COLUMBUS — A Brookville resident, and a West Alexandria resident were among those individuals arrested in a statewide human-trafficking operation conducted last week by more than 100 enforcement agencies across the state.
Some 132 people who sought to buy sex, including some exchanges involving minors, were arrested, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Monday, Oct. 14.
“We have to attack this scourge by curbing the demand,” Yost said. “This operation aimed to hold accountable those who exploit survivors or fuel human trafficking by agreeing to pay for sex.”
Led by AG Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC), Operation END-OHHT took place from Oct. 6 through Oct. 12 in 19 counties, including major activities in Akron, Columbus, Cleveland, Marietta, Portsmouth, Toledo and the Mahoning Valley area.
The sweeping collaborative effort, named after Ohio’s new human trafficking hotline (844-END-OHHT), was led by OOCIC’s eight human trafficking and major crime task forces, with a dozen other local law enforcement agencies also participating.
Those arrested included 110 “johns,” who face charges of engaging in prostitution or solicitation, as well as 22 individuals charged with felonies for seeking commercial sex with a minor and/or possessing narcotics.
John Vanetti, 67, West Alexandria, was one of the “johns” arrested.
The Montgomery County Human Trafficking Task Force charged Jeffrey Startzman, 68, of Brookville, with solicitation. Startzman is a former prosecutor and magistrate and a current board member for Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services.
The suspects have diverse backgrounds – from laborers and government employees to students and business owners – and range in age from 21 to 71.
Throughout the operation, authorities also identified 74 human-trafficking survivors, referring them to health-care and social-service organizations.
In addition, the OOCIC task forces furthered several long-term investigations by raiding nine locations that had been linked to human trafficking, including several massage parlors and a motel. They seized more $20,000 and other related evidence.
“Operation END-OHHT reinforced the consequences for those who think that engaging in prostitution is permissible,” Yost said. “Our message is simple: Don’t buy sex in Ohio!”
Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on X @emowenjr.
