LAWRENCEVILLE – A joint human trafficking/prostitution and drug investigation that began in Troup County has led to several drug trafficking charges.

On Thursday, July 21, 2022, Andrew Jones, age 34, of Gwinnett County, Georgia, was arrested following a search warrant operation at his home. He was charged with trafficking heroin, trafficking fentanyl, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The investigation was initiated by the Troup County Sheriff’s Office.  The drug investigation was led by the Gwinnett Metro Task Force (GMTF) and Lawrenceville Police Department.  The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assisted with the human trafficking investigation. The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in this investigation.

On July 13, 2022, members of GMTF received information from the Troup County Sheriff’s Office that Andrew Jones was giving fentanyl to several women and expecting the women to repay him in either sexual favors or in cash payments.  GMTF asked HSI and the GBI to assist with a human trafficking and drug investigation.  GMTF narcotic investigators were able to obtain a search warrant for Jones’ Gwinnett County home as a direct result of information obtained during the GBI and HSI’s investigation in Troup County.  Police executed a search warrant on Jones’ home on July 21, 2022, after countless hours of surveillance and corroboration of information.

The search warrant yielded about 90 grams of suspected marijuana, 50 grams of suspected fentanyl, trafficking amounts of suspected methamphetamine, five firearms, and other drugs and drug paraphernalia. Investigators also discovered hundreds of syringes throughout the house and a make-shift lab in the garage where Jones was manufacturing fentanyl pills.

Jones was arrested and taken to the Gwinnett County Jail.

This investigation is active and ongoing.  Although there are no human trafficking charges filed at this time, anyone with information about this case can submit anonymous tips by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477).  Anonymous tips can also be provided online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.