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Nine men arrested in undercover human trafficking operation

Posted at 2:55 pm March 28, 2021
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Nine men, including at least five who met with undercover agents posing as juveniles, were arrested on trafficking, sex, and prostitution charges in Oak Ridge on Thursday during a two-day undercover operation targeted at human trafficking in East Tennessee.

As part of the operation, law enforcement officers said they 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,” the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a press release.

The covert operation included the Oak Ridge Police Department, special agents from the TBI Human Trafficking Unit, the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force (CTF), the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Seventh Judicial District Attorney General’s Office.

In a press release, Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark said the operation was conceived by ORPD in response to recent cases where men from other areas have solicited sex from juveniles and traveled to Oak Ridge to meet the girls. The ORPD led the covert operation on Wednesday and Thursday with technical and manpower help from the TBI, CTF, the Sheriff’s Office, and the DA’s Office, Clark said.

“Arrests were made when men came to an Oak Ridge location to pay to have sex with minors,” the DA said.

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, the TBI said.

The covert human trafficking operation was conducted in Oak Ridge. Officers were focused on investigating people who buy sex as well as people engaged in sex trafficking, according to arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge.

Here are the allegations against the defendants charged in cases involving undercover agents posing as juveniles, according to the arrest warrants. The offenses occurred within 1,000 feet of a daycare facility.

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As part of the operation, law enforcement officers said they 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,” the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a press release.

“Arrests were made when men came to an Oak Ridge location to pay to have sex with minors,” the DA said.

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For members: TVA could test new nuclear reactors in Oak Ridge

Posted at 2:31 pm February 14, 2021
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Valley Authority could use the potential nuclear reactor site in west Oak Ridge to test new reactors and nuclear technologies.

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The Tennessee Valley Authority could use the potential nuclear reactor site in west Oak Ridge to test new reactors and nuclear technologies.

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For members: Mason indicted on attempted murder, assault charges

Posted at 2:16 pm January 29, 2021
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

An Anderson County man with two homicide convictions and a 28-year prison sentence for federal drug and gun convictions has been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault, among other charges, after he allegedly tried to shoot a deputy in April 2019.

Charles Edward Mason, 53, was indicted on the one count of attempted first-degree murder, five counts of aggravated assault, and other charges in November. The other charges are two counts of interfering with a 911 call and one count of resisting arrest. Mason pleaded not guilty during an arraignment in Anderson County Circuit Court in Clinton on Thursday.

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December: 2,500 COVID cases, 43 deaths, 43 hospitalizations

Posted at 1:30 pm January 3, 2021
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Anderson County reported more than 2,500 new cases of COVID-19 in December and 43 deaths and 43 hospitalizations.

It was the worst month of the pandemic by far, part of a statewide surge after the Thanksgiving holiday.

The number of deaths reported in December (43) exceeded all previous months combined and was more than triple the number of deaths in November (13). Until December, November had been the worst month of the pandemic.

The overall fatality rate, comparing total deaths to total cases since the pandemic began, rose to roughly 1.3 percent in December.

About 3.3 percent of Anderson County’s roughly 77,000 residents were infected with COVID-19 in December, when 2,524 new cases were reported. Roughly 7.3 percent of the county’s residents have tested positive for COVID since the pandemic began March 20.

About 38 percent of the county’s total 113 hospitalizations since March were reported in December, when 43 hospitalizations were reported.

The number of new cases reported in December accounted for about 45 percent of all COVID-19 cases reported in the county since the pandemic began more than nine months ago.

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Anderson County reported more than 2,500 new cases of COVID-19 in December and 43 deaths and 43 hospitalizations.

It was the worst month of the pandemic by far, part of a statewide surge after the Thanksgiving holiday.

The overall fatality rate, comparing total deaths to total cases since the pandemic began, rose to roughly 1.3 percent in December.

About 38 percent of the county’s total 113 hospitalizations since March were reported in December, when 43 hospitalizations were reported.

The number of new cases reported in December accounted for about 45 percent of all COVID-19 cases reported in the county since the pandemic began more than nine months ago.

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Lee limits indoor public gatherings, indoor sports attendance

Posted at 5:14 pm December 29, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed an order last week that limits indoor public gatherings, with some exceptions, to fewer than 10 people. The governor also limited attendance at indoor sporting events in coordination with the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association. And he asked business owners to let employees work from home for the next 30 days.

Many people wondered if the governor would issue a mask mandate. He did not.

Lee asked people to focus on two actions in the next 30 days: only gather with people in your home, and wear a mask.

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Many people wondered if the governor would issue a mask mandate. He did not.

Lee asked people to focus on two actions in the next 30 days: only gather with people in your home, and wear a mask.

