by Robin Kemp
A Clayton County grand jury has indicted two men on charges of human trafficking, aggravated child molestation, statutory rape, and cruelty to children. A Clayton County Grand Jury returned the indictment on September 14, State Attorney General Christopher Carr announced.
Theodore Thomas Browne, Jr. and Christopher Darren Weldon, 34, of Riverdale, both face multiple charges in the case.
According to Carr, Browne allegedly:
- Did knowingly recruit and entice a person under the age of 18 years, for the purpose of sexual servitude; charged with 1 count of Trafficking Persons for Sexual Servitude, O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46 (c).
- Did knowingly transport a person under the age of 18 years, for the purpose of sexual servitude; charged with 2 counts of Trafficking Persons for Sexual Servitude, O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46 (c).
- Did knowingly harbor and provide a person under the age of 18 years, for the purpose of sexual servitude; charged with 2 counts of Trafficking Persons for Sexual Servitude, O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46 (c).
- Did commit an immoral and indecent act to a child under the age of 16 years, said act involving an act of sodomy; charged with 1 count of Aggravated Child Molestation, O.C.G.A. § 16-6-4(c).
- Did maliciously cause a child under the age 18 years cruel and excessive physical and mental pain; charged with 1 count Cruelty to Children in the First Degree, O.C.G.A. § 16-5-70.
According to Carr’s office, Weldon allegedly:
- Did knowingly harbor and provide a person under the age of 18 years, for the purpose of sexual servitude; charged with 1 count of Trafficking Persons for Sexual Servitude, O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46 (c).
- Did commit an immoral and indecent act to a child under the age of 16 years, said act involving an act of sodomy; charged with 1 count of Aggravated Child Molestation, O.C.G.A. § 16-6-4(c).
- Being older than 21 years of age, did engage in sexual intercourse with a person under 16 years of age and not being the spouse of the accused; charged with 1 count Statutory Rape, O.C.G.A. § 16-6-3(a).
If convicted on all counts, Browne could get life plus 120 years, while Weldon could get life plus 80 years.
“We will not hesitate to defend the children of our state and thank the Clayton County Grand Jury for their careful consideration of the evidence in this case,” Carr said. “Our Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit looks forward to presenting our case in court. We hope to send a strong message that those who exploit and abuse our children will be aggressively prosecuted.”
Court records show that, on Wednesday, September 15, a warrant for the men’s arrest was issued. That record showed Browne was charged with five counts of human trafficking, one count of aggravated child molestation, and one count of first-degree cruelty to children. Weldon was charged with one count of human trafficking, one count of statutory rape, and one count of aggravated child molestation.
Jail records show Weldon was booked July 8 on two counts of probation violation and is being held without bond. Browne’s name did not come up in a search of online records of inmates booked in the past 48 hours.
Both Weldon and Browne are presumed innocent of the charges until convicted in a court of law. The case is pending before Superior Court Judge Jewel Scott and the case number is 2021CR03372-14.
