13 Men Arrested in Northeast Ohio Sex Sting

(SOLON, Ohio) - Agents from the Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and Solon Police arrested 13 men for trying to buy sex during a recent undercover operation, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced today. Two of the men are accused of seeking sex with minors.

"Too often our task forces arrest predators seeking to have sex with children - a sickening fact that should send a chill down the spine of every parent," Yost said. "If you think human trafficking only involves sex between adults, you're wrong."

The Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which is organized under Yost's Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, and Solon Police conducted a one-day operation in the Solon area on Oct. 16 to arrest men seeking to buy sex and to identify potential victims of human trafficking.

Two men were arrested and charged with compelling prostitution involving a minor after they allegedly tried to buy sex from undercover agents posing as minors. Peter Moller, 66, of Brunswick, and Dwayne Murray, 34, of Kent, face felony charges in Cuyahoga County.

Another man, Lafayette Robinson, 33, of Cleveland, was arrested on a felony charge of promoting prostitution.

Ten others were arrested for engaging in prostitution, including:

• Timothy Asberry, 67, Willoughby
• Ajene Enaharo, 43, Solon
• Harmanjit Ghuman, 59, Macedonia
• Donald Ketring, 70, Madison
• Gul Mashwani, 28, Cleveland
• Richard Nichols, 61, Burton
• Andrew Novak, 49, Cleveland
• Brandon Rice, 48, Solon
• Timothy Szekely, 56, Stow
• Brandon Tschantz, 38, Reminderville

Each was charged in Bedford Municipal Court.

Additionally, the task force identified nine potential victims of human trafficking and recovered two children previously reported missing. Two foreign nationals were identified and referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The arrests build upon the successes of several other recent human trafficking operations. On Sept. 29, Yost announced the arrests of 135 people during a statewide sting named Operation Next Door. In the weeks since, task forces arrested eight men during an undercover investigation in Steubenville, as well as a doctor who allegedly agreed to pay for sex with a minor in Youngstown.

"Our work will continue until everyone gets the message: Don't buy sex in Ohio!" Yost said.

The Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force is organized under Yost's Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission and is led by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department. The task force consists of representatives from the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office, Ashtabula Police Department, Canopy Child Advocacy Center, City of Berea, Cleveland Division of Police, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, Conneaut Police Department, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, East Cleveland Police Department, Geauga County Sheriff's Office, Harriet Tubman Movement, HomeSafe Inc., Lake County Sheriff's Office, MetroHealth Police Department, Middleburg Heights Police Department, Newburgh Heights Police Department, North Olmsted Police Department, Ohio Investigative Unit, Solon Police Department, Strongsville Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Office of Inspector General, Warrensville Heights Police Department, Westlake Police Department and Willoughby Police Department.

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