Nine men were arrested in Stark County as part of a statewide human trafficking enforcement operation targeting individuals seeking to buy sex, authorities announced Thursday.
The arrests were made during “Operation Spring Cleaning,” a coordinated effort led by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC). The operation took place May 13 through May 20 across 15 counties in Ohio, resulting in 122 arrests statewide, according to a news release.
In Stark County, members of the Stark County Human Trafficking Task Force took nine suspects into custody. Charges were filed in Massillon Municipal Court.
Those charged with engaging in prostitution, a first-degree misdemeanor under Ohio law, include Vincent Cordell Faverty, 60, of Tallmadge; Nick Anthony Gliatta, 71, of Canton; Joshua Matthew Elliott, 42, of East Canton; Jason Todd Rogers, 52, of Beach City; Devin Allen Cool, 27, of Akron; David Jeffrey Shearer, 62, of Akron; Timothy George Bowman II, 59, of Cuyahoga Falls; and Jeffrey Douglas Clark, 50, of North Canton.
Isaiah James Ferguson, 20, of Macedonia, was charged with resisting arrest, according to the release.
The Stark County Human Trafficking Task Force was formed through a partnership between Stark County Sheriff Eric Weisburn and Jackson Township Police Chief Mark Brink. The task force was established under OOCIC in 2025 and recorded its first arrests in February.
Sheriff Weisburn said the arrests reflect the task force’s mission to combat exploitation.
“When people try to exploit the vulnerable in our community, we will be there waiting,” Weisburn said in a statement. “We will continue to work locally, as well as with our state partners, to hold offenders accountable.”
Brink said the operation underscores the task force’s commitment to protecting the community.
“Our mission has always been simple: stop the demand that fuels exploitation,” Brink said in a statement. “Arrests like these help protect those at risk and strengthen the safety of our community.”
