COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three Toledoans were among last week's arrests of 35 so-called "johns" seeking to buy sex and 21 others seeking to buy sex from minors, according to the Ohio Attorney General, David Yost.
The mass arrest was a part of "Operation Time's Up," a collaboration between 98 law enforcement agencies and coordinated under AG Yost's Ohio Organized Crime Investigation Commission that sought to disrupt state-wide human trafficking operations.
According to court documents, the three Toledoans were 19-year-olds Lakei Darrington, Mic'Khi Campbell and Amarrieon Jackson were with a teen human trafficking victim when they were arrested on Aug. 20 in Columbus. The victim was involuntarily engaging in sexual activity for $150.
All three are charged with felony human trafficking. The official charge is "trafficking in persons commercial sex act."
The Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children task force was also involved in the investigation, conducting stings to target adults who used the internet and dating sites to seek out minors for sex.
"Intercepting these predators before they can harm children is paramount to keeping our communities safe," Franklin County Sherriff Baldwin said.
The 21 people arrested for seeking to buy sex from minors face felony charges that include attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
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.
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