Law enforcement officers across Ohio arrested 132 people trying to buy during a human trafficking crackdown last week. Among them were four area men.
Willard Riffe,71, of South Shore, Brett Burner, 34, of Wellson, Michael Waugh 63, of Waverly, and Keith Anderson, 40, of McDermott, were busted by the Southern Ohio Major Crimes Task Force on charges of importuning. Police also hit Anderson on charges of improperly handling a firearm.
The statewide operation involved more than 100 law enforcement agencies targeting people attempting to buy sex – some exchanges involved minors.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said, “We have to attack this scourge by curbing the demand. This operation aimed to hold accountable those who exploit survivors or fuel human trafficking by agreeing to pay for sex.”
