(COLUMBUS, Ohio)— Law enforcement task forces formed under the Ohio Attorney General’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission continue to advance the state’s fight against human traffickers and sexual predators, with three of these units reporting recent successes.
“A john buying sex has no idea if the other party is a willing participant, a victim of human trafficking – or one of our task force agents,” Yost said. “Our task forces are enforcing the law and making sure that those seeking to buy sex face swift charges.”
The comprehensive strategy employed by Yost’s office targets many facets of human trafficking, including demand reduction, which is a priority of the OOCIC. The commission facilitates the creation of cross-department task forces that often involve local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
The task forces work to arrest those seeking to purchase sex or solicit sex from minors, or who possess child pornography or other material that sexually exploits children.
Three of these task forces recently closed some notable cases:
On July 11, the Summit Regional Human Trafficking Task Force arrested and charged nine men during a one-day operation aimed at buyers of sex.
Roshan Portel, 21, of Akron and Scott Data, 58, of Norton were charged with compelling prostitution after arranging to meet a “16-year-old girl” for sex.
Six others were charged with engaging in prostitution:
- Stephen Nagy, 42, Akron
- Robert Cummings, 47, Cuyahoga Falls
- Brian Jambois, 51, Canal Fulton
- Reginald Reid, 64, Medina
- Stephen Moore, 52, Quaker City
- Todd Rohrer, 57, Canal Fulton
In addition, Kenneth Brooks, 34, of Canton was charged with a parole violation.
The task force is led by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office and includes the Stark County Sherriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Medina County Sheriff’s Office, Akron Police Department, North Canton Police Department, Jackson Police Department, Adult Parole Authority and Stow Police Department.
The
Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force saw a long-term investigation come to close when Lowellville resident Joseph Garchar was sentenced on July 12 to 24 years and three months in prison.
Garchar, 47, had pleaded guilty in the U.S. Northern District Court of Ohio to sexually exploiting a minor after the task force's investigation found him in possession of child pornography.
The task force is led by the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office and includes the Austintown Police Department, Warren City Police Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio Investigative Unit, Cortland Police Department, East Palestine Police Department, Salem Police Department, Youngstown Police Department, Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations.
A long-term investigation conducted by the
Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force culminated in June with the conviction and sentencing of a human trafficker and one co-conspirator. Another co-conspirator had previously been convicted and sentenced.
The task force’s investigation found that Nicholas Hutchins was operating a commercial sex-trafficking operation out of various hotels in Warrensville Heights and an apartment building in Maple Heights. In executing several search warrants, investigators identified victims, found numerous firearms, and seized illegal drugs as well as $116,805 in cash.
On June 8, in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, Hutchins, 39, pleaded guilty to trafficking in persons, drug trafficking and possession of criminal tools. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and will be required to register as a Tier II sex offender.
On that same day, co-conspirator Nadine Siggres, 40, pleaded guilty to abduction, promoting prostitution and possession of criminal tools. She was sentenced to five years of community control and designated as a Tier 1 sex offender.
Six months earlier, in December 2022, co-conspirator Ariel Taylor, 33, pleaded guilty in the same court of possession drugs, endangering children and possession of criminal tools. She was sentenced to six months in jail, followed by five years of community control.
The task force is led by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department and includes the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office, Ashtabula Police Department, Cleveland Police Department, Conneaut Police Department, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department, East Cleveland Police Department, Geauga County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Sheriff's Office, MetroHealth Police Department, North Olmsted Police Department, Ohio Investigative Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, Warrensville Heights Police Department, Westlake Police Department and Willoughby Police Department
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