Operation Autumn Shield Nets Over A Dozen Arrests

Ten people face felony charges and more than a dozen victims have been identified in a large-scale, collaborative operation to target online child exploitation and sextortion in Tennessee.

Over a three-month period, from October through December, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted “Operation Autumn Shield”.

The purpose of this operation was to identify and locate children who were victims of sextortion and online sexual exploitation, and to identify and arrest individuals whose goal is to harm children online.

“Operation Autumn Shield” resulted in 19 child victims being identified and located as victims of online sexual exploitation and sextortion, and 10 subjects arrested on various internet crimes against children.

One local arrest was made during the operation, Stephen Thomas Dyer of Lawrence County, was charged with one count Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.