Arrests made in “Operation Next Door”

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — “Operation Next Door” – a statewide human trafficking operation conducted last week by more than 100 law enforcement agencies resulted in the arrest of 135 people seeking to buy sex – including from minors, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced on Monday.

Three area men were among those arrested – Ted Rosengarten, 52, of Columbus Grove; James Vogel, 40, of St. Marys, and Jason Worley, 49, of Ottawa.

“Operation Next Door was named to highlight the proximity and prevalence of human trafficking,” Yost said. “Too often, we are lulled into the false narrative that these crimes happen only in the shadows. This is simply not true – human trafficking occurs in plain sight and, unfortunately, may even be fueled by your co-workers or neighbors.”

Led by Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC), Operation Next Door took place in urban centers, suburban communities and rural areas throughout Ohio.

A recap of Operation Next Door

• 32 people were arrested on felony charges including promoting prostitution, compelling prostitution, seeking sex with a minor, and drug possession and/or trafficking.
• 103 “johns” seeking to buy sex were arrested and charged with engaging in prostitution or solicitation.
• 67 human trafficking survivors were referred by law enforcement to health-care and social-services organizations.
• Nine search warrants were executed by law enforcement. These included raids on massage parlors in Toledo, the Cleveland area, and the Akron area. More than $62,000 was seized along with evidence for long-term investigations.

The statewide crackdown was spearheaded by OOCIC’s human trafficking task forces, which were joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.