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The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
A recent undercover joint operation conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s (TBI) Human Trafficking Unit in cooperation with the FBI, the Tennessee Human Trafficking Task Force, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office as well as the Chattanooga and Soddy Daisy police departments, resulted in the arrest of four individuals.
Three out of the four individuals who were arrested, charged and booked into the Hamilton County Jail are confirmed to currently remain in custody.
According to TBI, the child sex trafficking bust took place Friday, May 30th, through Sunday, June 1st.
The purpose of this operation was to identify individuals who sought to engage in sex acts with minors and to recover victims of human trafficking.
Non-governmental organizations Street Grace and Willowbend Farms are assisted in offering on-site services to help additional individuals identified as potential victims of human trafficking.
As of Thursday morning, the following individuals were confirmed to still be behind bars at Hamilton County Jail in Chattanooga include:
- 65-Year-old Thomas Leighton (DOB 9/26/1959) out of Soddy Daisy – Charged with one count of Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act. His bond is set at $20,000.
- 27-Year-old Brandon Moates (DOB 11/09/1997) out of Chattanooga – Charged with one count of Unlawful Carrying or Possession of a Weapon, one count of Manufacture, Delivery, Sale, Possession of Methamphetamine, one count of Schedule II Drug Violations, one count of Simple Possession/Casual Exchange, and one count of Unlawful Drug Paraphernalia. His bond is set at $13,000.
- 52-Year-old Tommy Puyear (DOB 6/6/1973) from Rossville, Georgia – Charged with one count of Solicitation of a Minor, two counts of Unlawful Carrying or Possession of a Weapon, one count of Manufacture, Delivery, Sale, Possession of Methamphetamines, one count of Schedule II Drug Violations, and one count of Unlawful Drug Paraphernalia. His bond is set at $20,000.
The fourth individual arrested during the bust was 28-Year-old Westin Stansell (DOB 8/22/1996) out of Chattanooga. He was charged with one count of Solicitation of a Minor and his bond was set at $15,000.
Information regarding Stansell’s arrest status has not been made available.
According to TBI, the charges and allegations referenced in their press release are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
More information about human trafficking and TBI’s efforts to address this type of crime can be found here.
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
