Burton Man Arrested in Undercover Sex-Sting
Richard Nichols, 61, of Burton, was recently arrested by the Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and Solon police for allegedly trying to buy sex during a recent undercover operation, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Oct. 21.
Richard Nichols, 61, of Burton, was recently arrested by the Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and Solon police for allegedly trying to buy sex during a recent undercover operation, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Oct. 21.
The task force, organized under Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, and Solon police conducted a one-day operation in the Solon area Oct. 16 to arrest men seeking to buy sex and to identify potential victims of human trafficking, Yost said in a statement.
“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.”
Nichols was one of 13 men arrested during the operation, Yost said in the release.
Two other 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, according to Yost’s release.
Lafayette Robinson, 33, of Cleveland, was arrested on a felony charge of promoting prostitution, he said in the release, adding others arrested for allegedly engaging in prostitution include: Timothy Asberry, 67, of Willoughby; Ajene Enaharo, 43, of Solon; Harmanjit Ghuman, 59, of Macedonia; Donald Ketring, 70, of Madison; Gul Mashwani, 28, of Cleveland; Andrew Novak, 49, of Cleveland; Brandon Rice, 48, of Solon; Timothy Szekely, 56 of Stow and Brandon Tschantz, 38, of Reminderville.
Each was charged in Bedford Municipal Court, officials said.
The task force also identified nine potential victims of human trafficking and recovered two children previously reported missing, Yost said, adding two foreign nationals were identified and referred to U.S. 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 in the release.
