WASHINGTON COUNTY – A joint investigation by special agents with TBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Squad and the Newport Police Department in New Hampshire has resulted in the arrest of a Johnson City man.
Last month, detectives in Newport, New Hampshire, received information that a minor was sending child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to an adult male online via the social media platform Discord. During the course of the investigation, Jacob Isaiah Haun (DOB: 3/9/05), who resides in Johnson City, was identified as the Discord account user. TBI agents in the ICAC Squad were notified and began working alongside New Hampshire detectives as part of the investigation. Upon further review of Haun’s Discord account, agents discovered that he received numerous CSAM images and videos from victims across the country.
This week, agents obtained a warrant for Haun, charging him with Especially Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Solicitation of a Minor via Electronic Means. Today, with the assistance of the Johnson City Police Department, he was arrested and booked into the Washington County Detention Center.
At this time, the investigation remains active and ongoing as agents work to identify the children targeted by Haun. The TBI is asking anyone who may have had communication with the Discord username of @IMPERATED and the display name of “biti” to call 1-800-TBI-FIND or email [email protected].
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is an ICAC affiliate of the Tennessee ICAC Task Force. Anyone with information about cases of online child exploitation should contact the TBI Tipline at 1-800-TBI-FIND or report via the NCMEC CyberTipline at CyberTipline.org.
The TBI has information about online dangers, sextortion, and common-sense tips for the public on its website, www.tn.gov/tbi. Parents and caregivers looking for resources aimed at helping children develop online safety skills should visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s website at www.netsmartz.org.
The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
WASHINGTON COUNTY – A joint investigation by special agents with TBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Squad and the Newport Police Department in New Hampshire has resulted in the arrest of a Johnson City man.
Last month, detectives in Newport, New Hampshire, received information that a minor was sending child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to an adult male online via the social media platform Discord. During the course of the investigation, Jacob Isaiah Haun (DOB: 3/9/05), who resides in Johnson City, was identified as the Discord account user. TBI agents in the ICAC Squad were notified and began working alongside New Hampshire detectives as part of the investigation. Upon further review of Haun’s Discord account, agents discovered that he received numerous CSAM images and videos from victims across the country.
This week, agents obtained a warrant for Haun, charging him with Especially Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Solicitation of a Minor via Electronic Means. Today, with the assistance of the Johnson City Police Department, he was arrested and booked into the Washington County Detention Center.
At this time, the investigation remains active and ongoing as agents work to identify the children targeted by Haun. The TBI is asking anyone who may have had communication with the Discord username of @IMPERATED and the display name of “biti” to call 1-800-TBI-FIND or email [email protected].
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is an ICAC affiliate of the Tennessee ICAC Task Force. Anyone with information about cases of online child exploitation should contact the TBI Tipline at 1-800-TBI-FIND or report via the NCMEC CyberTipline at CyberTipline.org.
The TBI has information about online dangers, sextortion, and common-sense tips for the public on its website, www.tn.gov/tbi. Parents and caregivers looking for resources aimed at helping children develop online safety skills should visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s website at www.netsmartz.org.
The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
Nashville – The Tennessee Department of Health is confirming today two additional confirmed cases of measles in middle Tennessee. Both persons are currently recovering at home.
This brings Tennessee’s total to six confirmed cases of measles during 2025.
Both confirmed cases were cooperating with public health officials by quarantining at home because of known exposure to previously confirmed cases in Tennessee. TDH is not currently aware of additional exposures related to the newly confirmed cases. There is no evidence of sustained measles transmission in the community or state.
As an update, there is an ongoing, national measles outbreak, involving over 700 cases in 25 states, with two confirmed fatalities in the U.S.
Measles typically has a classic red, spotty rash that begins on the face and spreads over the body. Additional symptoms can include fever, headache, and generally not feeling well, followed by rash, cough, red eyes, or congestion.
Measles is a highly infectious and potentially fatal disease which spreads very easily through the air when an infected person speaks, coughs or sneezes.
TDH encourages consultation with your medical provider about measles prevention. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles.
