Photo Credit: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Published September 1, 2021
The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –
A West Tennessee undercover operation resulted in the arrest of 11 men in Jackson for participating in a human trafficking operation, according to an announcement from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on Monday.
The TBI Human Trafficking Unit and Human Trafficking Task Force worked alongside the Jackson Police Department for two days, beginning on August 26. They were assisted by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office Metro Narcotics Unit, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, and the Office of 26th District Attorney General Jody Pickens.
The undercover investigation was completed as a part of Operation United Front, a 12-state human trafficking operation headed by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
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Over the two-day span of the investigation, authorities posted fake advertisements on several websites that had known ties to commercial sex cases. Investigators hoped to identify individuals who were attempting to engage in commercial sex acts with minors and also to locate and recover potential victims of human sex trafficking.
The individuals charged are listed as follows:
▪ Christopher Clark (DOB: 11/24/96), Milan, Tenn.: Patronizing Prostitution of a Minor
▪ Gene Depriest (DOB: 5/17/42), Waverly, Tenn.: Patronizing Prostitution of a Minor
▪ Charles Dunigan (DOB: 5/8/85), Jackson, Tenn.: Patronizing Prostitution of a Minor, Simple Possession of Marijuana
▪ Rickius Grant (DOB: 7/24/96), West Memphis, Ark.: Patronizing Prostitution of a Minor (2 counts), Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Simple Possession of Marijuana
▪ Troyce Hudson (DOB: 5/31/75), Jackson, Tenn.: Patronizing Prostitution of a Minor
▪ Shravan Niranjan (DOB: 11/20/78), Collierville, Tenn.: Patronizing Prostitution of a Minor
▪ Brian Patterson (DOB: 7/23/71), Trezevant, Tenn.: Patronizing Prostitution of a Minor (2 counts)
▪ Dustin Smith (DOB: 12/1/88), Drummonds, Tenn.: Patronizing Prostitution of a Minor
▪ Brandon Williams (DOB: 5/29/82), Bartlett, Tenn.: Patronizing Prostitution of a Minor
▪ Clyde Willis (DOB: 8/29/81), Jackson, Tenn.: Patronizing Prostitution of a Minor (2 counts)
▪ Micah Wilson (DOB: 12/29/69), Trenton, Tenn.: Patronizing Prostitution of a Minor
The men, ranging in age from 24 to 79, were booked into the Madison County or Chester County Jails with a $100,000 bond. A judge eventually lowered the bond for Depriest to $10,000.
The investigation is ongoing and could potentially result in additional charges being filed.
About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career. Most recently, he served as Deputy Directory for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History. Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com
2 Responses
This whole thing is disgusting, but I simply can’t get over a 79 year old man soliciting sex with a minor. These people should be castrated and then we won’t have to deal with them anymore.
You are so right . Pour alcohol on the wound ,unless you just clamp them and let them fall off .