Human trafficking operation lands 20 in jail, including 6 for traveling to meet a minor for sex
Updated 9:36 AM;
A weekend undercover operation into human trafficking in Tuscaloosa led to the arrests of 20 people.
The West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force operation was carried out Thursday through Saturday night. The aim was to help stop the illegal purchase of sex in the area, authorities said.
Six of the men arrested Friday and Saturday nights were charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act.
On Thursday, said Capt. Phil Simpson, task force commander, 11 men were charged with soliciting prostitution after attempting to meet who they thought were adult women. A person who drove one of the men to Tuscaloosa was charged Saturday on outstanding warrants from another county.
Six men, whose ages range from 25 to 74, were arrested last week during an undercover operation in Tuscaloosa on sex-related charges involving minors.
A total of 20 arrests were made in this operation by the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force from April 22-24. Eleven men were charged with soliciting prostitution after attempting to meet what they believed were adult women, police said. An additional person, who is said to have driven one of the men to Tuscaloosa, was charged on outstanding warrants from another county.
“The officers working this detail did an outstanding job on these cases,” said Capt. Phil Simpson, commander of the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force in a news release.
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Twenty people were arrested during a two-day undercover operation that was conducted to help stop sex trafficking in the area, according to the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force.
Five of those arrested were charged with traveling to meet a minor for a sex act and electronic solicitation of a child.
In a news release on Monday, the task force identified those five suspects as:
Zachary Nathaniel Bradley, 20, of Tuscaloosa
Terence Xavier Colvin, 23, of Tuscaloosa
Francisco Marin-Cuevas, 35, of Tuscaloosa
Miguel Angel Garcia-Gonzalez, 29, of Bessemer
John Stephen Shoemaker, 64, of Tuscaloosa
Fifteen other suspects were charged with soliciting prostitution. Some face additional charges, such as possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia or carrying a pistol without a license. In total, 32 charges were brought against the 20 suspects who were arrested, police said.
20 arrested in undercover human trafficking investigation in West Alabama By WBRC Staff | March 1, 2021 at 11:11 AM CST - Updated March 1 at 12:23 PM
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - Investigators with The West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force made 20 arrests during an undercover operation in Tuscaloosa on Friday and Saturday nights.
Investigators said the operation was designed to help stop the illegal purchase of sex in West Alabama.
Five people arrested were charged with both Traveling to Meet a Minor for an Unlawful Sex Act and Electronic Solicitation of a Child.
Fifteen other people were arrested for Soliciting Prostitution. Some face additional charges, including Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Carrying a Pistol without a License.