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Seven men arrested, charged in human trafficking operation
June 12, 2021

mark daniel higgins - human trafficking - asheville nc
Mark Daniel Higgins
Jeffrey Lynn Rhoney - human trafficking - arden nc
Jeffrey Lynn Rhoney
Steven Charles Mayes - human trafficking - Morristown TN
Steven Charles Mayes
Benjamin Bouchot Moreno - human trafficking - Asheville NC
Benjamin Bouchot Moreno
Jose Raul Delgado Andrade - human trafficking - Johnson City TN
Jose Raul Delgado Andrade
human trafficking - Alberto Vasquez Gonzales - bristol va
Alberto Vasquez Gonzales
  Randall Dale Staton - human trafficking - Bakersville NC
Randall Dale Staton
 

ERWIN – A two-day undercover operation by special agents with the TBI Human Trafficking Unit, the Erwin Police Department, the Unicoi County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Jonesborough Police Department, and the office of 1st District Attorney General Ken Baldwin has resulted in the arrest of several men accused of seeking illicit sex from minors.



Over a two-day period beginning June 9th, as part of an undercover investigation aimed at addressing human trafficking in East Tennessee, 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 seven men and booked them into the Unicoi County Jail:

• Mark Daniel Higgins (DOB 1/31/62), Asheville, NC: Solicitation of a Minor by Electronic Means, Solicitation of a Minor
• Jeffrey Lynn Rhoney (DOB 5/8/60), Arden, NC: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act (2 counts), Solicitation of a Minor (2 counts), Purchase of Alcohol for Someone Under 21
• Steven Charles Mayes (DOB 12/19/73), Morristown: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act, Solicitation of a Minor
• Benjamin Bouchot Moreno (DOB 6/15/70), Asheville, NC: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act (2 counts), Solicitation of a Minor(2 counts)
• Jose Raul Delgado Andrade (DOB 6/5/80), Johnson City: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act, Solicitation of a Minor
• Alberto Vazquez Gonzalez (DOB 4/1/75), Bristol, VA: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act, Solicitation of a Minor
• Randall Dale Staton (DOB 9/5/66), Bakersville, NC: Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act, Solicitation of a Minor






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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