Former NFL defensive back Eric Johnson was arrested, along with seven others, on human trafficking charges in Georgia, Nick Bromberg of Yahoo Sports reports.
Charges for the eight range from human trafficking, racketeering, aggravated assault, kidnapping and gang-related offenses. Georgia attorney general Chris Carr claims, per Yahoo, that the seven men and one woman arrested “are alleged to have engaged in the trafficking of five female victims, including one minor, to further their criminal enterprise.”
Johnson, who played with three NFL teams from 2000-05, is facing a charge of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a count of trafficking a person for sexual servitude and three charges of violating the state’s street gang terrorism and prevention act.
The alleged crimes were committed between October 2021 and July 2022.
The state’s attorney general also accuses the eight of recruiting for the LOTTO (Last One to Take Over) gang. Johnson is facing the gang terrorism and prevention act charges because he’s allegedly one of three leaders in the gang.
Johnson, 46, played for the Raiders from 2000-03 before spending the 2004 season with the Falcons and finishing his career in 2005 with the Cardinals. He made 56 tackles and one interception in 74 games.
Johnson scored a touchdown on a 13-yard return of a blocked punt in the Raiders’ 48-21 loss to the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII.
