The Ohio attorney general along with the the Liberty Township police chief announced Monday the arrest of 14 men arrested as part of a single-day human trafficking operation.
The sting, which took place Sunday, targeted “individuals seeking to buy sex via the internet,” a press release stated.
“John stings deter those seeking to purchase sex – reducing the demand for human trafficking – and serve as a reminder that these crimes are more prevalent and closer to home than you may think,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “Hats off to Chief Meloro and the Liberty Township Police Department on their successful operation.”
According to a press release, the following men were arrested and charged with soliciting, a third-degree misdemeanor, and possessing criminal tools, a first-degree misdemeanor:
- Willie Daniels Jr., 37, Youngstown
- Saad Elamin, 43, Campbell
- Omar Farooq, 37, Hermitage, PA
- Thomas Hendricks, 66, Salem
- Ryan Kirkpatrick, 26, residence unknown
- Harry Krause, 63, Youngstown
- Matthew Lennington, 28, Cortland
- James Lohmier, 38, Boardman
- Nick Mymo, 37, Niles
- Brian O’Nora, 57, Youngstown
- David Shaffer, 46, Mineral Ridge
- William Shaw Sr., 58, Moyock, NC
- Brian Van Divner, 54, New Franklin
- Johnny Young, 55, Youngstown
The operation was conducted by the Liberty Township Police Department in cooperation with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, a task force under the attorney general’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, the release stated.
