Sandy Springs Man Pleads Guilty To Child Sex Trafficking

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A Sandy Springs resident has entered a guilty plea to sex trafficking an underage girl, and trying to influence her not to cooperate with prosecutors.

The office of Cobb County District Attorney Vic Reynolds on Thursday announced Martez Martell Fuque, 23, who has aliases of “Diablo,” “Redwings Diablo,” and “King Joffey Joe,” pleaded guilty today to 11 charges, including trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, pimping a person under 18 years of age, sexual exploitation of children, conspiracy to commit influencing a witness and influencing a witness.

Two codefendants, Naquana James, 20, of Alpharetta, and Mariah C. Rutledge, 19, of Sandy Springs, who were charged with influencing a witness, also pleaded guilty this morning.

Trial began Monday for all three defendants. The guilty pleas came on the fourth day of what was expected to be a two-week trial.

Fuque admitted that in the spring of 2012, he trafficked a 17-year-old girl at the Cobb Galleria Inn in Smyrna, which is now a Holiday Inn, and took photos of her genitalia. The FBI was alerted of the incident after the victim called 911 from Chamblee and reported that she had been trafficked in Cobb County.

In March of this year, while in custody awaiting trial, Fuque contacted James and Rutledge by phone to discuss paying off the victim to keep her from testifying against him, and both women took action to wire money to the victim, who now lives outside of Georgia.

The victim was present in court today for the pleas, but was “too emotional to make a statement,” Reynolds’ office said.

Assistant District Attorney Susan Treadaway, who prosecuted the case, said that the young woman “now realizes she is not defined by the abuse she suffered at the hands of these accused,” and “is beginning to feel validated as a human being.”

Cobb Superior Court Judge C. LaTain Kell told the victim that “a significant wrong” had been committed against her, and that while the trial process has been difficult for her, the whole purpose was to see justice done.

Judge Kell then sentenced Fuque to 30 years, with 15 years to serve in custody, and the rest on probation, and fined him $10,000 for influencing a witness. Fuque has a prior conviction for pimping. He was represented by Marietta attorney Rick Christian.

James was sentenced to 12 years, with five years to serve in custody and the rest on probation, and fined $10,000 for influencing a witness. She was represented by Marietta attorney John Allen Hildebrand.

Judge Kell sentenced Rutledge to 10 years, with 12 months to serve in custody and the rest on probation. She was granted First Offender status. Marietta attorney Lee Fudger represented Ms. Rutledge.

The FBI Child Exploitation Task Forces in Atlanta and Ohio and the Cobb District Attorney’s Office investigated the case.

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