Crime & Safety

Former Ramsay Football Star Arrested In Human Trafficking Sting

A former high school football standout has been arrested in a human trafficking sting in Tennessee.

KNOXVILLE, TN - A former Ramsay High School football standout has been arrested in a human trafficking sting in Tennessee. Matthew Kenty, 18, who is a member of the Tennessee Tech football team and was part of the Ramsay High School 2016 state championship team, is is one of 10 suspects facing felony charges in a Tennessee human trafficking operation.

According to a report by Alabama Media Group, Kenty is charged with one count of patronizing prostitution, a Class B felony, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced on Thursday.
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The three-day sting operation took place in February and utilized female Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents posing as “Women Seeking Men” on backpage.com, according to a release from the TBI. The agents reportedly identified themselves as between the ages of 14 and 17 years old.

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"With each similar operation we conduct, we want to send the same message; that we will not tolerate the sexual exploitation of any person in our community," TBI Acting Director Jason Locke said in a statement. "This is a demand-driven crime, involving men from all kinds of backgrounds. As a state, Tennessee has led the fight to see to it that no child or adult falls victim to these sexual predators."

Photo from Tennessee Tech Athletics

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