TENNESSEE
WBIR
[with video]
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced Friday authorities arrested 32 people in a Knoxville human trafficking operation.
The TBI said in a release two of the men, including a children’s minister, arrested in “Operation Someone Like Me” responded to ads for what they thought were girls under the age of 18.
TBI identified Knoxville’s Jason Kennedy, 46, as the children’s minister arrested for patronizing prostitution and human trafficking. Kennedy was a minister at Grace Baptist Church in Karns. He was fired after the charges were revealed.
Grace Baptist Church released the following statement to the media about Kennedy’s arrest:
The children’s pastor of Grace Baptist Church has been terminated as as result of an arrest in a police sting related to prostitution and human trafficking.
The actions of the children’s pastor for which he has been arrested were part of his life outside the church, and we have received no questions or concerns related to his conduct within the church or its ministries.
The children’s pastor was hired two-and-a-half years ago. The church’s background check turned up no issues that indicate any previous problem. In fact, the children’s pastor in his application affirmed that he had no issues in his background of a criminal or other nature.
We are praying for his family and will continue to provide the services of our ministry to them.
According to a TBI release, the only other person charged with trafficking was Zubin Parakh, 32, from Oak Ridge.
Parakh is connected to Lifehouse Church in Oak Ridge. A church spokesperson said Parakh serves as a volunteer as a “creative pastor.”
Although Parakh is not officially a pastor at LIfehouse Church, he was working toward becoming one. The church said Parakh has never worked with children.
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