NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio — Ten men were arrested on Thursday during a human-trafficking sting in northeastern Ohio.
The sting was a one-day operation in North Olmsted, which is about 20 miles southwest of Cleveland.
One of the men, 35-year-old Errol Jackson, is a registered Tier III sex offender, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. He was arrested for promoting prostitution and is being held in the Cuyahoga County jail.
Nine additional men were arrested and charged with engaging in prostitution, a first-degree misdemeanor:
- Ahmed Aljabri, Cleveland, 41
- Sha Chuwan, Erie, Pennsylvania, 32
- Dan Keenan, Jr., Westlake, 53
- William Minor, Cleveland, 52
- Jeffrey Ohl, La Grange, 53
- Erwin Palma-Torres, Garrettsville, 30
- Jacob Safran, Royal Oak, Michigan, 32
- Raymond Schillinger, Akron, 53
- Carl Whepley Jr., Perry, 55
Of those arrested, one was an executive for a nonprofit organization, one was a middle school teacher and another man was living in the country illegally, Yost said.
Seven potential human trafficking victims were identified during the operation and were provided resources from multiple agencies who assisted the task force, including the Canopy Child Advocacy Center, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center and the Harriett Tubman Movement.
“Yesterday was a banner day for the task force,” Yost said. “Their commitment to wiping out the scourge of human trafficking is making a difference in the lives of the victims and having a big impact on the region.”
The North Olmsted Police Department, Westshore Enforcement Bureau and the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force assisted on the sting.
