LANCASTER – Fairfield County authorities say they arrested six people during a crackdown on human trafficking in the Canal Winchester area Tuesday.
The men, described as “johns,” or customers, were arrested by officers and deputies with the Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office and Pickerington Police Department during a “demand side” or “john sting” known as “Operation Foul Ball,” said Chief Deputy Alex Lape of the Fairfield County Sheriff‘s Office.
“The individuals arrested supply the money that continues to breathe life into the prostitution component of human trafficking,” Lape said.
The men were identified as Nathan Baker, 32; Charles Clark, 47, Adam Farley, 42; Kyle Kramer, 37; Christopher MacKenzie, 41, and Peter McCartney, 50, according to the sheriff’s office Facebook page.
All six were charged with soliciting prostitution and will be required to complete “john school,” which provides “awareness of the extent of the human trafficking issue and the part that prostitution plays” in it, according to a release from the sheriff’s office.
This is the second human trafficking operation carried out in Fairfield County, the statement said.