The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) busted seven men in connection with human trafficking, according to the agency’s website.
“Over a two-day period beginning August 4th, as part of an undercover investigation aimed at addressing human trafficking in East Tennessee, authorities placed several decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex cases,” according to TBI. “The focus of the operation was to identify individuals seeking to engage in commercial sex acts with minors. As a result of the operation, authorities arrested seven men.”
TBI worked with the Alcoa Police Department to carry out the sting.
All seven men were charged with one count of Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act, and their bonds were set from $25,000 t0 $30,000. TBI identified them as:
- Rene Gonzalez of Sevierville.
- Hardkkumar Patel of Knoxville.
- Jorge Pickens of Knoxville.
- Bradford Hartman of Maryville.
- Kenneth Price of Rogersville.
- Jeremiah Williams of Knoxville.
- Chethan Ranganatha of Knoxville.
TBI said that a second part of the investigation is identifying potential victims. Two women were identified and “offered services such as housing and counseling through Grow Free Tennessee, a program of the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking.”
TBI did not immediately return a request seeking further comment. Neither did U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) when asked whether any arrestees were in the United States illegally.
TBI has a website dedicated to thwarting human trafficking.
Its website, ithastostop.com, provides definitions of human trafficking, signs of human trafficking, resources for those looking to combat human trafficking, and also resources for victims of human trafficking.
At the beginning of summer, TBI released what it calls the #TNKidKit, a portal where parents can upload critical information about their children if a child goes missing, which helps cut down on the time TBI spends intaking information and allows TBI to more quickly begin investigating.
The Tennessee Department of Health also recently participated in a human trafficking awareness campaign called the Red Sand Project.
‘’Human trafficking is a hidden crime in our state and across the country because victims rarely come forward to receive help or services,’’ said Tennessee Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado, MD, FACP in late July. ‘’It’s up to all of us to bring an end to the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. The Red Sand Project reminds us how crucial it is for communities, both urban and rural, to engage in awareness and education activities that support survivors of human trafficking and strengthen our prevention efforts.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Photo “Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Building” by Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
