Four men arrested during human trafficking sting with '17-year-old' decoy

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SHELBY COUNTY, TN: Feb 1, 2014

Investigators arrested and charged four men after they tried to meet up with underage girls for sex. Police used someone posing behind a computer screen as a 17-year-old girl in an undercover operation.

The human trafficking sting happened Thursday. Investigators recorded men—ages 26 to 50 years old—as they communicated with, who they thought was, a 17-year-old girl.

They say 44-year-old Michael Morgan and 50-year-old Rickey Warren agreed to meet the decoy at a designated location.

The men were told to go to a particular hotel room. After the men knocked, instead of being greeted by the 17-year-old, it was an investigator.

Marquis Martin, 26, was told to bring New Port Cigarettes and chocolate to the decoy. Merlin Valle, 27, was told to bring a Sprite and cigarettes. It is not clear where investigators met Valle and Martin.

All four suspects are charged with patronizing prostitution, solicitation of a minor to with statutory rape.