DAYTON – An undercover operation by special agents with the TBI Human Trafficking Unit, Dayton Police Department, 12th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and TBI’s Tennessee Human Trafficking Task Force has resulted in the arrest of 5 men accused of seeking illicit sex from minors.
Over a two-day period beginning March 10th, as part of an undercover investigation aimed at addressing human trafficking in the East Tennessee area, undercover officers placed several decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex. The focus of the operation was to identify individuals seeking to engage in commercial sex acts with minors. As a result of the operation, agents and detectives arrested 5 men, who were each booked into the Rhea County Jail on a $25,000 bond.
*Eugenio D. Bautista (DOB 06/14/1998), Dayton: Two counts Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act, two counts especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor.
*Kevin S. Cormier (DOB08/01/1967), Spring City: Two counts Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act.
*Devin Wayne Riddle (DOB 06/24/1993), Chickamauga, GA: One count Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act, one count Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Possession of Methamphetamine, one count Unlawful Drug Paraphernalia.
*Kevin Ramirez Vasquez (DOB 07/23/2003), Chattanooga: One count Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act.
*Erik Alan Zeliski (DOB 09/26/1974), Ooltewah: One count Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act.
This is the third such operation conducted by TBI special agents and other law enforcement partners in 2022. This operation in the 12th Judicial District included the planning and execution assistance and cooperation from District Attorney General Michael Taylor and Dayton Police Chief Chris Sneed and their respective departments. In 2021, 13 similar operations were conducted across the state, aimed at reducing human trafficking.
Booking photos of the individuals charged are available on the TBI Newsroom blog at www.tbinewsroom.com.
Information about human trafficking and TBI’s efforts to address this type of crime can be found online at www.ITHasToStop.com.
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