From the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation -
CLAIBORNE COUNTY – An investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Knoxville man on multiple counts of statutory rape by an authority figure. In September, at the request of 8th District Attorney General Jared Effler, TBI Agents joined the New Tazewell Police Department in investigating allegations of sexual misconduct involving 32 year old Matthew Douglas Franklin.
During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information that Franklin, while employed as a recruiter for the Tennessee Army National Guard in New Tazewell, engaged in sexual contact with three juvenile females between March 2018 and September 2019. Franklin’s employment was terminated when the allegations surfaced.
On Wednesday, the Claiborne County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Franklin with six counts of Statutory Rape by an Authority Figure. Thursday December 6th he turned himself in and was booked into the Claiborne County Jail on a $25,000 bond.