Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department is looking for the parents of a girl officers say was found wandering alone in a parking lot.
Officers say they found the young girl at an apartment complex at 4506 Fennel Rd.
KPD officials say the girl is safe and unharmed, but it is unknown where she lives. They say officers are actively canvassing the area.
Those with information are asked to call 911.
Nashville, TN (WOKI) Ten people are facing felony charges after more than a dozen victims are identified in a large-scale operation to target child exploitation and sextortion in Tennessee.
From October through December, the TBI conducted “Operation Autumn Shield,” resulting in 19 victims being identified and 10 people being arrested on various internet crimes against children.
The operation included an instance where a suspect was using AI technology to turn an image of his minor daughter into a nude photograph which he then shared online.
An online extremist group called “101″ was also identified to be founded by a 14-year-old male. The group “extorts minors into self-harm and producing child sexual abuse material,” the TBI said.
TBI officials added that “most of the victims were on social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat.”
The TBI arrested the following:
TBI agents are still working to identify and locate eight more children who are believed to be victims of sextortion. TBI reports the victim’s ages are between 12-17 years old.
More arrests are expected as the investigation continues into seized electronic devices.
Anyone with information about these cases or others of the same nature is asked to contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Knoxville teen is indicted by a grand jury after making a threat against Austin-East High School back in October.
According to court records, a victim told an SRO at Austin East that 19-year-old Orenthro Hylton had assaulted her on October 2.
An investigation into the report revealed that Hylton made threats on social media against Austin East, including statements that he “might just shoot someone up there to prove a point” and threatening to shoot during homecoming, court records say.
He was indicted by a Knox County Grand Jury and charged with recklessly threatening an act of mass violence on school property.
Arraignment is scheduled for January 8, 2025.
Sevierville, TN (WOKI) A former Sevier County golf coach who worked at Northview Academy in Kodak pleaded guilty to multiple counts of statutory rape.
Jennifer Paige Blanchard was arrested in November 2023 on the charges, which stemmed from her time working at the school.
Police said at the time of Blanchard’s arrest that the victim, who is now an adult, reported that she sexually assaulted them when they were a student in 2017.
Blanchard pleaded guilty to three counts of statutory rape and was sentenced to six years of probation. She is also permanently banned from teaching or coaching children and must remain on the sex offender registry while on probation.
Louisville, TN (WOKI) A man whose houseboat caught fire last (Monday) night on Fort Loudon Lake is crediting his dog for alerting him to the blaze.
Blount County fire crews responded to the Ish Creek Boat Ramp in the Louisville area where three boats caught fire.
Officials with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency say that the Blount County Fire Protection District was able to deploy a fire boat to contain the fire and rescue the owner of the boats, Jim Baxter.
According to officials, one of the boats was a houseboat and Baxter’s primary residence.
It’s not yet clear what caused the fire. No injuries were reported.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The deadline to register for FEMA assistance following Helene’s destruction across East Tennessee is quickly approaching.
Flood survivors in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties have until Tuesday, January 7 to apply for FEMA disaster assistance.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said that through FEMA’s Individual and Households Program, applicants may be eligible for the following:
Those looking to apply may do so online, on the FEMA app, by phone at 1-800-621-3362 between 7 a.m. and midnight and in-person at a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC).
Anyone who applied for assistance should get an eligibility letter from FEMA by physical mail or email, and it will explain the application status and how to respond. It will also have an optional appeal form.
Officials said to make sure you read the letter carefully.
Those who are asked to submit more information or supporting documentation may need to provide proof of insurance coverage, identity, occupancy, ownership, that the damaged property was the applicant’s main residence when the hurricane hit, and/or a settlement of insurance claims or denial letter from the insurance company.
Appeals need to be submitted within 60 days of the date posted on the decision letter.
FEMA has approved more than $21.6 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 13,900 households in Tennessee.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A pastor with the Knoxville Diocese has been placed on administrative leave after being accused of “boundary violations.”
Father Joseph Reed is a Knoxville native and the pastor for St. John Neumann Catholic Church and School.
Though the specifics of the allegations against Reed have not been outlined, a letter sent out by the Diocese Friday to parishioners says Reed has been placed on leave as part of the diocese’s Safe Environment Policy.
Diocesan officials add that the complaints have been forwarded to the state which has prompted an investigation, after which the diocese itself is planning to conduct its own internal review.
Both the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and The Tennessee Department of Child Services have confirmed their respective agencies are also investigating.
Jefferson City, TN (WOKI) UPDATE 12/16: The woman at the center of a missing person alert out of Jefferson County has been found safe.
Officials with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announcing Monday afternoon that 36-year-old Amber Nancy Cox had been located after being reported missing Sunday afternoon.
Concern had been raised as Cox is prone to seizures and was reported to have been without her medication.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help to find a missing woman.
Deputies responded to a home on Murph Road yesterday (Sunday) afternoon for a missing person call centered on 36-year-old Amber Nancy Cox.
She was last seen around 2 p.m. going to her mailbox. She was seen wearing a gray hoodie with a skull on it and blue jeans.
Also, officials say Cox has a scar on her chest and lower throat and wears glasses.
If you have any information, you are being asked to call JCSO at 865-471-6000 ext. 1109.
An investigation is underway after a three-story structure fire in Roane County.
The Roane County Office of Emergency Services & Homeland Security says several fire departments were called to the structure in the 2200 block of Ruritan Road Saturday afternoon. They found the abandoned building engulfed which has been ruled a total loss.
No injuries were reported.
Madisonville Police say a man is charged after an investigation which led to hundreds of fentanyl pills being seized.
Stephen Wattenbarger is charged for sell and delivery of over 50 grams of fentanyl after a months-long investigation.
MPD says hundreds of fentanyl pills and several hundred dollars in cash were seized.
Wattenbarger is being held without bond at the McMinn County Justice Center on other drug charges.
