Staff report

A statewide human trafficking operation conducted last week by more than 100 law enforcement agencies resulted in the arrest of 135 people seeking to buy sex, including from minors, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced at a press conference Monday.

“Operation Next Door was named to highlight the proximity and prevalence of human trafficking,” Yost said. “Too often, we are lulled into the false narrative that these crimes happen only in the shadows. This is simply not true — human trafficking occurs in plain sight and, unfortunately, may even be fueled by your co-workers or neighbors.”

Led by AG Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, Operation Next Door took place in urban centers, suburban communities and rural areas throughout Ohio.

The statewide crackdown was spearheaded by OOCIC’s human trafficking task forces, which were joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

A recap of Operation Next Door:

• 32 people were arrested on felony charges including promoting prostitution, compelling prostitution, seeking sex with a minor, and drug possession and / or trafficking.

• 103 “johns” seeking to buy sex were arrested and charged with engaging in prostitution or solicitation.

• 67 human trafficking survivors were referred by law enforcement to health care and social services organizations.

• Nine search warrants were executed by law enforcement. These included raids on massage parlors in Toledo, the Cleveland area, and the Akron area. More than $62,000 was seized, along with evidence for long-term investigations.

MAHONING VALLEY

Locally, the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force arrested and charged the following people:

• A man, 55, of Cleveland Heights, charged with engaging in prostitution. He identified himself as a school teacher.

• A man, 28, of Ravenna, charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, importuning, possession of criminal tools, disseminating matter harmful to a juvenile, and attempting to corrupt another with drugs. He identified himself as a Walmart employee.

• A man, 38, of Salem, charged with receipt and distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The federal charge will be brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

• A man, whose age was not provided, of Durham, N.C., charged with engaging in prostitution and possession of criminal tools. He is being held on an immigration detainer.

• A man, 42, of Canfield, charged with pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and possession of criminal tools.

Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene, head of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, said of the work done in the latest human trafficking crackdown, “Statewide operations like this one publicly highlight the work often conducted behind the scenes to combat human trafficking. The ugly fact is that human trafficking occurs in every county and every neighborhood across the state. The Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force will continue its work to ensure that those who seek to exploit others will face the full consequences of the law.”

Maj. Jeff Allen of the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office said people may think purchasing sex is a victimless crime.

“But it’s not. The majority of these girls are being controlled, whether it’s by force, whether it’s by drug addiction, they’re being controlled,” he said. “And you coming here to do that is putting money in the pockets of the people who are doing that.”

Yost said, “Human trafficking happens everywhere. We call this Operation Next Door because the victim is the girl next door. It’s the boy next door. It’s the ‘john’ next door. This is happening in our communities, and it’s not OK.”

He said the victims who are being trafficked have an opportunity the same night that law enforcement discovers them to get started in treatment.