Andersen, Tate & Carr attorney Patrick McDonough is filing a first-of-its-kind lawsuit in Georgia – in what could be a landmark case of sex trafficking against some of the Atlanta metro area’s more prominent hotels.
Mr. McDonough represents “Jane Doe,” in the 83-page civil lawsuit against several metro Atlanta motels and hotels. The suit alleges these businesses were havens for her alleged sex trafficking and that those in management of the establishments turned a blind eye to the illegal acts.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, targets the owners and operators of the motels and hotels. They include:
- Red Roof Inn – Smyrna, GA
- Suburban Extended Stay – Chamblee, GA
- Extended Stay America – Sandy Springs, GA
Ms. Doe alleges she was forced to be sold for sex in the Defendants’ motels and hotels from 2011 to 2016. Ms. Doe alleges that her traffickers mentally and physically abused her on a daily basis and forced her to use drugs against her will.
The traffickers turned this cycle of abuse into Ms. Doe’s day-to-day way of life, forcing her to be reliant upon them for the basic of human necessities: food and shelter.
The suit alleges the traffickers had paid “lookouts” at the places where as many as 30 men were visiting the rooms every day to pay for sex.
The Smyrna Red Roof Inn has a well-documented history of being a hotbed of human trafficking. In December 2010, the Marietta Police Department and Metro Atlanta Child Protection Task Force conducted a prostitution sting. In this sting, a 16-year-old sex trafficking victim was rescued, and an 18-year-old alleged “pimp” was arrested. An August 2014 online review of the motel found the manager replying to a poor review and apologizing for prostitution there.
The suit alleges that the Red Roof Inn housekeeping staff should have identified signs of sex trafficking such as not being allowed in the room for several days at a time and an unusually large number of used condoms in a trash bin.
Ms. Doe claims the rampant criminal activity at the Chamblee Suburban Extended Stay motel put her life in even more danger. Records from the Chamblee Police Department show between 2010 and 2016, at least 16 people killed or attempted to kill themselves at the motel.
With the FBI designating Atlanta as a growing hub for human trafficking, it’s likely this could be the first of many lawsuits going after the motels and hotels that are knowingly enabling the traffickers and doing nothing to help the victims.
If you know someone who has been a victim of the sex trade, experienced trial attorney Pat McDonough of Andersen, Tate & Carr can help them find justice. Mr. McDonough seeks civil justice by going after hotels and motels. There are no costs to the survivor. Reach out for your free, 100% confidential, consultation.