160 arrested in statewide human trafficking crackdown
COLUMBUS – 160 individuals were arrested as part of a weeklong, statewide human trafficking crackdown, “Operation Buyer’s Remorse.” The crackdown sought to arrest those trying to buy sex and identify survivors of human trafficking.
The operation was a collaboration between Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission and local law enforcement agencies across the state. It took place from September 25 to September 30 in every corner of the state, including in and around Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, Youngstown, Marietta and Portsmouth.
“Nearly 100 law enforcement agencies and service organizations participated in this operation. I am grateful for each and every partner who dedicated their time and resources, as we all play a key role in the fight against human trafficking,” Yost said. “Our message is simple: Don’t buy sex in Ohio!”
Over the week, 149 individuals who were allegedly seeking to buy sex were arrested and charged with engaging in prostitution. Additional arrests included two individuals for allegedly seeking to have sex with minors and six for allegedly promoting prostitution. Others were arrested and charged with illegally possessing narcotics and/or firearms, or because there were outstanding warrants against them.
Additionally, search warrants were conducted at 11 massage parlors suspected of human trafficking activities as part of ongoing, long-term investigations.
Law enforcement officers interviewed 104 survivors of human trafficking, who were provided services from health care and social service organizations.
Those arrested come from all backgrounds, including an EMT, nurses, educators, retirees, former law enforcement officers, self-employed individuals, delivery drivers, and others. The youngest individual arrested was 17 and the oldest was 84.
Below is a list of the individuals who were arrested:
| • Tyron Abbington | • Kelvin Martin Jr., 20, Columbus, OH |
| • Robin Adams, 32, Columbus, OH | • Michael Masterson, 55, Dayton, OH |
| • Ishmael Adjei, 45, Columbus, OH | • Rickey McClaren, 61, Canal Winchester, OH |
| • Todd Adkins, 38, Columbus, OH | • Nicholas McMillan, 25, Sheffield Lake, OH |
| • Amos Akarah, 57, Columbus, OH | • Hadsh Medhane |
| • Shaban Alsaleh, 42, Reynoldsburg, OH | • Joseph Mekina, 66, Utica, OH |
| • Charles Amoyaw | • Esteban Mendez, 51, Columbus, OH |
| • Robert Ashbaugh, 52, New Castle, PA | • Luis Molina, 50, Butler, PA |
| • Aaron Ashley, 32, Cleveland Heights, OH | • Christian Money |
| • Perry Balduff | • Richard Moore III, 57, Columbus, OH |
| • James Bean, 60, Columbus, OH | • Joshua Mull, 38, Amherst, OH |
| • Michael Bender, 41, Warren, OH | • Eric Mullins, 34, Columbus, OH |
| • Adam Block, 48, Columbus, OH | • Edward Murray, 53, City Unknown |
| • Gale Bluntschly, 50, Galloway, OH | • David Oiler |
| • Dakota Bond, 29, New Straitsville, OH | • Hussin Ojayan, 24, Toledo, OH |
| • Seth Borror | • Jose Olvera |
| • Patsy Bova, 59, Diamond, OH | • Samiullah Omerzai, 42, City Unknown |
| • Napoleon Brisker | • Scott Parrott, 47, Columbus, OH |
| • Torey Budgett | • Dennis Parsley |
| • Alejandro Cambrano, 41, Columbus, OH | • Shawn Parsons |
| • Jonathan Campbell | • Manthan Patel, 27, Grove City, OH |
| • Tyler Casey | • Manual Perez, 35, Columbus, OH |
| • Brae Chamberlin, 28, Oberlin, OH | • Jordan Perez, 35, Masury, OH |
| • Robert Chaussar, 65, Jamestown, PA | • Michael Pitchford, 75, Orient, OH |
| • Michael Chima, 43, Canton, OH | • Danny Pruitt, 67, Quincy, KY |
