EAST TENNESSEE - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Knoxville Police Department concluded a two-day undercover operation this week, resulting in the arrest of eight individuals as part of a continued crackdown on human trafficking in the Volunteer State. Authorities released the details of the investigation on Thursday, April 23.
The concentrated effort, which took place on April 21 and 22, utilized undercover agents and intelligence analysts to target commercial sex operations in Knoxville. Investigators placed decoy advertisements on websites known for prostitution to identify individuals attempting to purchase sex, specifically focusing on those seeking to engage with minors.
One of the subjects arrested, now the “former” regional director of Perfect Game for Knoxville, allegedly went to a hotel room in East Tennessee where an undercover agent was posing as a 14-year-old. There, Chris Goodrich (mugshot above this article) allegedly engaged in the sale of commercial sex, reportedly agreeing to pay $200 to be with the agent who was posing as a teen. The 44-year-old, who also coached youth baseball teams, was charged with one count of Patronizing Prostitution, one count of Solicitation of a Minor and Patronizing Prostitution for a victim that under the age of 15.
Perfect Game officials moved quickly to distance the organization from the former youth baseball coach, appointing an interim to oversee operations. In a statement released online, Perfect Game SEC TN announced, “Effective immediately, Hunter Ives has been named Director of Events for the Knoxville region.”
Of the six individuals apprehended, four face charges involving the solicitation of a victim under the age of 15. Reports show that the suspects range in age from 40 to 78.
The following individuals were arrested and booked into the Knox County Jail:
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Adrian Gonzales Ramirez, 40, of Knoxville: Charged with one count of Solicitation of a Minor - Patronizing Prostitution (victim under 15).
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Christopher Steven Goodrich, 44, of Knoxville: Charged with one count of Patronizing Prostitution and one count of Solicitation of a Minor - Patronizing Prostitution (victim under 15).
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Charles Ed Boles, Jr., 48, of Rockwood: Charged with one count of Solicitation of a Minor - Patronizing Prostitution (victim under 15).
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Raymond Alexander, 78, of Knoxville: Charged with one count of Solicitation of a Minor - Patronizing Prostitution (victim under 15).
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Lingli Zheng, 47, of San Gabriel, CA: Charged with one count of Prostitution and one count of Bribery of a Public Servant.
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Hongtao Li, 47, of Arcadia, CA: Charged with one count of Prostitution.
A secondary phase of the operation focused on identifying and assisting victims of exploitation. Two additional individuals were arrested and subsequently referred to Willowbend Farms, a non-profit organization providing restorative programs for survivors of trafficking and sexual violence.
TBI agents are currently following up on hundreds of additional leads generated through text messages and phone calls received during the sting. Officials encourage the public to report suspicious activity to the Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-855-55-TNHTH or the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI. You can also visit ITHasToStop.com for more information on human trafficking.
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.
