Traffic Stop Leads To Sex Trafficking Charges

A routine traffic stop by a state trooper assigned to the West Tennessee Drug Task Force's Interstate Interdiction Unit led to the arrest of a Texas man on sex crimes charge. Trooper Brad Simpson stopped a 2005 Escalade headed eastbound on Interstate-40 at the 43 mile marker in Haywood County for traffic violations. … Further investigation revealed the 16-year-old juvenile passenger was reported as a runaway from the Dallas area. Trooper Simpson contacted the Memphis Police Department Sex Crimes Unit when further investigation indicated possible criminal activity occurred in the Memphis area earlier that day. Steven Geer, age 40, of Dallas was arrested and transported to Memphis. He was charged with especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor…aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor…sexual exploitation of a minor…aggravated statutory rape…and criminal exposure to HIV. … "This is an example of how our interstate interdiction officers are not only on the lookout for drug trafficking, but also human sex trafficking, which is a serious problem in our state," said Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons. Earlier this year, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released a study on human sex trafficking in Tennessee and its impact on children and youth. The study showed that simply because of its geographical position and the large number of interstates that cross the state, Tennessee is conducive to sex trafficking.