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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WVLT) – Fourteen men were arrested in Chattanooga, Tennessee after an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation linked them to human trafficking incidents.
According to the TBI, a two day operation beginning December 9, lead agents to the arrest of 14 men accused of seeking sex from minors.
During the investigation, “authorities placed several decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex cases,”
The purpose of the two-day operation was to find individuals who were trying to engage in “commercial sex acts with minors”.
As a result of the investigation, the following 14 men were arrested and booked into the Hamilton County Jail:
*Gregory Joiner (DOB 7/12/60), Chattanooga: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act
*Thomas Baggenstoss (DOB 3/6/77), Knoxville: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act
*Rubelino Velasquez Salas (DOB 1/6/89), Chattanooga: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act
*William Fugate (DOB 8/18/76), Riceville: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act
*Jerome Stewart (DOB 10/17/95) Chattanooga: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act, Possession of Marijuana
*Michael Scarlett (DOB 3/3/98), Houston, TX: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act
*Khadim Gueye (DOB 9/26/87), Chattanooga, TN: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act
*Sibley Evans (DOB 7/10/77), Lupton City: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act
*Aurelio Hernandez (DOB 9/25/88), Roanoke, VA: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act
*Thomas Cochran (DOB 4/27/78), Carrollton, GA: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act, Possession of Meth, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
*Nicholas Underwood (DOB 9/9/99), Cohutta, GA: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act, Possession of a Firearm While in Commission of a Felony
*Bersain Velasquez (DOB 5/24/79), Chattanooga: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act
*Qu’darius Smith (DOB 12/10/97), Chattanooga: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act, Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana
*Nelvin Cruz-Cruz (DOB 2/17/72), Lilburn, GA: Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act
The operation also focused on identifying potential trafficking victims. As a result, one woman was offered housing and counseling services through ‘Grow Free Tennessee’, a program of the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking, and Willowbend Farms.
You can learn more about human trafficking here.
Copyright 2020 WVLT. All rights reserved.
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