Multiple people arrested in human trafficking operation
March 28, 2021

Darron C. Hickman	Alex Hickey	Juan Gomez
Jose W. Salguero	Michael L. Slover	Michael Houck
Joshua Winningham	Jeremy Williams	Joshua Wilson

OAK RIDGE – A two-day undercover operation has resulted in the arrest of several men accused of seeking illicit sex from minors. The investigation was conducted by Special 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

Over a two-day period beginning March 24th, 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 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)

Additionally, one person was arrested on charges related to prostitution. 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.

Information about human trafficking and TBI’s efforts to address this type of crime can be found online at www.ITHasToStop.com.