3 Pittsburgh-area men arrested on prostitution charges in Ohio human trafficking sting
Three Pittsburgh-area men were arrested on prostitution charges during a sting by a human trafficking task force in Ohio, authorities announced on Thursday.
Eight people were arrested during a sting operation by the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force and Steubenville police on Oct. 7-8, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said.
Two men from Coraopolis, 29-year-old Kenneth D. Anderson and 65-year-old Richard Matve, were among those taken into custody. So were 45-year-old John Denk from Allison Park and 38-year-old John Williams from Wheeling, West Virginia. The attorney general said they're facing misdemeanor charges of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools.
One of the men arrested in the sting, 51-year-old Charles Shifflett of Follansbee, West Virginia, is accused of seeking sex with a minor, Yost's office said. He's now facing three felony charges.
"We've said it many times and will repeat it until the message resonates: Don't buy sex in Ohio!" Yost said in a press release. "We're committed to going after those who fuel the exploitation of human beings through trafficking."
The Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force is led by the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office and has members from agencies like East Palestine police, Youngstown police and Homeland Security Investigations.
"It is vital that we continue to work together and commit our time, effort and resources to combat human trafficking," Steubenville Police Chief Ken Anderson said in a news release. "These operations not only hold the suspects who perpetrate these crimes accountable for their actions but they also raise awareness of the ongoing issue across our state."