10 men arrested, 1 sentenced to life in prison for sex-related crimes throughout Ohio

WHIO Staff
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10 suspects were arrested in Ohio on sex charges as another man was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the human trafficking scene.

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Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Friday that on the same day that a Lorain County man was sentenced to life in prison for an investigation dating back to 2021, the Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force arrested 10 men on sex charges in North Olmsted in Cuyahoga County.

“Yesterday was a banner day for the task force,” Yost said. “Their commitment to wiping out the scourge of human trafficking is making a difference in the lives of the victims and having a big impact on the region.”

The arrests were part of a one-day operation held in conjunction with the North Olmsted Police Department, Westshore Enforcement Bureau, and the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to identify people providing or purchasing commercial sex.

The 10 men arrested and charged with engaging in prostitution, a a first-degree misdemeanor, were:

  1. Errol Jackson, 35, from Lorain

  2. Ahmed Aljabri, 41, from Cleveland

  3. Sha Chuwan, Erie, 32, from Pennsylvania

  4. Dan Keenan, Jr., 53, from Westlake

  5. William Minor, 52, from Cleveland

  6. Jeffrey Ohl, 53, from LaGrange

  7. Erwin Palma-Torres, 30, from Garrettsville

  8. Jacob Safran, Royal Oak, 32, from Michigan

  9. Raymond Schillinger, 53, from Akron

  10. Carl Whepley Jr., 55, from Perry

Those arrested included a non-profit executive, a middle school teacher, and a man who was living in the country illegally, according to a spokesperson for the attorney general’s office.

During the operation, seven potential human trafficking victims were identified and provided with resources from multiple agencies who assisted the task force, including the Canopy Child Advocacy Center, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, and the Harriett Tubman Movement, the spokesperson continued.

“This cooperation not only allows us to apprehend the perpetrators but also identify the victims and provide them with services and support,” Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey of the Detroit office of Homeland Security Investigations said.

While yesterday’s operation was occurring, the conclusion of a separate investigation into Steven Gilbert, 36, of Elyria, led to his conviction of 31 human trafficking offenses. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole after 172 and a half to 182 and a half years in prison.

“Detectives found that Gilbert ran a human trafficking ring that preyed upon numerous women who were addicted to narcotics,” the spokesperson said.

The Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force assisted the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, Elyria Police Department, and the Investigative Division of the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the case.