CLEVELAND — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has announced that 132 people who sought to buy sex -- including some exchanges involving minors -- were arrested as a result of "Operation END-OHHT," a statewide human trafficking initiative that was conducted last week.
More than 20 people from Northeast Ohio were arrested during the week-long operation, which took place from Oct. 6-12.
“We have to attack this scourge by curbing the demand,” Yost said in a press release Monday. “This operation aimed to hold accountable those who exploit survivors or fuel human trafficking by agreeing to pay for sex.”
The statewide operation, led by Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC), took place in 19 counties, including Cuyahoga, Lake, Ashtabula and Geauga.
"Those arrested included 110 'johns,' who face charges of engaging in prostitution or solicitation, as well as 22 individuals charged with felonies for seeking commercial sex with a minor and/or possessing narcotics," according to Yost's office.
Additionally, nine human trafficking-related search warrants were executed and 73 potential survivors were encountered, interviewed and/or offered services.
Yost's office highlighted the following incidents and locations in Northeast Ohio as part of the operation...
Lake County | Painesville
Tang Yun Spa: 1935 Mentor Ave.
QQ Spa: 2000 Mentor Ave.
Sunrise Spa: 1400 Mentor Ave.
Law enforcement agencies executed search warrants at three Painesville massage parlors where human trafficking was suspected. Officials say that six potential survivors were interviewed and were offered services. At this time, two individuals remain under investigation and could face charges of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. Authorities seized $19,399.
Cuyahoga County | East Cleveland
Law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant in East Cleveland at McCall's Motel where human trafficking was suspected. Officers seized $1,975, three handguns and narcotics
Below is a list of Northeast Ohioans who were arrested during the operation and charged with engaging in prostitution or solicitation:
- 30-year-old Ali Asghar Azeem from Cleveland
- 61-year-old William Bodish from Rootstown
- 73-year-old Ray Burrage from Warrensville Heights
- 49-year-old Forrest Couch St. from Warren
- 33-year-old Korwin Gathers from Cleveland
- 36-year-old Dwayne Griffin from Louisville
- 34-year-old Scott Grills from Wellington
- 30-year-old Rafed Haouas from Canton
- 57-year-old Eric Knoch from Newton Falls
- 58-year-old James Leeroy from Mansfield
- Cory Locke from Bedford Heights
- 56-year-old George Marmo from Parma
- 41-year-old Chad Thompson from Bellevue
- 62-year-old Phillip Talmade from Avon
- 60-year-old William Steals from Amherst
- 53-year-old Shawn Smith from Akron
- 49-year-old James Smith from Akron
- 48-year-old Richard Simmons from Cleveland
- 45-year-old Ali Sidibe from Solon
- 42-year-old Eric Randolph from Willoughby
- 42-year-old Domonique Powell from Canton
- 27-year-old Scott Pelton from Cortland
- 30-year-old Vipol Kumar Patel from Bellevue
- 27-year-old Michael Okeafor from Brecksville
- 36-year-old Deandre Moss from Akron
“Operation END-OHHT reinforced the consequences for those who think that engaging in prostitution is permissible,” Yost said. “Our message is simple: Don’t buy sex in Ohio!”
The Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force is made up of the following agencies:
- Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department
- Lake County Sheriff’s Office
- Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office
- Geauga County Sheriff’s Office
- East Cleveland Police Department
- MetroHealth Police Department
- Cleveland Police Department
- Warrensville Heights Police Department
- North Olmsted Police Department
- Westlake Police Department
- Ohio Investigative Unit
- Homeland Security Investigations
- Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office
- Harriett Tubman Movement
- Middleburg Heights Police Department
- Wiloughby Police Department
- Lake County Prosecutor’s Office
- Newburgh Heights Police Department
- Ashtabula Police Department
- Canopy Child Advocacy Center
- Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
- Conneaut Police Department
- Solon Police Department
- U.S. Border Patrol
- U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Investigations
- Homesafe Inc.
- Ohio Medical Board
The operation was named after Ohio’s new human trafficking hotline (844-END-OHHT).
More information on the operation can be found HERE.