It is important for medical providers to consider measles and report suspected cases immediately to TDH at 615-741-7247.
The mission of the Tennessee Department of Health, tn.gov/health, is to protect, promote, and improve the health and well-being of all people in Tennessee.
Oak Ridge, TN (WOKI) The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter has closed following an outbreak of the canine disease, distemper.
According to the shelter, four dogs were diagnosed with distemper, an extremely contagious disease that attacks dogs’ respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems.
During the summer of 2024, Young-Williams Animal Center in Knoxville had to close for distemper diagnoses resulting in the deaths of twenty-seven dogs last year.
The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter will be closed until further notice.
Oak Ridge Animal Shelter closes after four distemper diagnoses. (Pexels)
Jacksboro, TN (WOKI) Three people, including a teen, are in custody following a drug bust Wednesday in Campbell County.
Officials with the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office say 47-year-old Rachel Carrol, 27-year-old Bryan Bolton and 19-year-old Chloe Hayes were arrested at an apartment on Yoakum Hollow Road in Jacksboro following an extensive investigation into illegal drug activity at the residence.
CCSO says during the operation, investigators recovered Schedule II, III, and VI controlled substances, along with drug paraphernalia.
The three suspects are facing the following charges:
Rachel Carrol, 47: Possession of a schedule III controlled substance with intent to resale
Bryan Bolton, 27: Possession of schedule II methamphetamine, sale and delivery of a schedule VI controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, served with a capias
Chloe Hayes, 19: Possession of Schedule II methamphetamine, sale and delivery of a schedule VI controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia
Three people, including teen, charged after Campbell County drug bust. (Courtesy: CCSO)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Over half a dozen dogs die in a house fire Thursday morning in Knox County.
Rural Metro Fire officials say the fire broke out around 10:30 a.m. at a home in the 8500 block of Old Rutledge Pike near Three Points Road.
Upon arrival, fire crews reported heavy fire from the front of the house and found the occupants already outside. They were able to stop the spread of the fire, but the home sustained heavy damage.
Rural Metro says ten dogs were inside the house and that, of those, only two were able to be saved.
One person was also taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
A Knoxville man is sentenced to spend 60 years behind bars for producing child pornography.
Knoxville Police were contacted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in October 2017 about a video of Matthew Estes and a 16-month-old victim that was posted on the dark web .
In May of that year, officials say KPD also received a video from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office that also showed Estes and the 16-month-old victim.
That video was found on a device belonging to a suspect who was charged with possessing child pornography.
On Tuesday, Estes, now 26, entered a plea agreement to plead guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and was sentenced to 720 months in jail. Once released, he will be on lifetime supervision and will be required to register with the state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A man and woman are facing charges after authorities say they left children in a hot car to shop at Target .
Officers went to the store on Clinton Highway Monday after a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper was flagged down by someone who said two children were left by themselves in a parked SUV while it was 84 degrees outside.
The trooper was able to get one of the children, a nine-year-old, to open the door in order to help them. Officers say the two children were sweating profusely, had red cheeks and were hot to the touch.
Officers say 30-year-old Mariana Castro came outside after shopping and reportedly said she left both of the children unattended in the car because the one-year-old was sick and asleep.
During the investigation, police found she tried to cover up for 38-year-old Jose Llovera (yo-vera) by saying he was with the children in the car, but video footage showed both of them get out of the car and go inside the store about 20 minutes before officers arrived.
They are each charged with two counts of felony child abuse/neglect/endangerment. Additionally, Castro is also charged with false reports.
NASHVILLE, TN (WVLT – WOKI) – The Tennessee General Assembly announced it has passed the state’s nearly $60 billion budget on Wednesday.
The House and Senate passed a $59.8 billion budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The new spending plan shows a 2% growth rate with efforts to improve public safety, invest in infrastructure, advance education, and more, according to Republican legislators.