| • John Cirulli, 40, Buffalo, NY | • Maurice Quinichett, 41, Urbancrest, OH |
| • Nickolas Claybourn | • Elmer Ramirez, 34, Columbus, OH |
| • Christopher Coiner, 19, Euclid, OH | • Jonathan Range, 39, Mineral Wells, WV |
| • Brandon Collins, 36, Bedford Heights, OH | • Patrick Robinson |
| • Joshua Colvin, 47, Burton, OH | • Shawn Ryken, Age Unknown, Dayton, OH |
| • Thomas Connelly, 52, Parma, OH | • Jorge Sanchez, 17, Columbus, OH |
| • Anthony Cook | • Gustavo Sandoval, 59, City Unknown |
| • Chadley Daniels, 38, Columbus, OH | • Suman Sarki |
| • Gregory Davis, 76, Sunbury, OH | • Michael Schnurr, 32, Brook Park, OH |
| • Walter Davis, 64, Columbus, OH | • Jauquez Searly, 22, Columbus, OH |
| • Leo Devlin IV, 31, Columbus, OH | • Ahmad Sekandari, 28, Afganistan |
| • Abraham Diallo, 42, Columbus, OH | • Jerome Serdy, 68, Caldwell, OH |
| • Hakim Duari, 43, Columbus, OH | • Kyle Shahan, 33, Dorset, OH |
| • Cornelius Echols, 26, Phenix City, AL | • Hari Shukla, 28, Los Angeles, CA |
| • Deshawn Evans, 26, Austintown, OH | • Francisco Silva, 58, Galloway, OH |
| • Ralph Fabrizio, 48, Hubbard, OH | • Michal Silvus |
| • Shane Freeman, 33, Warrensville Heights, OH | • James Smith, 46, Columbus, OH |
| • Lionel Gaddy, 61, Florida | • Patrick Smith, 70, Hilliard, OH |
| • Richard Garrott, 62, Hannibal, OH | • Kevin Smith, 62, Warren, OH |
| • Jason Goins, 32, Washington D.C | • Darren Smith, 42, Erie, PA |
| • William Gorrell, 64, Caldwell, OH | • Isaac Snider, 82, Gahanna, OH |
| • Brian Grim, 64, Upper Arlington, OH | • Brian Spayde, 42, Youngstown, OH |
| • Abdirahman Gure | • Miles Stevens, 62, Columbus, OH |
| • Bimal Gurung, 23, Nepal | • Christopher Suarez, 51, Troy, MI |
| • Hanibal Habte, 38, Pickerington, OH | • Travis Swidzinski, 37, Youngstown, OH |
| • Mark Hagenbaugh, 60, Akron, OH | • Robert Taylor, 59, Cleveland, OH |
| • Timothy Hendricks, 58, Hilliard, OH | • Vin Thang, 34, Columbus, OH |
| • Joseph Henry, 47, Columbus, OH | • Voghens Thelismond, 31, Columbus, OH |
| • Fred Holbrook, 54, Grove City, OH | • Jerome Thomas, 62, Columbus, OH |
| • James Horner, 78, Columbus, OH | • Delbert Thomas, 75, Columbus, OH |
| • John Hrivnak | • Sedric Tinson |
| • Brian Hubbard, 45, Fairfield, OH | • Luis Torres, 33, Columbus, OH |
| • Ibelson Jacques, 42, Whitehall, OH | • Ulises Torres, 38, Columbus, OH |
| • William Jamison Sr., 68, Hilliard, OH | • Rickey Underwood, 67, Garrison, KY |
| • Joshua Jibben, 38, Texas | • Cirilo Uyoa, 56, Columbus, OH |
| • Curtis Johnson, 45, Columbus, OH | • Ricardo Vargas-Lopez, 22, Columbus, OH |
| • Emmanual Jothiraj, 38, India | • Gerardo Vazquez-Molina, 47, City Unknown |
| • Romia Kamgang | • Lane Vest |
| • Ramesh Karki, 44, Richmond, IN | • William Viars, 62, Pickerington, OH |
| • Myron Kawkabany, 42, Lyndhurst, OH | • Anil Wagle, 55, Richmond, IN |
| • Louis Kelly, 51, Centerburg, OH | • Yam Wagley, 33, Bhutan |
| • Saeed Khan, 35, Pataskala, OH | • Jon Waguespack, 43, Alliance, OH |
| • Winston King, 84, Columbus, OH | • Rontrell White, 34, Youngstown, OH |
| • Dennis Kinney, 62, Columbus, OH | • Steven Wilson, 64, Columbus, OH |
| • Andrew Kuthy | • James Wright, 58, Columbus, OH |
| • Jamey Lacy, 46, Zanesville, OH | • Garry Yates, 68, Columbus, OH |
| • Ernest Large, 48, Columbus, OH | • Myron Yoder, 54, Canal Fulton, OH |
| • Travis Logan, 36, Grove City, OH | • Bouekeur Zernenou, 40, Grove City, OH |
| • Luis Lopez-Garcia, 25, Newport, KY | • John Zitzner, 68, Cleveland, OH |
This article was written by Nate Hinners. Contact Nate at nhinners@huroninsider.com.