By Tim Darnell, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Troy Warren for CNT

A two-day undercover operation in Spring Hill, Tennessee, last week resulted in the arrests of 18 men who are accused of seeking illicit sex from minors.

The operation began July 8 and was aimed at combating human trafficking in middle Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Authorities placed decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex cases.

“The focus of the operation was to identify and recover potential victims of human trafficking as well as identify those seeking to engage in commercial sex acts with minors,” the department said.

All of the men were charged with patronizing prostitution from a minor or solicitation of a minor:

Georgie George, Clarksville, Tennessee
Marvin Sparkman, Columbia, Tennessee
Steven McCanless, Culleoka, Tennessee
Ketankumar Patel, Columbia, Tennessee
Ivan Ashley, Dania, Florida
David Christopher May, Fayetteville, Tennessee
Andrew Myung Kim, Franklin, Tennessee
Bryce Lawson, Charles, Louisiana
Jeremiah McSpaddin, Spring Hill, Tennessee
Brian Mitchell, Thompson’s Station, Tennessee
Nabi Rahman, Nashville, Tennessee
Patrick Harris, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Matthew Brewer, Centerville, Tennessee
Suleiman Musa Osman, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Juan Gabriel Hernandez Eufracio, Huntsville, Alabama
Pablo Godines Cervantes, Columbia, Tennessee
Haojie Wang, Brentwood, Tennessee
Luis Diaz-Mendez, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The operation was conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Spring Hill police, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the office of 22nd District Attorney General.

The suspects were booked into the Maury County Jail, and authorities said the investigation remains ongoing, with additional charges pending.