However, Democrats feel the budget missed the mark on important issues for middle class families. Democratic Senator London Lamar (D-Memphis) commented on the budget’s passage saying:
“Voters sent lawmakers to the Tennessee Capitol to cut costs for their families, improve our quality of life, and rebuild our crumbling middle class. But the legislature failed to meet the moment and this year’s budget is defined by the challenges it ignores. It does nothing to ease the burden on working families struggling with rising grocery prices, housing costs, and the loss of health coverage. In fact, Republican lawmakers blocked Democratic efforts to crackdown on gun violence, repeal the grocery tax, raise wages, and guarantee health coverage for all working families. They even slashed the governor’s own proposal to invest in affordable housing.
After passing the largest corporate tax break in Tennessee history just last year, working families were right to expect more from their state government. Instead, the biggest new initiative in the budget is a taxpayer-funded voucher scheme that hands $7,300 to 20,000 families already enrolled in private schools.Our families deserved better.”
The House and Senate passed a $59.8 billion budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
“The legislative amendment makes fiscally responsible adjustments to the administration’s initial budget proposal by shifting $19.94 million in recurring allocations to non-recurring, allowing the state to better manage long-term spending obligations,” Republicans said.
Below is a look at the budget breakdown from state Republicans:
Grant Pool for Community Services
In the budget, a $42.5 million grant pool was created, with nonrecurring funds, for important emergency and community services. The grants include:
$20 million for Volunteer Fire Departments
$5 million for Rescue Squads
$5 million for Emergency Medical Services
$5 million for Senior Centers
$5 million for Local Museums for capital improvements
$2 million for Courthouse Restoration
$500,000 for Second Harvest Food Bank
Disaster Relief for Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene victims were provided $26 million nonrecurring for disaster relief in Northeast Tennessee and $20 million nonrecurring for local match funds for FEMA disaster relief.
Rural Hospital Support and Healthcare Investments
Lawmakers used TennCare Shared Savings to provide an additional $78 million to help hospitals, particularly in rural areas, with uncompensated care and $4 million to complete capital projects at county health departments.
Additional healthcare investments include:
$4 million recurring to increase pediatric dental rates
$3 million nonrecurring to the Adult Healthcare Safety Net
$500,000 nonrecurring to assist those living with epilepsy and their caregivers statewide
$1.4 million recurring to provide scholarships for the joint public-private partnership in the Medical School Early Acceptance Program between MTSU and Meharry Medical College
$1 million nonrecurring to Live Like Lou Foundation for ALS research
$1 million nonrecurring for Volunteers in Medicine
Safety and Security Improvements
The budget also provides additional allocations in safety and security:
$5.4 million nonrecurring to improve campus safety and security at the University of Memphis
$500,000 nonrecurring to establish and operate the UT Law Enforcement Innovation Center
$400,000 nonrecurring to support the East Tennessee Regional Forensic Facility and Training Program
Major investments secured
In addition to the adjustments made to fund legislative priorities, the budget maintains investments proposed by Gov. Lee including:
$1 billion into the road fund to address the state’s transportation infrastructure needs
$62.7 million for K-12 infrastructure and facilities funding
$244 million to strengthen education through the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) formula growth, including teacher pay raises
$198.4 million for teacher bonuses in recognition of their hard work and dedication and for leading the nation in student achievement and growth
$35.6 million investment into the Rainy Day Fund, bringing Tennessee’s reserves to nearly $2.2 billion, the largest in state history
$25 million for FastTrack grants to recruit new business to Tennessee and support workforce development
Expanding choices for parents
The special session-passed school choice bill initiative invests $145.9 million in Education Freedom Scholarships.
Sneedville, TN (WOKI) An investigation is underway in Hancock County following a fire early Tuesday morning that destroyed an historic building.
Officials with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office say the former Hancock County Jail, which was built in 1860 and located on Jail Street in Sneedville, caught fire around 3:00 a.m.
Despite a multi-agency response, fire officials declared the structure a “total loss.”
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the cause of the fire which they consider to be suspicious.
The building was also home to the Hancock County Historical and Genealogical Society and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
