11 MEN FACING FELONY CHARGES AS A RESULT OF KINGSPORT HUMAN TRAFFICKING OPERATION

11 MEN FACING FELONY CHARGES AS A RESULT OF KINGSPORT HUMAN
TRAFFICKING OPERATION



JOHNSON CITY - A youth leader, a coach, and a volunteer firefighter
are among nearly a dozen men 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," says 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," says 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."


"Human trafficking is a growing problem in our nation, and in the
State of Tennessee. East Tennessee is no exception," says Kingsport
Police Chief David Quillin. "It is our hope that through partnerships
with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement
entities, the Kingsport Police Department can help bring those
individuals who engage in this unspeakable crime 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.


Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally visited the operation and was able
to witness some of the transactions. "I would like to commend the TBI
and its partnering law enforcement agencies for their outstanding work
on this operation," says Lt. Governor Randy McNally. "Operations like
these make clear that Tennessee is committed to ending human
trafficking and sex slavery within our borders. The message to those
participating in this scourge is unequivocal: You will be found. You
will be caught. And you will be prosecuted."


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.


ASAC Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigation's
operations in Tennessee says, "HSI Tennessee is proud to once again
partner with TBI as we jointly combat human trafficking in Tennessee.
These operations target those looking to prey on the community's
youth, but it also serves to get the victims of human trafficking off
the street so they can receive the services and protections which they
are entitled to. HSI will continue to apply our immigration authority
to maximize the effectiveness of these operations."

Earlier this year, as part of its commitment to address this issue,
the TBI began the second phase of the public awareness campaign
"ITHasToStop," which includes awareness billboards, online resources,
public service announcements, and contact information for nonprofits
who work with survivors of human trafficking. Visit
www.ITHasToStop.com<http://www.ITHasToStop.com> for additional
details.

KINGSPORT "OPERATION SOMEONE LIKE ME" STATS

Since "Operation Someone Like Me" began in May 2015, there have been
over 200 arrests/ citations.

The investigation was conducted in Brentwood, Clarksville, Jackson,
Chattanooga (twice, once in conjunction with Georgia Bureau of
Investigation), Knoxville, Nashville, Morristown, Memphis, Dyersburg,
and Kingsport.

As a result of "Operation Someone Like Me" in Kingsport, 12
individuals were charged, including 11 men and 1 woman.

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

*Gregory W. Hart, DOB 12/21/55, Johnson City, TN - Trafficking a
Person for a Commercial Sex Act
 (A Felony). $100,000 bond.
*Bradley C. Laws, DOB 1/10/75, 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, DOB 9/20/94, 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, (DOB 8/3/85), Kingsport, TN - Trafficking a Person
for a Commercial Sex Act
 (B Felony). $75,000 bond.
*Jose Alejandro Rivero, DOB 11/22/97, Elizabethton, TN - Trafficking a
Person for a Commercial Sex
  Act (B Felony). $75,000 bond.
*Joseph D. Miller, DOB 5/12/80, 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, DOB 8/8/95, Johnson City, TN - Trafficking a
Person for a Commercial Sex Act
 (A Felony). $100,000 bond.
*Matthew S. Still, DOB 12/4/86, 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, DOB 4/5/96, 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, DOB 4/21/73, Kingsport, TN - Trafficking a Person for
a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony).
  $10,000 bond.
*Maegen J. Manis, DOB 9/22/87, Kingsport, TN - Prostitution