CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said law enforcement arrested four people during a sex trafficking investigation in the Hamilton County area. One person was a member of a Venezuelan gang, according to a release from the TBI.
During a budget hearing, the bureau's director had previously described the Tren de Aragua gang as operating in "every major city" of Tennessee. The gang made headlines nationwide this year when false claims about members of the gang taking over an apartment building in Aurora, Colorado were posted on social media.
The person accused of being a member of the gang, Adelvis Rodriguez-Carmona, is facing a count of patronizing prostitution as well as drug charges and illegally having a weapon. The TBI said he is also suspected of violent crimes in Chicago and New York City.
Although TBI said it believed the gang was operating in "every major city," 12 East Tennessee law enforcement agencies said they weren't aware of any activity in their areas. They included the Knox County Sheriff's Office, the Knoxville Police Department, and the Blount County Sheriff's Office.
Three other people were arrested as part of the sex trafficking investigation in Hamilton County, listed below.
- Wilimar Herrera Guedez: One count prostitution
- Rebeca De Los Juarez Lucena: One count of prostitution
- Yidalbris Marcano Salas: One count of prostitution, three drug charges, a count of illegally having a weapon