Sex-trafficking arrest in Haywood County

Description

A routine traffic stop in Haywood County by a state trooper assigned to the West Tennessee Drug Task Force's Interstate Interdiction Unit led to the arrest of a Texas man on sex crime charges, according to a news release.

On Sunday, Trooper Brad Simpson stopped a 2005 Escalade, headed eastbound on Interstate 40 at the 43 mile marker, on traffic violations. Simpson noticed the adult male driver and a 16-year-old male passenger appeared nervous and gave conflicting stories about their travels. Further investigation revealed the 16-year-old was reported as a runaway from the Dallas area and that he may have been sexually assaulted in Memphis earlier that day. Simpson contacted the Memphis Police Department Sex Crimes Unit.

Steven Geer, 40, of Dallas, was arrested and transported to Memphis. He is charged with especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor (class B felony), aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor (class C felony), sexual exploitation of a minor (class D felony), aggravated statutory rape (class D felony) and criminal exposure to HIV (class C felony). Geer is being held in the Shelby County Jail. The teen is in protective custody and will be released to his parents. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are pending.

West Tennessee Drug Task Force Director David McGriff credited the trooper's instincts for leading to the arrest. "We train our officers to look for suspicious activity, and when something just doesn't seem quite right, to keep investigating. That's what happened in this case. Today a suspect is in jail on sexual assault charges, and the victim is now in a safe place."

"This is an example of how our interstate interdiction officers are not only on the lookout for drug trafficking, but also human sex trafficking, which is a serious problem in our state," said Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons.