The brother-in-law of Stacey Abrams, who ran for governor of Georgia twice, and the husband of Georgia Federal Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, is facing charges of human trafficking. Jimmie Gardner, 57, was arrested in Tampa, Florida after a 16-year-old girl accused him of engaging in sexual acts with her in a hotel room.
According to the Tampa police, the teenage girl claimed that Gardner contacted her around 1:45 a.m. and invited her to his hotel room, to which she agreed. Once inside, Gardner allegedly offered her money for sex. However, when the girl changed her mind, he became angry and choked her. After he left the room, she immediately called 911.
By the time the police arrived, Gardner had already left, but he was arrested a few hours later. Jail records indicate that he is now facing charges of human trafficking, lewd or lascivious touching of a minor, and battery.
Gardner has a controversial past. In 1990, he was wrongfully convicted of sexually assaulting an elderly woman in West Virginia. After spending over 26 years in prison, his conviction was overturned in 2016. Following his release, he married Judge Abrams Gardner in 2018 and began working as a motivational speaker. Before his conviction, Gardner was also drafted by the Chicago Cubs and played four seasons in the minor leagues.
Florida State Attorney Suzy Lopez emphasized the importance of giving Gardner the presumption of innocence, stating that they will prosecute the case like any other offender accused of similar crimes.
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