Johnson City - Mar 17, 2020:Joint Human Trafficking Operation Results in Eight Arrests

Description

A two-day undercover operation by Special Agents with the TBI Human Trafficking Unit and detectives with the Johnson City Police Department has resulted in the arrest of several men accused of seeking illicit sex from minors

Over a two-day period beginning March 12th, 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. The focus of the operation was to identify individuals seeking to engage in commercial sex acts with minors. As a result of the operation, detectives and agents arrested eight men and booked them into the Washington County Jail.

* Todd Prewitt, DOB 09/18/1973, Chuckey, TN: Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act

* Joseph Cunningham, DOB 03/14/1998, Bluff City, TN: Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act

* Stephen Ezeagu, DOB 07/06/1990, Johnson City, TN: Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act

* Malik Howse, DOB 04/25/1997, Johnson City, TN: Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act

* Ronald Casdorph, DOB 09/11/1967, Johnson City, TN: Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (2 counts)

* John Hutchison, DOB 07/01/1954, Bristol, TN: Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act

* Jared Curtis, DOB 10/28/1994, Piney Flats, TN: Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act

* Joseph Harless, DOB 04/03/2000, Johnson City, TN: Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act

Part of the operation also focused on identifying potential victims of trafficking. Four adult women were cited and offered services such as housing and counseling through Grow Free Tennessee, a program of the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking.

Those participating in the operation included the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Johnson City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking.

Information about human trafficking and TBI’s efforts to address this type of crime can be found online at www.ITHasToStop.com.