ASHLAND — Undercover agents with a human trafficking task force arrested two Ashland County men on Dec. 5, along with four others from the area, authorities announced Monday.
The Huron, Erie, Ashland and Lorain (H.E.A.L) Human Trafficking Task Force conducted a one-day sting operation in the Ashland area on Dec. 5 “to arrest men seeking to buy sex and identify potential victims of human trafficking,” an announcement from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office stated.
These men were arrested and charged with engaging in prostitution in Ashland Municipal Court:
- Mark Gamble, 55, Dublin
- James Heffelfinger, 62, Butler
- Christopher Johnson, 33, Mansfield
- Carlos Osorio, 43, Bucyrus
- Steven Shilliday, 28, Ashland
- Scott Stolcals, 41, Nova
Municipal court records show everyone but Gamble is slated to appear before a judge on Dec. 9 at 9 a.m.
Gamble, who hired Mansfield-based attorney James Mayer III, had his arraignment and pre-trial rescheduled for Jan. 9.
Authorities identified a potential victim of human trafficking during the sting, the press release said. That person was provided social services.
“These are men you might encounter any day – a farmer, a forklift operator, an auto parts manager and an electrician,” Attorney General Dave Yost said. “Our task forces conduct these stings not only to reduce the demand for human trafficking, but also to raise awareness that this nefarious behavior happens all across the state.”
Ashland police and Safe Haven of Ashland also assisted in the task force’s operation. Safe Haven is a domestic violence shelter for women.
“This was another successful collaboration between multiple agencies, combating the crisis of human trafficking,” Schneider said. “Buying sex is illegal in Ohio, and we will continue to work proactively to eradicate this crime.
“Victims of human trafficking endure pain and suffering, and we are committed to helping them, while bringing offenders to justice.”
The H.E.A.L. Human Trafficking Task Force, established under Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, consists of the sheriff’s offices of Huron, Erie, Ashland and Lorain counties.
The Perkins Township Police Department and Sheffield Village Police Department also are members of the task force.
