Gwinnett Men Arrested in Child-Sex Sting

GRAYSON, GA -- Two Gwinnett County men were among 35 people arrested in a multi-state sting operation targeting the sexual exploitation of children.

Operation Watchful Guardians, a joint effort by Georgia and Tennessee law enforcement, targeted people who seek sex with minors online and those who traffic minors and adults in the sex trade. That included people willing to pay to have sex with a minor, according to a news release.

The effort was conducted over a three-day period last week, beginning Tuesday. It was based in Dalton, Georgia, and Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Authorities say Jin Lee, 26, of Buford, and Francis Larety, 41 of Grayson, were among those arrested in Dalton for allegedly either traveling there to purchase sex with a minor or having arranged to have sex with a minor online.

They were among the suspects who traveled the furthest, authorities said in a news release. Gwinnett County is about two hours away from Dalton.

In Georgia, 12 people were arrested over a two-day period. The arrestees ranged in age from 19 to 43. One of the people who was arrested possessed a gun and butcher knife, police said in the news release.

One person was arrested on charges related to adult prostitution.

Operation Watchful Guardians was conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, Dalton Police Department, Chattanooga Police Department and members of both states’ Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces.