ICE HSI human trafficking investigation results in 7 arrests
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Seven men face felony charges following an undercover operation aimed at addressing human trafficking in Middle Tennessee.
“HSI is proud to have been a part of this successful human trafficking operation,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. “Working in concert with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in operations like this results in multiple perpetrator arrests and the rescue of victims of these heinous crimes.”
The two-day joint operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), TBI Human Trafficking Unit and Human Trafficking Task Force, Cookeville Police Department, and the office of 13th Judicial District Attorney’s office sought to identify individuals seeking to purchase illicit sex from minors and recover potential victims of human trafficking.
Authorities placed several decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex cases.
Those arrested include:
- Michael Blair, 68, of Sparta, Tennessee, charged with patronizing prostitution of a minor.
- Daniel Dubree, 41, of Cookeville, Tennessee, charged with trafficking for a commercial sex act.
- Christopher Garcia-Perez, 18, of Washington, North Carolina, charged with patronizing prostitution of a minor.
- Steven Howard, 58, of Cookeville, Tennessee, charged with trafficking for a commercial sex act.
- Jonathan McDonald, 37, of Sparta, Tennessee, charged with trafficking for a commercial sex act.
- David McGee, 26, of Cookeville, Tennessee, charged with trafficking for a commercial sex act.
- Eric Trobaugh, 34, of Celina, Tennessee, charged with patronizing prostitution of a minor and soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor.
HSI is a directorate of ICE and the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move.
HSI’s workforce of over 10,400 employees consists of more than 7,100 special agents assigned to 220 cities throughout the United States, and 80 overseas locations in 53 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
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