An Alabama man was among nine individuals arrested in a human trafficking sting conducted in West Tennessee. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) announced the arrests following a two-day undercover operation aimed at addressing human trafficking in the Jackson area.

Jabbar Franklin of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, was arrested on September 3 as part of the operation, which involved the TBI’s Human Trafficking Unit, the Tennessee Human Trafficking Task Force, the Jackson Police Department, the 26th Judicial Drug Task Force, and the Office of the 26th Judicial District Attorney General.

The operation, which began on August 29, involved placing decoy advertisements on websites known to be associated with prostitution and commercial sex. The primary focus was to identify individuals seeking to engage in commercial sex acts with minors.

Franklin, along with eight other men, was charged with trafficking for a commercial sex act. He was booked into the Madison County Jail in Tennessee with bond set at $25,000.

In addition to the human trafficking arrests, three other individuals were arrested on felony charges related to drug possession and aggravated robbery. The investigation remains ongoing.