GRADY COUNTY, Ga. (WCTV) – A man arrested in Grady County on Monday was wanted for human trafficking charges and was reportedly heading to Tallahassee at the time of his arrest. Matthew Malik Harris, 24, was taken into custody after a short pursuit following a traffic stop, according to Grady County Sheriff Earl Prince.
Harris, wanted out of Escambia County, Florida, for human trafficking, had additional charges filed against him by the Grady County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). The sheriff emphasized the seriousness of the crime, stating, “If you pass through here, that is just as bad as it happening here.”
The arrest followed a traffic stop on Highway 112, where Harris was pulled over for failing to maintain his lane. As the deputy approached Harris’ vehicle, Harris fled the scene, leading officers on a roughly two-mile chase. During the pursuit, Harris discarded a weapon, which was later recovered.
After Harris stopped, two other individuals were found inside the car with him. One of them, a woman, was identified as a victim of sex trafficking, held against her will for three weeks. The GBI’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit responded to the scene, confirming the victim’s release back to her family. The identity and age of the victim have not been disclosed.
The third person in the vehicle is still under investigation, and the sheriff’s office continues to examine the case. Harris faces serious charges related to human trafficking in both Grady County and Escambia County, with the investigation ongoing.
