Posted 5/22/24

A dozen people face felony charges and two dozen victims have been identified in a nineteen agency operation to target online child exploitation and sextortion in Tennessee.

Over a three-month period, from February to April, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, housed within its Cybercrime and Digital Evidence Unit conducted Operation Protecting Tomorrow, with work extending to 21 counties in the state.

Operation Protecting Tomorrow’s purpose was to identify and locate children who were victims of sextortion and online sexual exploitation, along with identifying and arresting individuals who aim to harm children online.

Those charged in the operation include…John Vincent of Murfreesboro, Courtney Staggs, of Jamestown, Cody Wilson, of Columbia, Kyle Shaddon, of Paris, Justin Farris, of Paris, Marcus Puryear, of Somerville, Shawn Steven, of Decatur, Cody Gunter, of Niota, Johnathan Curtis, of McMinnville, Clifton Johnston, of McMinnville, Garry Alford, of McMinnville, and Ernest Brown, of Paris.

More arrests may be forthcoming in this operation once complete forensic processing of the seized electronic devices has occurred.