Over 260,000 Child Sex Abuse Videos Seized in Widespread Home Search Warrants With More Expected, Officials Charge
Suspects’ photos courtesy of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
By Editor Josh Mitchell
River Mississippi News
TENNESSEE — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation today announced a major child exploitation and sextortion sweep resulting in the arrests of 12 suspects, who are all charged with felonies.
Several of the charges are elevated to the point of being identified as “aggravated.”
Authorities say dozens of victims were targeted in the alleged online effort, which aimed to extort and exploit underage victims for sexual purposes.
The three-month “Operation Protection Tomorrow” investigation concluded in April and was conducted by TBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The sprawling case reached 21 counties and involved nearly 20 local, state and federal law enforcement partners.
The case was significantly aided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as well as undercover efforts and tips from the public, according to a TBI news release issued today announcing the arrests.
Agents located 18 “known child victims of sextortion in Tennessee,” based on cybertips from various sources, including certain social media platforms. One victim was in Alabama, and agents are still working on identifying 22 more child sextortion victims between the ages of 11 and 17, the release adds.
A spate of search warrants was executed at residences throughout Tennessee during the operation, which included the seizures of “181 electronic devices and one child sex doll,” according to the TBI news release.
These devices have already turned up over 264,000 “images and videos” of “Child Sexual Abuse Material,” and that number is expected to go up as the “examination of evidence continues.”
Below is the list of suspects charged in the operation, according to the TBI press statement:
1. John Vincent, 53, Murfreesboro: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (2 Counts);
2. Courtney Staggs, 29, Jamestown: Aggravated Rape of a Child (1 Count), Aggravated Sexual Battery (1 Count), Especially Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (6 Counts), Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (6 Counts);
3. Cody Wilson, 31, Columbia: Solicitation of a Minor (1 Count), Soliciting Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – Exploitation of a Minor by Electronic Means (1 Count);
4. Kyle Shaddon, 28, Paris: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (3 Counts);
5. Justin Farris, 41, Paris: Especially Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (1 Count), Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (1 Count);
6. Marcus Puryear, 47, Somerville: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (20 Counts), Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (20 Counts);
7. Shawn Steven, 32, Decatur: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (5 Counts);
8. Cody Gunter, 29, Niota: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (1 Count), Solicitation of a Minor (1 Count);
9. Johnathan Curtis, 32, McMinnville: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (1 Count);
10. Clifton Johnston, 38, McMinnville: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (1 Count);
11. Garry Alford, 42, McMinnville: Sexual Exploitation of Minor (1 Count);
12. Ernest Brown, 45, Paris: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (6 Counts), Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (2 Counts).
