Jimmie Gardner, the brother-in-law of Stacey Abrams, a former Democratic candidate for Georgia's governorship, has been apprehended in Florida.
The charges against him include human trafficking, battery, and lewd or lascivious conduct with a minor, as reported by the Office of the State Attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit.
In a press release issued on Friday, the office stated, "Jimmie Gardner, a youth motivational speaker and brother-in-law of former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, is facing serious charges of human trafficking and is currently in jail in Hillsborough County with no bond. Gardner is scheduled to face a judge in first [court appearance] in Tampa tomorrow."
According to the Tampa Police, the incident took place in the early hours of Friday at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza. Gardner, 57, is alleged to have engaged in sexual acts with a 16-year-old girl before assaulting her during a dispute.
The police report indicates that Gardner met the minor at 1:43 a.m. and invited her to his hotel room. He then allegedly offered to pay her for sex. "The victim initially agreed but later told Gardner that she no longer wanted to engage and he became angry," the police reported. "Gardner advised the victim that she needed to leave his hotel room. The two got involved in a verbal altercation that escalated to a physical dispute after Gardner placed his hands around the victims neck, impeding her breathing."
The police added, "After the dispute, Gardner left the hotel room, and the victim called 911." Upon their arrival, the police found the victim at the scene, but Gardner had already departed. He later surrendered himself at the Tampa Police District 1 Office, where he was charged with "human trafficking, lewd and lascivious touching of certain minors, and battery."
The Office of the State Attorney revealed that Gardner had previously served 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting two women in West Virginia in 1987, but was later exonerated.
Gardner is married to U.S. District Court Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, the sister of Stacey Abrams. Judge Gardner was appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2014 and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.
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