COLUMBUS, Ohio — A total of 98 law enforcement agencies across Ohio joined forces for a weekend human-trafficking investigation, including one raid in Strongsville.
This operation resulted in the arrests of 35 “Johns” who were allegedly seeking to buy sex and 21 people “seeking to buy sex from minors,” according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
"On my watch, those who keep human traffickers in business are going to pay a price along with the traffickers themselves,” Yost said. “My office, with the vital help of our many law enforcement partners, is committed to going after the demand side of this contemptible exploitation of vulnerable young women and girls.”
Dubbed “Operation Time’s Up,” the investigation targeted human trafficking with a series of stings. 3News cameras were rolling Friday at New Hi Spa on West 130th Street in Strongsville as agents executed a warrant.
“The sweep also coincided with the culmination of an investigation of illicit massage parlors in Cleveland and a statewide search for missing children by the U.S. Marshals Service,” according to Yost’s office.
Additional details regarding the arrest locations will be announced soon, Yost's office told 3News late Monday morning.
Here is how “Operation Time’s Up” was handled…
- Police agencies in the Columbus, Lancaster, Dayton, Akron, Cleveland, Marietta and Portsmouth areas focused on solicitors of sex. Many of the 35 people arrested face the enhanced charge of engaging in prostitution, a first-degree misdemeanor championed by Yost’s office. Those convicted of the charge must undergo human trafficking education, also known as “john school.”
- Law enforcement in Franklin, Mahoning and Scioto counties focused on crimes against children by arresting individuals seeking to buy sex from minors. The 21 arrested face felony charges that include attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
- The U.S. Marshals Service, which throughout August conducted an operation to locate and recover missing children, per the request of law enforcement, to ensure their well-being.
“The Justice for Victims Trafficking Act of 2015 enhanced the United States Marshals’ authority to support federal, state and local law enforcement efforts in the process of locating missing, abducted or endangered children,” said Brad Stuart, Acting U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio. “Thank you to all of the partners who worked together to rescue our communities’ most vulnerable children.”
Ohio is ranked fifth in the nation among states with the highest rates of human trafficking. In 2021, the Ohio Attorney General's Office identified 138 potential victims.
Kirsti Mouncey, from the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking says the reasons why Ohio is among the worst states are complex.
"The reasons for that often cited is because we're so close to Canada, we have major highway systems that get us through the state quickly," she said. "Although, I want to caution people to not think that human trafficking is always about movement," Mouncey added, citing the illegal spas as examples of stationary locations where human trafficking can take place.
The Collaborative to End Human Trafficking provides resources for public awareness, including hosting seminars for groups that are interested in learning how to take an active role in their community.
To report suspected human trafficking, the National Human Trafficking Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (888) 373-7888, or text 233733 (BEFREE).
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Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published in an unrelated story on Aug. 19, 2022.