Human Trafficking Victim Seeks Help From Grovetown Police, Man In Custody
A human trafficking victim managed to get away from a Grovetown man who had allegedly been holding her against her will for months, and sought help from Grovetown Police Tuesday afternoon.
Chief Jamey Kitchens said the 31-year-old woman was frantic when she entered the police station around 3:00 pm.
She told police she had been held against her will for several months while being taken to various cities around the state. She said she had also been forced into prostitution.
The victim said she’d been held against her will for the last two weeks at a home at 4446 Grove Landing Way in Grovetown.
The victim said the suspect, 36-year-old Joe Lewis Hills Jr, originally picked her up in Macon before taking her to Savannah, then finally headed to Grovetown.
“Mr. Hills has repeatedly abused her physically, including choking her to the point of unconsciousness, while also threatening her with bodily harm if she did not continue to work as a prostitute, both in the home, and away from it. The victim also revealed that she had been “branded” on her body,” said Kitchens.
Human Trafficking Victim Got Away
The victim said she told Hills Tuesday that she had a “John” she had to meet, then called a ride sharing service. Once she was picked up, she asked the driver to take her to the Grovetown Police Department.
Kitchens said Investigators were able to verify the victim’s timeline and travels with Hills from Macon to Grovetown, as she had reported, by utilizing license tag reader technology.
Investigators contacted the local FBI field office, who dispatched an Agent assigned to Human Trafficking to assist. Officials indicated this is part of a larger human trafficking organization with ties around the state.
Kitchens said Investigators set up a surveillance of the home on Grove Landing Way. Just before 6 pm, Hills was spotted leaving the home Tuesday. That’s when police conducted a traffic stop and took Hills into custody without incident.
Police searched the home and found narcotics including methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana as well as two firearms.
It was also learned that Hills was on Federal Probation for two previous bank robberies.
Charges Against Hills
- Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude
- Possession of Cocaine
- Possession of Methamphetamine
- Possession of Marijuana
- Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
Hills is being held in the Columbia County Detention Center without bond.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and further charges and arrests are anticipated as others involved are identified,” said Kitchens.
Anyone with information related to this case, or any cases involving Human Trafficking, are asked to call the Grovetown Police Department at (706) 863-1212.
