The undercover operations of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force continue to pay off as authorities arrested more than a dozen men seeking to buy sex in northeast Ohio in the early weeks of 2025.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene announced today that those arrested range in age from 29 to 57 and include a former police officer, part-time firefighter, former nurse and current federal employee.
The arrests highlight an underbelly of society that fuels the demand for human trafficking – an injustice that the task force is committed to ending.
“If you’re looking for romance this Valentine’s Day, spend your money on flowers and chocolate,” Yost said. “Don’t even think about buying sex in Ohio – it could land you a date with our task force.”
Also during the operations, the task force advanced several long-term investigations, executing a search warrant at a massage parlor and securing the indictments of a man possessing child pornography and others for promoting prostitution. In addition, several previous cases culminated in sentences, and, separately, an appeals court upheld the conviction of a man who attempted to solicit sex from a minor.
“Every arrest is a win in the fight against human trafficking, but we're far from finished,” Sheriff Greene said. "Our task force isn't slowing down. The Mahoning Valley is off-limits to human trafficking."
These successes underscore the task force’s focus on arresting would-be sex buyers and those who sexually exploit the vulnerable.
“There is only one place in society for sexual deviants who prey upon the vulnerable – prison,” Yost said. “Cases of human trafficking and child pornography can take years to investigate, but our task force agents are tenacious and won’t rest until predators are behind bars.”
Long-term investigations
The Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force conducts long-term investigations of individuals suspected of promoting prostitution and engaging in human trafficking. The task force also frequently investigates individuals suspected of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), more commonly known as child pornography.
These cases, either led by or involving task force investigators, highlight the criminal behavior and sexual deviancy that contribute to the scourge of human trafficking.
- In January, the task force assisted with an investigation into the disappearance of a minor from northeast Ohio. The girl was eventually located in Indiana with an adult male. Connor Rivas, 31, of Pendleton, Indiana, has been charged in Madison County, Indiana, with promotion of child sexual trafficking, sexual misconduct with a minor and possession of child pornography.
- On Jan. 8, a Columbiana County grand jury indicted Robert Rogers, 73, of East Palestine, on multiple counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor. Investigators discovered CSAM on Rogers’ devices.
- On Jan. 9, Jon Carl Nelder, 43, of Lisbon, was sentenced to 23½ years in prison for 53 counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor and one count of tampering with evidence. In December 2023, task force agents and the Lisbon Police Department executed a search warrant at Nelder’s residence and recovered a large amount of CSAM. Nelder pleaded guilty.
- On Jan. 15, David Thompson, 63, of Warren, was sentenced to six to nine years in prison for pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance.
- Also on Jan. 15, the Ohio Seventh District Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction of 45-year-old Youngstown resident Jerry Granberry for attempted sexual conduct with a minor, compelling prostitution and possession of criminal tools.
- On Jan. 21, the task force and Canfield Police Department executed a search warrant at the Harmony Foot Spa in Canfield. The spa’s owner, Shanshan Zhang, 36, was charged with promoting prostitution, possession of criminal tools and solicitation. The investigation is ongoing.
- On Feb. 2, the task force charged 46-year-old Michigan resident William Roldan (aka Mary Roldan) with solicitation and possession of criminal tools, and David Simmons, 35, of Ashtabula, with promoting prostitution and possessing drug paraphernalia. The pair allegedly advertised sex online. Additional charges are expected.
- On Feb. 3, Jonathan Collins, 47, of Norwalk, was sentenced in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to nine months in prison after pleading guilty to attempted compelling prostitution and attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. In August 2024, the task force arrested Collins for seeking sex with a girl he believed to be 15 years old. Collins will be required to register as a Tier II sex offender every six months for the next 25 years.
In January and early February, the task force made 13 arrests stemming from multiple investigations and undercover operations. Unless otherwise noted, all suspects are charged with engaging in prostitution and possession of criminal tools:
- Jan. 8: Brian Veith, 48, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Jan. 10: Timothy Kondik, 56, of Canal Fulton. Kondik was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia
- Jan. 15: Michael Petty, 43, of Akron
- Jan. 16: Matthew Pyle, 47, of Portersville, Pennsylvania
- Jan. 17: Thomas Fifer, 52, of Atwater; Ben Summers, 32, of Youngstown
- Jan. 19: Diego Galicia, 29, of Johnson City, Tennessee. Galicia was also charged with tampering with evidence, resisting arrest and obstructing official business.
- Jan. 22: Brandon Miles, 34, of Salem. Miles was not charged with possession of criminal tools.
- Jan. 24: Raymond Gay, 36, of Cortland
- Jan. 31: Thomas Panek, 57, of Atwater
- Feb. 6: Christian Feezle, 30, of Linesville, Pennsylvania
- Feb. 7: Howard Hill, 56, of Akron and Virginia; Joshua Dobbs, 44, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dobbs was also charged with having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle.