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Second Sting in 10 Days: Joint Task Force Makes MORE Arrests in Chattanooga

Jun 13, 2025 at 04:43 pm by WGNS News

Above: The Tennessee River in Downtown Chattanooga, TN

MORE ARRESTED: CHATTANOOGA – About 90-miles east of Murfreesboro, four more arrests have been made in an undercover joint operation by special agents with TBI’s Human Trafficking Unit, the Chattanooga Police Department, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the Lookout Mountain Police Department, the Tennessee Human Trafficking Task Force, and the FBI. This was the second operation in the past 10-days. The previous undercover operation, that included at least four arrests, took place May 30 – June 1, 2025.

On Monday, June 9th, agents conducted an undercover operation aimed at addressing the ongoing problem of human trafficking in the Chattanooga area. The focus of the operation was to identify individuals seeking to engage in sex acts with minors and to recover victims of human trafficking. As a result, authorities arrested Zhang Wei (DOB 1/9/1965), charged her with one count of Promoting Prostitution and one count of Prostitution, and booked her into the Hamilton County Jail on $200,000 bond. Records indicate she was released and out of custody on Friday afternoon (06/13/25).

During the most recent operation, investigators also encountered and assisted in the arrests of two men and one woman.

  • Jeffrey Adair Young (DOB 2/14/1960): 1 count of Solicitation of a Minor, $50,000 bond. 65-Year-old Young bonded out of the Hamilton County Jail the morning after his arrest.
  • Miguel Zarate Garcia (DOB 1/25/2000): 1 count each of Aggravated Statutory Rape and Attempted Especially Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, $100,000 bond. Details on Garcia’s release status have not been made available.
  • Jaquita Welch (DOB 6/20/1975): Failure to Appear, $11,000 bond. 49-Year-old Welch remains in custody at this time.

Another part of the operation focused on identifying potential victims of human trafficking and the direct service, non-governmental organizations Street Grace and Willowbend Farms were on site to offer services to those in need.

Information about human trafficking and TBI’s efforts to address this type of crime can be found online at www.ITHasToStop.com. Anyone can report a suspected case of human trafficking by calling the Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-855-55-TNHTH.

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.

 

 

 

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