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Proposal to close courthouse offices for COVID sent to committee

Posted at 12:05 am December 29, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A proposal to temporarily close Anderson County Courthouse offices to the public because of COVID-19 and to have much business conducted remotely was referred to a committee last week.

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A proposal to temporarily close Anderson County Courthouse offices to the public because of COVID-19 and to have much business conducted remotely was referred to a committee last week.

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More than 700 school-aged children have had COVID in AC

Posted at 12:22 pm December 22, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

More than 700 school-aged children have tested positive for COVID-19 in Anderson County since the pandemic began March 20, and the growth in cases among children 5-18 years old is accelerating, according to state data.

It’s not clear what long-term effects, if any, COVID-19 might have on children.

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It’s not clear what long-term effects, if any, COVID-19 might have on children.

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In two weeks, AC reports 1,500 COVID cases, 17 deaths, 22 hospitalizations

Posted at 11:18 am December 22, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

In the past two weeks, Anderson County has reported more than 1,500 new cases of COVID-19, according to state data. The county has also reported 17 deaths and 22 hospitalizations in those 14 days.

About 2 percent of the county’s roughly 77,000 residents tested positive for COVID-19 in those two weeks, and almost 7 percent of the population has been infected since the pandemic began March 20.

The positivity rate in the county is very high, almost 20 percent.

There have been more new cases, deaths, and hospitalizations in the past two weeks than in any previous month, including November, which, until recently, had been the worst month of the pandemic.

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In the past two weeks, Anderson County has reported more than 1,500 new cases of COVID-19, according to state data. The county has also reported 17 deaths and 22 hospitalizations in those 14 days.

About 2 percent of the county’s roughly 77,000 residents tested positive for COVID-19 in those two weeks, and almost 7 percent of the population has been infected since the pandemic began March 20.

The positivity rate in the county is very high, almost 20 percent.

There have been more new cases, deaths, and hospitalizations in the past two weeks than in any previous month, including November, which, until recently, had been the worst month of the pandemic.

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Anderson County averaging one COVID-19 death, two hospitalizations per day

Posted at 12:50 pm December 18, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Anderson County is averaging about one COVID-19 death and close to two hospitalizations per day, according to state data, as Tennessee tops the nation and world in new cases per day per capita.

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Governor cites Thanksgiving decisions while discussing state surge

Anderson County is averaging about one COVID-19 death and close to two hospitalizations per day, according to state data, as Tennessee tops the nation and world in new cases per day per capita.

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Governor cites Thanksgiving decisions while discussing state surge

Anderson County is averaging about one COVID-19 death and close to two hospitalizations per day, according to state data, as Tennessee tops the nation and world in new cases per day per capita.

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COVID-19: Nine deaths, 14 hospitalizations, 1,000 cases in nine days

Posted at 2:17 pm December 14, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Nine deaths, 14 hospitalizations, and 1,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Anderson County in the nine-day period that ended Tuesday. That’s more deaths, hospitalizations, and new cases in a little more than a week than has been reported in all previous months except November.

Only halfway through the month, there have already been more cases of COVID-19 reported in Anderson County in December than in all of November, which had been the worst month of the pandemic. And total hospitalizations and deaths this month are already close to last month.

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For members: Mason sentenced to 28 years for gun, drug charges after allegedly trying to shoot deputy

Posted at 11:52 pm December 9, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Charles Mason Preliminary Hearing July 25 2019

An Anderson County man previously convicted of two homicides and charged with attempted murder last year after allegedly trying to shoot a deputy was sentenced to more than 28 years in federal prison on Wednesday on federal gun and drug charges.

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For members: Wildcats finish second in state

Posted at 2:56 pm December 5, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats finished second in Class 5A in Tennessee this season, losing to Summit of Spring Hill 28-7 in the state football championship on Friday.

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats finished second in Class 5A in Tennessee this season, losing to Summit of Spring Hill 28-7 in the state football championship on Friday.

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Nine men arrested in undercover human trafficking operation

For members: TVA could test new nuclear reactors in Oak Ridge

For members: Mason indicted on attempted murder, assault charges

December: 2,500 COVID cases, 43 deaths, 43 hospitalizations

Lee limits indoor public gatherings, indoor sports attendance

Proposal to close courthouse offices for COVID sent to committee

More than 700 school-aged children have had COVID in AC

In two weeks, AC reports 1,500 COVID cases, 17 deaths, 22 hospitalizations

Anderson County averaging one COVID-19 death, two hospitalizations per day

COVID-19: Nine deaths, 14 hospitalizations, 1,000 cases in nine days

For members: Mason sentenced to 28 years for gun, drug charges after allegedly trying to shoot deputy

For members: Wildcats finish second in state

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