Metro Police take three people into custody following months long human trafficking investigation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Three people are in custody on human trafficking charges after Metro Nashville Police executed warrants related to human trafficking at a business in Nashville and a home in Antioch.

MNPD via Twitter said 50-year old Charles McGlother Jr., his girlfriend, Karen Bailey, 41, and Charles Sumner, 60 are in custody on human trafficking charges. Police said all three lived on Bluewillow Court in Antioch. McGlother has also been charged with felony possession of a firearm, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of Schedule I drug with intent to sell and possession of Schedule II with intent to sell, according to court documents.

On Thursday morning, MNPD executed search warrants simultaneously at the home on Bluewillow Court and a business called CJ’s Structure Studio on Fesslers Lane. The execution of both warrants resulted from a month’s-long investigation into human trafficking.

“The police department again over the past several months has been investigating certain persons whom we believe have been trafficking women for the purposes of prostitution in the Nashville area,” Metro Nashville Police Department Spokesman Don Aaron said.

Police entered the business on Fesslers Lane near the intersection of Elm Hill Pike and found no one in the building. Police had to alter traffic in that rea before serving the warrant on Fesslers Lane.

“The police department this morning, just prior to the execution of this search warrant, sealed off Fessler’s Lane. Stopping traffic going in both directions,” Aaron said.

According to MNPD, one of the people in custody, McGlother Jr., operated a small recording studio on Fesslers Lane, alleged to be tied to illegal activity, including drug sales.

“The business behind me is only; this one sweep where makeshift recording studio was, and I guess they were selling some other merchandise out of there,” Aaron said. “But we believe that the principals involved in the human trafficking case were operating out of here as well as the home in Antioch.”

News4 saw police take four people into custody at home, where investigators spent several hours.

Metro police said they brought their SWAT team in on the warrants because of one of the indicted suspects.

“One of the persons who is under indictment is a convicted felon which caused a certain threat assessment up to the level of SWAT to execute the search warrants,” Aaron said.

MNPD said a grand jury had indicted several people in this investigation.

News4 was there on Thursday afternoon when authorities towed four vehicles away from the scene.

Neighbors who didn’t want to talk on camera told News 4 that this wasn’t the first time police had been to the home on Bluewillow court.

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