Accused Trafficker Arrested in Brentwood and Three Juvenile Victims Recovered in Weekend Sting

TBI Press Release by Josh DeVine

NASHVILLE – In a joint effort, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Brentwood Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Department of State have arrested a Memphis woman accused of trafficking juveniles for the purpose of illicit sex.

Taysha Dominque Jackson

During a collaborative push to address human trafficking in Middle Tennessee over the past weekend, authorities placed a number of decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex trafficking cases. During the investigative efforts that resulted, authorities learned of a website not previously known to them, and upon searching it, observed advertisements for prostitution that seemed to display juveniles.

On Saturday night, the agencies coordinated a sting at a Brentwood-area hotel and, working in an undercover capacity, responded to the advertisement. At the appointed time, three juveniles and an adult arrived at the hotel. Two of the juveniles came to the hotel room with condoms and other items indicating an intent for sexual services. At that point, law enforcement officers located and detained all three juveniles and the adult driver, who authorities subsequently identified as Taysha Dominque Jackson (DOB: 12-15-89).

Early Sunday morning, a TBI Agent charged Jackson with three counts of Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act and booked her into the Williamson County Jail on $9 million bond. The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services took custody of the juveniles, who were all from the Memphis area.

“It is sickening to me that this criminal element exists in our society and particularly when it involves children,” said Brentwood Chief of Police Jeff Hughes. “The Brentwood Police Department is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively combat this reprehensible crime.”

“We are committed to working with our partners to address human trafficking in Tennessee by holding buyers and traffickers accountable under some of the toughest laws in the nation,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “We will also do everything we can to help victims take their first brave steps toward becoming a survivor.”

Additional information about human trafficking, the warning signs, and contact information for the Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline can be found online at www.ITHasToStop.com and www.EyesUpNashville.com.