KINGSPORT — An Elizabethton man was one of nearly a dozen people facing felony charges as part of a four-day human trafficking operation in Kingsport.

Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation along with the Kingsport Police Department, 2nd Judicial District Drug Task Force, Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the undercover operation to identify potential victims of trafficking and arrest those seeking to purchase illicit sex from a juvenile. The Kingsport anti-trafficking operation, called “Operation Someone Like Me”, is the 10th of its kind in the state between the TBI and partner agencies to help identify, investigate, and prosecute trafficking.

“Many still think this is something that just happens in big cities. The results of this operation prove that’s not the case,” said TBI Director Mark Gwyn. “We want our message to be very clear: Law enforcement officers across the state are watching, and we are working together to stop those trying to buy and sell our children for sex.”

The operation took place July 31st – August 3rd with the first three days focusing entirely on targeting those attempting to purchase illicit sex from minors. Over the three-day period, undercover Special Agents posing as juvenile girls posted ads on Backpage.com. As a result, Agents received numerous texts and phone calls from men across Tennessee and in surrounding states. A total of eleven men responded and paid to have sex with an underage female. Those arrested include a local coach, a church youth leader, an emergency medical technician, and an Uber driver.

“We have no tolerance for those who would victimize the most vulnerable in our society,” said TBI Deputy Director Jason Locke. “We will continue to conduct these operations across the state and do whatever it takes to bring those trafficking women and children, as well as those supplying the demand, to justice.”

With the assistance of the nonprofit agency Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking, the fourth day of the operation focused on identifying potential victims of trafficking. One woman was cited and offered services, including housing and counseling. She took advantage of those services and has been placed in transitional housing.

In 2015, Governor Bill Haslam signed legislation into law giving TBI original jurisdiction over human trafficking investigations. Additionally, the General Assembly approved funding for four Special Agents, who work exclusively to investigate human trafficking cases and train law enforcement statewide on recognizing and combating this type of crime. These four Special Agents, who have now completed their tenth operation across the state, have arrested or cited more than 200 individuals during that time.

As a result of “Operation Someone Like Me” in Kingsport, 12 individuals were charged, including 11 men and one woman.                          

Those charged during the operation are below. One individual indicted as part of the investigation has not yet been arrested.

• Jose Alejandro Rivero, 19, Elizabethton, TN – Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony). $75,000 bond.

• Gregory W. Hart, 61, Johnson City, TN – Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (A Felony). $100,000 bond.

• Bradley C. Laws, 42, Green Mountain, NC – Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (A Felony) and Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony). $100,000 bond.

• Samuel Adam McMurry, 22, Johnson City, TN – Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (A Felony) and Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony). $100,000 bond.

• Brandon R. Summey, 32, Kingsport, TN – Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony). $75,000 bond.

• Joseph D. Miller, 37, Bristol, TN – Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (A Felony) and Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony). $100,000 bond.

• Israel Cueva Morales, 22, Johnson City, TN – Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (A Felony). $100,000 bond.

• Matthew S. Still, 30, Jonesborough, TN – Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (A Felony), Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony), and Sexual Battery.

$125,000 bond.

• Christopher K. Ginley, 21, Jonesborough, TN – Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (A Felony) and Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony). $100,000 bond.

• Kevin J. White, 44, Kingsport, TN – Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony). $10,000 bond.

• Maegen J. Manis, 29, Kingsport, TN – Prostitution.