‘It was shocking’: Antioch neighbors wary following alleged brothel raid
Metro Police say all five people arrested are being charged with promoting prostitution.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Tara Smith and her wife woke up to helicopters circling their area Wednesday morning.
“Our neighborhood is particularly quiet,” Smith said. “But there are shootouts that we hear week to week over here, but nothing comes of it.”
Little to Smith’s knowledge at the time, four separate local, state and federal agencies were executing a federal search warrant at a home on Hobson Pike, suspected of being an operating brothel.
“Honestly, I’m not too shocked about the Hobson Pike location,” Smith said. “This is the second incident in the last five years.”
Metro Police say the home on Hobson Pike is believed to be connected with two other alleged brothels they’ve either raided or searched in the past year.
One was a home on Mt. View Road, the other a home on Bart Drive. Back in September, Metro Police investigated a triple homicide that happened at the home on Bart Drive.
Related Coverage
Smith says she’s concerned for others in her area knowing that the investigation involves human trafficking.
“It was shocking to hear about the sex trafficking,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of women and kids that live in our neighborhood.”
Metro Police say all five people arrested are being charged with promoting prostitution among other charges. They are identified as 27-year-old Felix Rafael Ortega, 27-year-old Elmer Humberto Aparicio-Castillo, 22-year-old Idenis Alexander Sanchez-Paredes, 37-year-old Wilfredo Jose Mata-Fornerino, and 31-year-old Gianfranco Augusto Barazarte-Morales.
Barazarte-Morales is also the suspect and being charged in the non-critical shooting that injured two men at the Mt. View Rd. home on Sep. 17, according to MNPD.
“It just seems to be turning into a really bad neighborhood,” Smith said.
Smith, who owns her own gym, says people need to be on alert when they’re out.
“Always assume the worst when people, when strangers are approaching you,” Smith said. “And look around before you get in your car and before you get out of your car, you really never know.”
MNPD said the investigation is ongoing.
Copyright 2025 WSMV. All rights reserved.
