HSI, joint law enforcement partner, investigation leads to a dozen human trafficking arrests
#HSI; #ICE; #HumanTrafficking; #Arrests; #llicitSexFromMinors
Murfreesboro, Tennessee (U.S.) — A two-day undercover operation aimed at addressing human trafficking in middle Tennessee, resulted in the arrest of 12 individuals accused of seeking illicit sex from minors.
The operation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Human Trafficking Unit, Murfreesboro Police Department, Tennessee Human Trafficking Task Force and the office of the 16th Judicial District Attorney General.
“HSI is proud to have partnered with our state and local partners in this successful human trafficking operation involving multiple arrests,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. “Using our victim centered approach to these types of investigations, HSI will continue to target and investigate individuals and networks that engage in crimes that target our most vulnerable populations.”
Beginning Oct. 13, authorities placed several decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex cases. The focus of the operation was to identify individuals seeking to engage in commercial sex acts with minors.
As a result of the operation, those arrested and booked into the Rutherford County Jail include:
- Terrance Deshun Becton, 27, of Mason, Tennessee.
- Edilberto Nataren-Aguilar, 32, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
- Colin Patrick Hamilton, 26, of Tullahoma, Tennessee.
- Javier Urbina Leija, 31, of Smyrna, Tennessee.
- Alasfour Abdullah Hassan, 22, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
- John Darrell Schulze, 59, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
- Garrett Robert Zabloudil, 41, of China Grove, North Carolina.
- Edward Pope, 32, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
- Lucas Javier Diaz-Hernandez, 23, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
- Francisco Ruiz-Diaz, 29, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
- Michael Lee Sovern, 20, of Smithville, Tennessee.
- William DeJesus Morales-Garcia, 46, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The public is reminded that charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
With a workforce of over 10,400 employees., HSI consists of more than 7,100 Special Agents assigned to 220 cities throughout the United States, and 80 overseas locations in 53 countries.
DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence is represented by HSI’s international presence abroad and is one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
The story was first published in https://www.ice.gov/news/releases on Nov 19