Gwinnett County, Georgia – Two top members of the LOTTO gang, a criminal group based in Gwinnett County that has ties to bigger national gangs, have been found guilty of a long list of serious crimes, such as human trafficking and violent crimes. The convictions are a big step forward in Georgia’s fight against human trafficking linked to gangs.
Attorney General Chris Carr said that Sean Patrick Harvey and Sean Aaron Curry, who were the president and vice president of the LOTTO gang, were found guilty of trafficking one child and four women to help their gang’s operations. Curry was also convicted guilty of taking one of the adult victims hostage. Both men actively recruited more people to join the gang, which made their criminal activities even bigger.
The two defendants pleaded guilty in Gwinnett County Superior Court to a number of crimes, including trafficking, aggravated assault, kidnapping, racketeering, and a array of gang and weapons offenses. Their sentences were long: each got 40 years, with 20 years to be served in prison and the rest on rigorous probation. They will also be put on a list of sex offenders. This brings the total number of convicted individuals in this case to seven.
The investigation started in May 2022 when Gwinnett County police responded to a shooting and arrested Harvey and Curry. Subsequent investigations found out that they were leaders in the LOTTO gang and that the gang was involved in sex trafficking and violent crimes. The indictment came out in February 2023 and named a few more people as defendants. Other members previously convicted in the same case have received lengthy sentences, many of which involve extended periods behind bars followed by probation.
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The case was handled by Assistant Attorneys General who specialize in human trafficking and gang-related crimes. They worked closely with the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Section.
Attorney General Carr emphasized the commitment of his office, saying that the prosecution is far from over.
“With seven convicted in this case so far, our work doesn’t stop here. We’re going after everyone involved in the trafficking of these five victims, and we will ensure they’re held accountable,” Carr stated.
Other state officials echoed this determination, pointing to Georgia’s legislative focus on combating human trafficking and organized crime. Senators and Representatives from across the state expressed gratitude to the prosecution teams for their work and made it clear that Georgia will never accept these kinds of crimes.
The statewide Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit in Georgia, which started in 2019, has been very important to these efforts. Since it was set up, the team has gotten a lot of convictions and assisted a lot of victims, with prosecutors and detectives working all throughout the state. The Gang Prosecution Unit, which was set up in 2022, has also gotten hundreds of convictions and is still working to reach other counties.
Both law enforcement and lawmakers are sending a clear message: Georgia will keep working to break up criminal networks and help survivors. They want everyone to know that those who take advantage of or hurt others will face the full weight of the law in Georgia.
