18 arrested in Tennessee in human trafficking bust
A two-day undercover operation in Spring Hill, Tennessee, last week resulted in the arrests of 18 men who are accused of seeking illicit sex from minors.
The operation began July 8 and was aimed at combating human trafficking in middle Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Authorities placed decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex cases.
“The focus of the operation was to identify and recover potential victims of human trafficking as well as identify those seeking to engage in commercial sex acts with minors,” the department said.
All of the men were charged with patronizing prostitution from a minor or solicitation of a minor:
- Georgie George, Clarksville, Tennessee
- Marvin Sparkman, Columbia, Tennessee
- Steven McCanless, Culleoka, Tennessee
- Ketankumar Patel, Columbia, Tennessee
- Ivan Ashley, Dania, Florida
- David Christopher May, Fayetteville, Tennessee
- Andrew Myung Kim, Franklin, Tennessee
- Bryce Lawson, Charles, Louisiana
- Jeremiah McSpaddin, Spring Hill, Tennessee
- Brian Mitchell, Thompson’s Station, Tennessee
- Nabi Rahman, Nashville, Tennessee
- Patrick Harris, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
- Matthew Brewer, Centerville, Tennessee
- Suleiman Musa Osman, Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Juan Gabriel Hernandez Eufracio, Huntsville, Alabama
- Pablo Godines Cervantes, Columbia, Tennessee
- Haojie Wang, Brentwood, Tennessee
- Luis Diaz-Mendez, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The operation was conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Spring Hill police, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the office of 22nd District Attorney General.
The suspects were booked into the Maury County Jail, and authorities said the investigation remains ongoing, with additional charges pending.
About the Author
Tim Darnell is an Atlanta native and veteran of several local, national, and international news, business and sports publications.
