About an hour and a half away from nearby Lebanon, TN along I-40 East in Rockwood, multiple complaints of illegal business activity has led to a Tennessee Bureau of Investigations inquiry. The end result has equaled a woman, who is nearly 80-years-of-age, being arrested on prostitution charges.
In a concerted effort to address complaints of illicit business activities, a joint operation spearheaded by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations (TBI) culminated in an arrest in Rockwood, Tennessee. The investigation, prompted by numerous complaints, honed in on a massage establishment in Roane County, sparking collaboration between the Rockwood Police Department, the TBI Human Trafficking Unit, and the office of the 9th Judicial District Attorney General.
Under the leadership of Rockwood Detective Dustin Arnold, the collective efforts of law enforcement agencies bore fruit, resulting in the apprehension of an individual allegedly involved in nefarious activities. On February 12th, authorities executed a search warrant at 7 Massage, situated at 2305 North Gateway Avenue in Harriman, TN. The TBI reported that one woman, identified as Sook Campbell, found herself in custody, facing charges linked to prostitution-related offenses.
Campbell, who authorities confirmed was a senior citizen from Lawrenceville, Georgia, was taken into custody and subsequently booked into the Roane County Jail. The woman stands accused of three counts of Promoting and/or Patronizing Prostitution, as outlined by Tennessee Code Annotated 39-13-515. Scheduled to turn 80 in just three weeks, Campbell's arrest underscores the multifaceted nature of criminal activity, transcending age demographics.
Meanwhile, amidst the unfolding legal proceedings, another woman associated with the establishment opted to engage with services provided by Grow Free Tennessee, an integral component of the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking. Grow Free is a non-profit anti-human trafficking operation that provides survivors of prostitution a wide variety of trauma-informed services. Such services typically help victims who have experienced the negativity of violence and trauma that often take years to mentally overcome. Those who have experienced things like human trafficking have undergone life-altering experiences that can have detrimental impacts on future relationships and more, if help is not accomplished.
As the case progresses, attention turns to the upcoming legal proceedings. A hearing for Sook Campbell has been slated for next Tuesday, February 20, 2024, in the Roane County Circuit Courts, where she will make her initial appearance before Judge Terry Stevens. However, the TBI emphasizes that the investigation remains active and ongoing, underscoring the persistent efforts of law enforcement agencies to root out criminal enterprises and uphold justice within the community.
DID YOU KNOW? Rutherford County is named as 1 of 13 counties that rank high in the number of human trafficking cases. The other counties on that top 13 list include Coffee, Davidson, Knox, Shelby, Franklin, Warren, Carter, Hamilton, Lawrence, Madison, Washington and Roane County.
WGNS has noted in several news stories over the past 2-years, that Rutherford County residents accused of involvement in human trafficking related crimes often travel to another county to commit a solicitation act. The same is true for Davidson County residents, who travel to places like Rutherford County to solicit sexual acts in a human trafficking related crime.
Recently Investigated Human Trafficking Crimes:
November of 2023 in Williamson County (Franklin/Brentwood area) - Special agents from the TBI Human Trafficking Unit, along with law enforcement agencies in Williamson County, conducted an undercover operation targeting human trafficking in Middle Tennessee. Over two days, officers placed decoy advertisements on websites associated with prostitution to identify individuals seeking commercial sex with minors. Ten men were arrested and charged with patronizing prostitution of a minor, leading to their booking into the Williamson County Jail as part of the operation. The collaborative effort aimed to address trafficking, promotion, recruitment, and solicitation for commercial sex within the region.
August of 2023 in Blount County (Alcoa area) - During a two-day undercover operation by special agents with the TBI Human Trafficking Unit, the Alcoa Police Department, and the 5th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office, resulted in the arrest of seven men accused of seeking illicit sex from minors. During the 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. Authorities successfully arrested seven men. Part of the operation also focused on identifying potential victims of trafficking. Two adult women were cited and offered services such as housing and counseling through Grow Free Tennessee, an anti-Human Trafficking organization.
May of 2023 in Robertson County (Springfield area) - An undercover operation led by the TBI Human Trafficking Unit, in collaboration with the Springfield Police Department, Robertson County Sheriff’s Office, and 19th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office, resulted in the arrest of four men accused of seeking illicit sex from minors in Middle Tennessee. Over a two-day period in May, officers placed decoy advertisements on websites associated with prostitution to target individuals seeking commercial sex with minors. The operation marked the fifth such initiative conducted by TBI special agents and law enforcement partners in 2023, following nine similar operations in 2022 and thirteen in 2021, all aimed at combating human trafficking. The arrested individuals were booked into the Robertson County Jail as part of the operation.
Sexual Crimes Murfreesboro - In the past 4-weeks, there have been at least 16 crimes that were worked by the Murfreesboro Police Special Victims Unit, which is the same unit that works with the TBI on human trafficking cases. Keep in mind, the number of 16 recent cases do not involve all of the existing cases that have been under an ongoing investigation. Of the 16 recently filed reports, one was in regards to sexual contact with a minor and the suspect was an authority figure over the child. Reports show the incident or incidents, were reported in the area of Sulphur Springs Road late last month.
There have also been 4-rapes reported and 1-rape of a child case in Murfreesboro over the last 4-weeks. An aggravated sexual battery accusation was made on January 31, 2024. That crime involved an adult who fondled a child. The incident occurred in the area of East Vine Street, which was the same area that involved a February 7 child rape charge. The MPD is also investigating a sexual exploitation of a minor claim on Willowbrook Drive.
Learn more about human trafficking, Tennessee’s approach to the crime, and the warning signs and what to do if they’re spotted online at www.ITHasToStop.com.
Source: TBI, Source of Charges and Hearing: State Of Tennessee vs Sook Campbell 73GS1-2024-CR-263, State Of Tennessee vs Sook Campbell 73GS1-2024-CR-262 and State Of Tennessee vs Sook Campbell 73GS1-2024-CR-259, Case References: 253790 253791 253792
DISCLAIMER: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The arrest records or information about an arrest that are published or reported on NewsRadio WGNS and www.WGNSradio.com are not an indication of guilt or evidence that an actual crime has been committed.
