Man Convicted in Federal Court for Trafficking Two Minors After Joint GBI–HSI Investigation

Atlanta, GA (December 10, 2025) – A joint investigation conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Human Exploitation & Trafficking (HEAT) Unit and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Human Trafficking & Smuggling Group has resulted in the conviction of Makell Demonko Mallory, age 25, of Decatur, GA.

On November 5, 2025, Mallory was convicted in the United States District Court Northern District of Georgia following a lengthy investigation that involved partnerships between the GBI, HSI, the Dekalb County Police Department, Dekalb County District Attorney’s Office, and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. The conviction was the result of Mallory entering a guilty plea to two counts of Sex Trafficking of a Minor and for subjecting two victims to sexual servitude in June 2023. 

The GBI HEAT Unit began an investigation into Mallory in June 2023 after receiving a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding the possible sex trafficking of a runaway minor. Special Agents with the GBI and HSI, as well Fulton County Investigators assigned to HSI as Task Force Officers, immediately began investigating to locate the missing and endangered minor. Special Agents and Investigators were able to quickly locate and recover the missing minor at a hotel located in College Park, GA. 

A forensic interview was conducted with the minor, who disclosed Mallory directed her to perform numerous acts of commercial sex with various adult male consumers who paid to perform sex acts with the minor. The investigation corroborated the victim’s statements and Mallory was identified as the victim’s trafficker. 

During the investigation, Agents also learned Mallory was also identified as the suspect in a similar Dekalb County investigation in which a second runaway minor was recovered by investigators with the Dekalb County Police Department. This second minor also disclosed to investigators that Mallory subjected her to sexual servitude at various hotels in and around Decatur, GA, describing how Mallory threatened her with a firearm, pistol whipping her at one point. The Dekalb County Police Department subsequently obtained state Magistrate Court arrest warrants for Mallory for Human Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation of Children, and Armed Robbery. 

Agents with GBI & HSI were able to coordinate with the Dekalb County District Attorney’s Office to transfer Mallory’s prosecution to the United States District Court Northern District of Georgia, where Mallory was federally indicted in April 2024 for two counts of Sex Trafficking of a Minor. The federal charges consisted of one count for the victimrecovered by GBI & HSI, and one count for the victim recovered by Dekalb County Police Department.

Mallory was sentenced to 120 months in prison.

Mallory’s subsequent arrest, indictment, and conviction speaks to the partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking and protect Georgia’s most vulnerable.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI’s HEAT Unit at 404-270-8433 or the Albany Dougherty SIU at 229-430-5150. All forms of human trafficking should be reported to Georgia’s statewide human trafficking hotline at 1-866-ENDHTGA. Trained law enforcement agents, advocates, and first responders are available 24/7 to answer calls.