An Overton County man has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses following a joint investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit and the Fairfax County Virginia Police Department.

Tristan Hicks, 22, was taken into custody with the assistance of the Livingston Police Department and booked into the Overton County Jail on a $100,000 bond. He faces the following charges:

• Two counts of Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

• Two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

• Four counts of Solicitation of a Minor

Investigation Details

The multi-state operation began in May after Fairfax County police received a report that a minor was sending child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to an adult male via TikTok and text messaging. Virginia detectives identified Hicks as the account holder and phone user. Because Hicks resided in Tennessee, the case was handed over to TBI ICAC agents.

Investigators subsequently discovered that Hicks allegedly solicited CSAM from numerous victims—both in the local Cookeville area and nationwide—in exchange for monetary payments.

Seeking Additional Information

The investigation remains active and ongoing. Authorities are urging anyone who may have interacted with Hicks, or with accounts using the handles tristanhicks.2 on TikTok or Snapchat, to contact the TBI.

How to Report:

• TBI Tip Line: 1-800-TBI-FIND

• Email: [email protected]

• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: CyberTipline.org

All charges and allegations are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.