutory rape. He was sentenced to 25 years, with five years in prison and the rest on strict probation. Smith must also register as a sex offender.

“Another predator is off our streets and behind bars thanks to the dedicated efforts of our Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit,” Carr said in the release. “We’re fighting to protect our most vulnerable Georgians, and we’re taking down traffickers in every corner of our state. With each new conviction, we will continue to send a strong message that Georgia’s children are not for sale.”

According to the Attorney General’s Office, Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit began investigating after the victim disclosed she had been sold for sex in Warner Robins in 2020. Smith was indicted in November 2024, along with two others — Emma-Lee Garcia of Warner Robins and Noe Borromeo Hernandez, a Mexican national living in Kathleen. A fourth defendant, Demaria Williams of Byron, was indicted in May.

The Attorney General’s Office said Garcia posted online advertisements selling the child for sex, harbored the girl in a Houston County motel and profited from the exploitation. Garcia was convicted in May of five counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude and sentenced to 40 years, including 18 years in prison.

Hernandez purchased the child for sex and was convicted in August 2025 of trafficking, child molestation and statutory rape. He was sentenced to 25 years, with 10 years to be served in prison. He faces deportation after completing his sentence.

The Attorney General’s Office said the case against Williams remains ongoing.