An undercover joint operation by special agents with TBI’s Human Trafficking Unit and the Knoxville Police Department has led to the arrest of eight people.
On April 21st and 22nd, as part of an undercover operation aimed at addressing human trafficking in the Knoxville area, investigators and intelligence analysts placed several decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex. The primary focus of the operation was to identify individuals seeking to engage in sex acts with minors. As a result, the following individuals were arrested and booked into the Knox County Jail.
- Adrian Gonzales Ramirez (DOB: 06/22/85), Knoxville: one count of Solicitation of a Minor – Patronizing Prostitution (victim under 15)
- Christopher Steven Goodrich(DOB: 12/03/81), Knoxville: one count of Patronizing Prostitution and one count of Solicitation of a Minor – Patronizing Prostitution (victim under 15)
- Charles Ed Boles, Jr. (DOB: 02/02/78), Rockwood: one count of Solicitation of a Minor – Patronizing Prostitution (victim under 15)
- Raymond Alexander (DOB: 09/23/53), Knoxville: one count of Solicitation of a Minor – Patronizing Prostitution (victim under 15)
- Lingli Zheng (DOB: 11/27/78), San Gabriel, CA: one count of Prostitution and one count of Bribery of a Public Servant
- Hongtao Li (DOB: 08/07/78), Arcadia, CA: one count of Prostitution
Another part of the operation focused on identifying potential victims of human trafficking. Two individuals arrested during that portion of the operation were offered and accepted services that were provided through Willowbend Farms.
Investigators are continuing to follow up on hundreds of contacts made via text messages and phone calls in response to the online ads used during the operation.
Information about human trafficking and TBI’s efforts to address this type of crime can be found online here .Anyone can report a suspected case of human trafficking by calling the Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-855-55-TNHTH.
