The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Staff Reports
Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 11:22 AM
STATE: TBI Arrests 12 In Kingsport Human Trafficking Case Including Youth Leader, Uber Driver And Local Coach
Special agents and investigators worked in an undercover operation to identify potential victims of human trafficking, and to take into custody those seeking to purchase illicit sex from a juvenile.
During the course of the investigation, undercover agents posted as young girls on Backpage.com. Agents received numerous texts and phone calls from men across Tennessee and in surrounding states.
Eleven men in total responded and paid to have sex with an underage girl. Twelve people were charged, including the 11 men and one woman. One was indicted and not arrested.
TBI said among the men arrested were Sullivan County youth sports coach and substitute Teacher Brandon R. Summey of Kingsport. Summey is charged with trafficking a person for a commercial sex act.
Evelyn Rafalowski, the Sullivan County director of schools, said Summey was placed on administrative leave from his position in the school system on Monday. He had been reportedly employed with the school system since 2008 and was considered a non-faculty coach.
Jose Alejandro Rivero, of Elizabethton, was suspended without pay from his position as a food service worker in Johnson City, at Science Hill High School.
Samuel McMurry was employed as an EMT for Washington County - Johnson City EMS.
Matthew S. Still, of Jonesborough, was serving as a youth minister at a church in Bristol, Tennessee, and is now charged with two felony counts of trafficking a person for commercial sex act and sexual battery.
The operation was called "Operation Someone Like Me" and was the tenth in the state between TBI and partner agencies.
"We have no tolerance for those who would victimize the most vulnerable in our society," said TBI Deputy Director Jason Locke. "We will continue to conduct these operations across the state and do whatever it takes to bring those trafficking women and children, as well as those supplying the demand, to justice."
The following individuals charged are listed below:
*Gregory W. Hart, DOB 12/21/55, Johnson City, TN - Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act
(A Felony). $100,000 bond.
*Bradley C. Laws, DOB 1/10/75, Green Mountain, NC – Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act
(A Felony) and Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony). $100,000 bond.
*Samuel Adam McMurry, DOB 9/20/94, Johnson City, TN - Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex
Act (A Felony) and Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony). $100,000 bond.
*Brandon R. Summey, (DOB 8/3/85), Kingsport, TN - Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act
(B Felony). $75,000 bond.
*Jose Alejandro Rivero, DOB 11/22/97, Elizabethton, TN - Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex
Act (B Felony). $75,000 bond.
*Joseph D. Miller, DOB 5/12/80, Bristol, TN - Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (A Felony)
and Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony). $100,000 bond.
*Israel Cueva Morales, DOB 8/8/95, Johnson City, TN - Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act
(A Felony). $100,000 bond.
*Matthew S. Still, DOB 12/4/86, Jonesborough, TN - Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act
(A Felony), Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony), and Sexual Battery.
$125,000 bond.
*Christopher K. Ginley, DOB 4/5/96, Jonesborough, TN - Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act
(A Felony) and Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony). $100,000 bond.
*Kevin J. White, DOB 4/21/73, Kingsport, TN - Trafficking a Person for a Commercial Sex Act (B Felony).
$10,000 bond.
*Maegen J. Manis, DOB 9/22/87, Kingsport, TN – Prostitution
