Odessa PD's Operation Gauntlet Yields 63 Arrests Regarding Prostitution

 

ODESSA, TX-- After a 15-day prostitution sting called "Operation Gauntlet", 62 people were arrested on charges relating to prostitution according to Odessa police. 

The Abilene, Andrews, Midland and Odessa Police Departments along with the Department of Public Safety, FBI, Midland County Sheriff's Office, Midland Fire Department and the U.S. Marshals took part in the operation. 

The multi-agency sting operation took place in both Midland and Odessa.

The operation was conducted in three phases.

The first phase, which took place Feb. 16 to Feb. 17, targeted child predators. Undercover agents posed as a 13-year-old girl and posted classified ads online to lure predators. This phase yielded seven arrests on charges of solicitation of a minor under the age of 14.

"They violate our children, they take advantage of them," DPS captain Ramos said. "And not only do they do it once, but they repeat and they repeat it and then they get more people to repeat the same and next thing you know more people are paying to do the same to this child."

Sebastian Zapata, 22, Eduardo Galvan, 25, Randall Sparkman, 40, Alex Olivas, 48, Seth Patin, 30, David Williams, 43, and Wesley Nickell, 57, were the seven arrested during this phase.

Phase two took place Feb. 21 to 24 when undercover operatives posed as 16 and 19-year-old girls by posting classified ads online. Law enforcement received 5,200 messages and arrested 26 on charges of prostitution solicitation of a person under 18.

Those arrested in phase two were Robert Loysoya, 59, Johnny Bryant, 31, Cody Pendergrass, 31, Jonathon Kirkman, 46, German Ortega-Ortega, 30, Omar Reyna, 43, Eduardo Ibanez, 31, Sterling Fincher, 26, Nikolos Robinson, 37, Raefael Hernandez, 43, Stephan Punch, 51, Ariel Portillo, 25, Fabian Hernandez, 34, Aram Barrios-Hernandez, 42, Oludayo Olanyinka, 37, Jared Cunnigham, 43, Bill Oneal, 45, Jason Page, 44, Daniel Okunola, 39, Brandon Moore, 31, Aaron Mata, 26, Raymundo Gonzalez, 43, Luis Casas Jr, 25, Timothy Hicks, 45, Kurtis Shaw, 18, Stanley Daniel, 21,  Alfredo Garcia, 25, Eric Gesch, 43, Christian Love, 21, Alex Brito, 27 and Peyton Coffman, 24.

A total of 23 arrest came in phase three.

Patricia Chapman, 46, Ashley Hernandez, 24, Kami Martinez, 19, Alexus Phillips, 22, Kalleigh Tyler, 25, Dwight Thomas, 28, Keith Davidson, 48, Hamza Kechah, 38, Ahlieya Caudillo, 19, Adrianna Alcorta, 22, Jasmine Miles, 18, Toshonda Caraway, 22, Tara Runels, 24, Desirey Carrizales, 22, Young Yu, 49, Rachel Tate, 31, Ding Bing, 52, Lloyd David, 28 and Lee Hunsun, 67 were put in jail on various charges.

"The people of the state of Texas, of the Permian Basin and the surrounding communities, we've heard you and we hear you," Ramos said. "We've stepped up efforts to combat human trafficking. As a result, you got the numbers -- as a result you'll be able to view what I refer to as the wall of shame." 

Information was gathered from News West 9. Read their story here

 

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