A two-day undercover operation by agents with the TBI Human Trafficking Unit, the Oak Ridge Police Department, the 7th Judicial District Crime Task Force, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, and the 7th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office has resulted in the arrest of several men accused of seeking illicit sex from minors.

As part of an undercover investigation, 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, authorities arrested nine men and booked them into the Anderson County Jail:

Juan N. Gomez (DOB 10/10/78), Knoxville: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act

Alex E. Hickey (DOB 3/9/66), Jefferson City:  Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act (2 counts)

Darron C. Hickman (DOB 6/30/67), Knoxville: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act, Possession of a Controlled Substance

Jose W. Salguero (DOB 3/27/85), Maryville: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act (2 counts)

Michael J. Slover (DOB 2/4/67), Oak Ridge: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act (2 counts), Sexual Battery

Jeremy R. Williams (DOB 6/26/85), Tellico Plains: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act (2 counts)

Joshua S. Wilson (DOB 7/1/88), Oak Ridge: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act (2 counts)

Joshua D. Winningham (DOB 9/20/94), Knoxville: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act (2 counts), Soliciting Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (2 counts)

Michael J. Houck (DOB 11/18/66), of Concord, was charged with two counts of Patronizing Prostitution.

Part of the operation also focused on identifying potential victims of trafficking. Two adult women were identified and offered services such as housing and counseling through Grow Free Tennessee, a program of the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking.