CANTON ‒ Nine men were arrested and charged with engaging in prostitution after the Stark County Human Trafficking Task Force took part in a statewide operation.
The suspects, ranging in age from 20 to 71, were charged in Massillon Municipal Court. The 20-year-old was additionally charged with resisting arrest. The defendants live in Stark and Summit counties. All of the charges are misdemeanors.
Led by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, Operation Spring Cleaning took place from May 13 to May 20 in 15 counties, including urban centers, suburban communities and rural areas throughout the state, according to a news release. The statewide operation yielded 122 arrests.
The Stark County Human Trafficking Task Force was formed by the collaboration of Stark County Sheriff Eric Weisburn and JacksonTownship Police Chief Mark Brink. It was established under the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission. It announced its first two arrests in February 2026.
Weisburn said in a prepared statement that the arrests demonstrate what the task force was created to do.
“When people try to exploit the vulnerable in our community, we will be there waiting,” he said. “We will continue to work locally, as well as with our state partners, to hold offenders accountable.”
Brink said in a press release that the operation demonstrates the task force’s focus on safeguarding the community.
“Our mission has always been simple: stop the demand that fuels exploitation,” he said. “Arrests like these help protect those at risk and strengthen the safety of our community.”
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Human trafficking taskforce sting in Stark County leads to 9 arrests
Reporting by Canton Repository / The Repository
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