LPD, other agencies arrest man on aggravated child rape charges

LAFOLLETTE, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF)- On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Javier Paez Romero was arrested in Knoxville, TN on 3 counts of Aggravated Rape of a Child. The case against Paez Romero is being investigated by Lt. Jami Wadle of the LaFollette Police Department.

Lt. Wadle presented the case before the Grand Jury in Campbell County, TN and received a True Bill resulting in an Indictment for the arrest of Paez Romero. At that time, Lt. Wadle requested the assistance of Chief Matthew Forsyth, who is also a Task Force Officer with the U.S. Marshals Service Smokey Mountain Fugitive Task Force, to locate and apprehend Paez Romero due to him residing outside of the City of LaFollette, TN.

The U.S. Marshals Service Smokey Mountain Fugitive Task Force along with Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigations apprehended Paez Romero early Wednesday morning at his residence in Knoxville, TN.

The LaFollette Police Department would like to thank all agencies involved in the safe and quick apprehension of Paez Romero. We would also like to thank U.S. Marshal of the Eastern District of Tennessee David G. Jolley and his staff for their eagerness to assist our agency. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-10/01/2025-4PM)