Carl Sprayberry, a 32-year-old former Democratic candidate for the Georgia House of Representatives, was arrested in late April as part of “Operation Lights Out,” a multi-agency human trafficking sting targeting online s-xual predators. The operation, conducted from April 24 to April 28, 2025, resulted in the arrest of 19 individuals, including Sprayberry, who was charged with human trafficking.
Sprayberry, a Columbus resident, previously ran for Georgia House District 134 in 2020 and District 139 in 2024, losing both races. He was among several suspects who allegedly engaged in s-xually explicit communication with individuals they believed to be minors and arranged to meet them for s-xual encounters. Authorities confirmed that no actual children were harmed during the operation, as undercover agents posed as minors online.
“Operation Lights Out” was a collaborative effort involving the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), and the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The sting aimed to identify and apprehend individuals exploiting children through online platforms.
Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman emphasized the importance of such operations, stating, “It takes a sick individual to want to take away a right that a child has—the freedom and the safety and the comfort that a child has—to bring harm to these children,” reported WTVM.
The investigation involved 12 law enforcement agencies and led to the seizure of 21 electronic devices for forensic analysis. Officials urge parents to monitor their children’s online activities to protect them from potential predators, further reported.
As the legal process unfolds, Sprayberry and the other suspects remain in custody, facing charges related to human trafficking and child exploitation. The operation underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat online child exploitation and trafficking.
