Alabama man arrested in Tennessee human trafficking sting

A Muscle Shoals man is one of nine people who were arrested as part of a two-day human trafficking sting in Tennessee.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, multiple agencies took part in a two-day undercover operation, beginning Aug. 29 in west Tennessee.

Special agents with TBI’s Human Trafficking Unit, the Tennessee Human Trafficking Task Force, the Jackson (Tenn.) Police Department, the 26th Judicial Drug Task Force, and the Office of the 26th Judicial District Attorney General made 12 felony arrests, in all.

Officers placed several decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex. Investigators sought to identify people seeking commercial sex acts with minors.

Jabbar Franklin, 31,, of Muscle Shoals, was charged with trafficking for a commercial sex act. He is being held in the Madison County (Tenn.) Jail on $25,000 bond.

Seven men from Franklin, Tenn., and one from Memphis, were also arrested on the same charge.

Another three people were arrested on felony charges, including meth possession with intent to sell, deliver, or manufacture; possession of Schedule 1 drugs, and aggravated robbery.

Twelve people were identified as potential victims of human trafficking. Some had warrants that resulted in arrests, but they were all offered services through a human trafficking victim service organization, the TBI said in a statement.