Guntersville Man Convicted on Three Counts in Cherokee County Sex Trafficking Case

Centre- A Cherokee County jury has found a Guntersville man guilty on three felony counts related to an attempted sex trafficking case involving a minor.

Following a three-day trial, the jury—comprised of seven women and five men—returned guilty verdicts Wednesday against Maekele Tekle. The charges included attempted human trafficking in the first degree, traveling to meet a child for a sex act, and engaging in prostitution with a minor.

According to testimony presented in court, Tekle responded to an online advertisement for sex in September 2023. During text message exchanges, he was informed that the individual he believed he was communicating with was a 15-year-old girl. Prosecutors said Tekle agreed to pay $50 for sex and arranged to meet at the Leesburg Lodge.

When Tekle arrived at the location, he was met not by a minor but by law enforcement officers waiting inside the hotel room.

Circuit Judge Jeremy Taylor presided over the trial, which began Monday. The case was prosecuted by the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office. Sentencing will take place at a later date.