Atlanta-Area Couple Given Lengthy Prison Terms For Bringing Underage Victim To Chattanooga For Prostitution

  • Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Savannah Grissum
Savannah Grissum

An Atlanta-area couple has been sentenced to lengthy federal prison sentences after being convicted of bringing an underage victim to Chattanooga for prostitution.

Savannah Grissum, 22, of Douglasville, Ga., and Alonzo Dean Westmoreland, 31, of Kennesaw, Ga., were sentenced by the Judge Curtis L. Collier.

Both pled guilty in September 2019 to transporting in commerce an underage victim for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.  

Ms. Grissum was sentenced to 78 months in prison, followed by six years’ supervised release; Westmoreland received 108 months in prison and six years of supervised release. Both will be required to register with the sex offender registry in any state in which they reside, work, or attend school, and comply with special sex offender conditions during the supervised release.

In June 2018, the Cobb County Police Department received a report of a runaway juvenile. The FBI from the Atlanta and Chattanooga divisions were informed that the juvenile was located in Chattanooga. Deputies from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI responded to a local motel, where they recovered the underage victim who had been prostituted in Chattanooga for approximately four days.

Ms. Grissum and Westmoreland used the proceeds from that illegal activity to pay for their hotel room and other expenses.

The prosecution was the result of a joint investigation led by FBI Special Agents Terrilynn James and Terri L. Green of the Chattanooga Division, and Nathan Whiteman of the Atlanta Division, Detective Robert Rush of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Detectives Hunter Llewellyn and Ray Drew with the Cobb County Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Woods represented the United States in court proceedings.

Alonzo Dean Westmoreland
Alonzo Dean Westmoreland
Breaking News
Dalton Council Sets Rollback ‘24 Millage Rate
  • 6/30/2025

The Dalton City Council voted Monday night to set the city’s final millage rate for 2024 property taxes at the rollback rate of 1.527 mills. That’s a decrease of more than 21 percent from the ... more

I-40 Shut Down In Both Directions At Lenoir City Due To Multiple Fatalities Accident
  • 6/30/2025

I-40 was shut down Monday afternoon in both directions due to a multi-vehicle accident with multiple fatalities. Westbound lanes were shut down so that a patient could be transported by Lifestar. ... more

2 People Charged With Animal Cruelty After Live And Dead Animals Found In Deplorable Conditions
  • 6/30/2025

Two people face a host of charges in Walker County following the discovery of three deceased dogs and five others struggling to survive inside a hot business building. Warrants have been issued ... more