CPSO continues to crack down on NELA, west Mississippi sex trafficking case

VIDALIA, La. (KNOE) - UPDATE: Officials have made another arrest in the human trafficking investigation.

CPSO says the following facts have been established through investigation:

Minors in the custody of adults were introduced to a subject engaged in the sale of narcotics, by their guardians;
Said minors were provided with narcotics by both the subject, as well as the guardians, who engaged in the use with them;
As a result of the activity, the minors were subjected to sexual abuse by adults while under the influence of substances;
At no time did the adult subjects charged with the custody attempt to stop or prevent such activity, they instead filmed it;
Evidence was obtained that revealed one subject offer another the opportunity to engage in sex with a sleeping minor, in return for methamphetamine;
Numerous adult victims were also identified that were exploited for sexual purposes in return for narcotics, one of which attempted numerous times to escape such activity over the course of several years;
CPSO has worked closely with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and additional charges are likely, regarding suspects in Mississippi.

CPSO says human trafficking is more than what most people may assume.

“Louisiana Law defines it as any person who is exploited for sexual activity by another, who gains anything of value from it, by many different means,” CPSO says. “The activity is often linked to the narcotics trade, involving both juveniles and adult victims and is in no way restricted to larger metropolitan areas.”

CPSO says they also want to remind the community that if they see something, say something, even if you think it may be insignificant.

“This investigation was the direct result of a citizen who simply overheard a conversation involving the activity, who contacted the Sheriff’s Office immediately,” CPSO says.

The following suspects are all who have been arrested in relation to this case:

Quentin Smith, 45
Eddie Holloway, 38
Jessica Robinson, 36
Jeanette Ratcliff, 70
Jerry Brownell, 42
George Rice, 48
Shelton Rice, 50

This is an updated story. Read below for the previous details.

UPDATE: Further investigation has revealed that the sex trafficking began fall of 2021 when a juvenile victim was introduced to one of the suspects by a close family member, CPSO says.

When said juvenile was introduced to this suspect, CPSO says two juveniles were supplied with narcotics then were subjected to sexual activity at different locations. One of the locations is the victim’s home in Vidalia where they were in custody of a family member.

The investigation has found this sex trafficking case to involve a network of individuals who have been using and selling narcotics while also using adult and juvenile female victims as a form of payment or trade, CPSO says.

“Louisiana law defines such activity as Human Trafficking when a subject knowingly benefits from that activity,” CPSO says. “Two of the additional subjects are both currently incarcerated after being convicted on charges through a Vidalia Police Department investigation, which involved contributing to the endangerment of juveniles and one remains wanted.

The following people have been arrested on the listed charges. This is not everyone arrested, only the ones in the most recent update.

For the original story, go here. For the previous update of this story, read below the list of suspects and the charges they were arrested on.

George A. Rice, 48, of Vidalia
- Arrested on charges of principal to human trafficking, principal to cruelty to juveniles, principal to attempted sexual battery
Jerry W. Brownell, 42, of Vidalia
- Arrested on charges of principal to human trafficking, principal to cruelty to juveniles, principal to attempted sexual battery
Jeanette Ratcliff, 70, of Vidalia
- Arrested on charges of principal to human trafficking, principal to cruelty to juveniles, principal to attempted sexual battery

Previous update:

On Oct. 24, 2022, the Concordia Parish Cyber Crime Unit began an investigation into reports of human trafficking, which KNOE previously reported on.

Since the first arrest of Quentin M. Smith, 45, of Vidalia -- who is charged with human trafficking, second-degree rape, cruelty to juveniles, and attempted sexual battery -- CPSO has continued their investigation and have now arrested a second suspect, Eddie L. Holloway, 38, of Ridgecrest.

The original investigation showed that juveniles were being given narcotic substances such as methamphetamine and fentanyl and were being transported to locations in Concordia Parish and Adams County, where CPSO says adult subjects would engage in sexual activity with the unconscious victims.

The initial investigation lead to the arrest of Smith. Now, CPSO says Holloway has become a second suspect.

Holloway allegedly participated in transporting narcotics, as well as victims, to the locations. He has been charged with principal to human trafficking, principal to second-degree rape, and two counts of principal to cruelty to juveniles.

CPSO says additional victims and suspects have been identified, which will lead to more arrests.

This is an ongoing investigation.