Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announces arrest in Operation Spring Cleaning
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced a series of arrests made as part of a statewide human trafficking crackdown.
Operation Spring Cleaning, the latest in a series of investigations led by Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, involved dozens of Ohio law enforcement agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The participating agencies executed 15 search warrants in connection with suspected human trafficking at massage parlors in Akron, Columbus, Dublin, Grafton, Powell, Toledo, and Willoughby. More than $120,000 was seized, along with evidence for long-term investigations.
The operation resulted in 38 people being arrested on felony charges, including promoting prostitution, compelling prostitution, attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, trafficking in persons, and drug possession and/or trafficking.
“This operation brings us to 1,065 arrests since our statewide stings began in 2019,” Yost said. “It shows the problem isn’t going away, but perpetrators are getting increasingly skittish as our message reverberates – Don’t buy sex in Ohio.”
The Attorney General’s Office reported that the operation resulted in 84 people being arrested for seeking to buy sex and charged with engaging in prostitution or solicitation, and 42 human trafficking survivors being referred by law enforcement to healthcare and social-services organizations.
“I urge the prosecutors that will take these things in court to handle the cases and take them seriously, where it’s appropriate, and if you have option to send people to John school, kind of like DUI school, where you learn how your misconduct is impacting other people,” Yost said during a press conference with law enforcement officers. “I urge you to do that.”
“Don’t plead these cases down to nothing. They represent damage to human beings. This is not a victimless crime, and the only way we’re going to stop human trafficking is if we can cut off the oxygen, the cash, that fuels it.”
Ohio lawmakers have recently introduced multiple pieces of legislation targeting human trafficking related crimes.
“You know, it’s been such a change from when I came into office eight years ago, and we did our first attempts to amend Ohio’s very outdated and inadequate laws,” Yost said. “Back then, it was hard to get meetings.”
“People didn’t want to talk about this, didn’t believe that it was a real thing, and those attitudes have changed dramatically. And I’m so grateful for the many reforms that have already been enacted by the General Assembly in the last eight years.”
As Ohio.news reported, the state House of Representatives passed House Bill 507, legislation that would make receiving money made through prostitution a third-degree felony offense, in March. The bill is currently being considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Multiple law enforcement organizations and Corey Jordan, the Director of Policy and Legislation for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, testified in support of the bill while the House considered it.
“Now that being said, I think it’s very important that the legislature consult with people who both understand the criminal law aspect of this problem, so that they don’t inadvertently change a law in a way that’s going to be hurtful, or worse yet, counterproductive, and to talk with the people, the social agency workers that provide support for these survivors who are acquainted with what their lives look like,” Yost said.
The House passed House Bill 47, which would increase penalties to 25 years to life for offenses involving minors or individuals with developmental disabilities, in 2025. The bill is currently being considered by the Senate.
Yost announced his resignation as attorney general to join Alliance Defending Freedom as vice president of Strategic Research and Innovation. His resignation will take effect on June 7.
