(File Photo of Handcuffs)

Noah haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Columbus, OH) More than 100 people were arrested during a statewide human trafficking crackdown in Ohio, Attorney General Dave Yost announced yesterday.

Yost said “Operation Spring Cleaning” resulted in the arrests of 122 people accused of attempting to buy sex, including from minors.

According to the attorney general’s office, 38 people were arrested on felony charges including promoting prostitution, attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and trafficking in persons.

Another 84 people — commonly referred to by law enforcement as “johns” — were charged with engaging in prostitution or solicitation. Authorities also said 42 human trafficking survivors were referred to healthcare and social service organizations for support.

The weeklong operation also included the execution of 15 search warrants tied to suspected human trafficking activity at massage parlors in communities including Akron, Columbus and Toledo. Investigators seized more than $120,000 during those searches, according to Yost.

“This operation brings us to 1,065 arrests since our statewide stings began in 2019,” Yost said in a press release. “It shows the problem isn’t going away, but perpetrators are getting increasingly skittish as our message reverberates — Don’t buy sex in Ohio.”

Authorities said those charged are from Ohio and several neighboring states, including Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky.

Yost said those arrested included a Cleveland Division of Fire firefighter and a retired Cleveland firefighter.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office said dozens of law enforcement agencies and nonprofit organizations participated in Operation Spring Cleaning. Officials said the statewide operations began as small-scale stings in 2019 and have since expanded to include more than 100 law enforcement agencies.