MEIGS COUNTY – Two people face felony human trafficking charges following a six-month investigation by special agents assigned to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Human Trafficking Unit.

Agents began investigating Tristin Epperson and Clarissa McKinney in early 2024, after receiving information concerning their interactions with a juvenile.

On Thursday, the Meigs County Grand Jury returned indictments, charging Epperson (DOB 4/19/1999) with one count of Commercial Sex Trafficking of a Minor, six counts of Statutory Rape, and one count of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. The grand jury returned indictments charging McKinney (DOB 7/30/1991) with one count of Commercial Sex Trafficking of a Minor, six counts of Facilitation of Statutory Rape, and one count of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.

On Monday, authorities arrested and booked both into the Meigs County Jail. The court set Epperson’s bond at $100,000, while McKinney was released on her own recognizance.

The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.