Operation: Hot Summer arrests 24

Twenty-four individuals were arrested following a joint operation between the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office called Operation Hot Summer.

The three-day operation in Nassau County targeted escorts using social media to find clients as well as those “soliciting and engaging in prostitution.” Those arrested were charged with various prostitution charges and possession and sale of drugs for some. NCSO said they ranged in age from 23 years old to 53 years old.

NCSO reported that 12 of the individuals arrested were soliciting prostitution and the other 12 were the escorts. They are from Jacksonville, Orange Park, Lake City and Georgia, with just four coming from Nassau County.

“The illicit markets of prostitution and sex trafficking are like any other markets. It’s driven by demand,” Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said. “The need for people to provide a supply for pimps and traffickers to distribute the supply to buyers would not exist without demand.”

Leeper said the operation targeted the buyers (whom he referred to as “Johns”) in hopes of decreasing that demand.

At a press conference held in Jacksonville on Monday, Leeper confirmed the sting led to the rescue of one adult female who was being trafficked. Leeper said her pimp had burned her fingerprints off to “make harder for her to be identified, especially if she ends up dead somewhere in a ditch.”

“The thing to remember is that these aren’t victimless crimes,” Leeper said. “Human trafficking and prostitution ruin the lives of everyone involved. Prostitution and human trafficking results in exploitation, disease, dysfunction, drug and alcohol addiction, violence and broken families.”

Of those arrested, Leeper highlighted Joshua Robert Baker from Yulee, who allegedly contacted an undercover detective via a cell phone number provided on an online posting and “made an agreement to pay $150 for 30 minutes of sex.”

“He traveled to a local hotel and met an undercover detective in the lobby,” Leeper said. “While they were in the elevator going up to the room, he pulled out his money from his pocket and began counting it. While walking to the room, he told the undercover detective that he always gets nervous when he does this. Hopefully, he won’t get nervous in jail.”

Christopher Duane Ford from Yulee was also arrested for soliciting prostitution as a result of Operation Hot Summer. Allegedly, he contacted an undercover detective in a convenience store. Leeper said Ford commented on the detective’s outfit and then agreed to pay for oral sex. Leeper also said Ford claimed to be a former police officer who was “gathering intel” for local law enforcement.

“I think all those arrested were surprised,” Leeper said. “Some of them were even ashamed of their activities. Just about all of them said, ‘It’s my first time,’ which it’s probably not. That’s the standard line we all hear. Like a drunk driver saying they just had two beers …

“The online prostitution industry enables traffickers and allows for the continued victimization of those who are being trafficked,” NCSO said in a release following the press conference. “Our message is clear; we don’t make it a secret. If we didn’t get you in this operation, we will get you in the next operation, because if you come into our county and do stuff like this and don’t think you are going to be arrested, you’re smoking some funny weed.”

Operation Hot Summer was a part of the FBI-led Operation Cross Country.

Those arrested include:

• Joshua Robert Baker, age 32 from Yulee, engaging in prostitution
• Christopher Duane Ford, age 45 from Yulee, soliciting prostitution
• Gary Leonard Evans, age 33 from Jacksonville, soliciting prostitution
• Cathy Renee Mullins, age 43 from Jacksonville, soliciting prostitution, possession of cocaine and possession of a controlled substance
• Ashley Ann Nunnery, age 42 from Jacksonville, soliciting prostitution
• Tammarrow Valintino Cogdell, age 53 from Jacksonville, engaging in prostitution and sale of a controlled substance
• Jasmine Danielle Thompson, age 32 from Jacksonville, engaging in prostitution
• Tahj Jamal Kimble, age 31 from Yulee, soliciting prostitution
• Asa Michael Bell, age 24 from Jacksonville, soliciting prostitution
• Cherlle Francisco Das Neves, age 40 from Fernandina Beach, soliciting prostitution
• Alexia Zantail Moore, age 28 from Kingsland, Ga., engaging in prostitution and possession of marijuana
• Brandon James-Keith Knight, age 41 from Jacksonville, soliciting prostitution and resisting arrest without violence
• Akeem Cornelius Otey, age 33 from Jacksonville, engaging in prostitution and possession of a controlled substance
• Daniel Kristopher Morningstar, age 36 from Orange Park, soliciting prostitution
• Melvin Edward Powell, age 33 from Jacksonville, soliciting prostitution
• Alan Alexis Covarrubias, age 29 from Middleburg, soliciting prostitution
• Kevin Michael Marabella, age 35 from Woodbine, Ga., soliciting prostitution
• Christopher Alexander Germain, age 23 from Jacksonville, engaging in prostitution
• Annecia Allenna Perry, age 23 from Jacksonville, engaging in prostitution
• Charlene Telina Waverly, age 35 from Jacksonville, soliciting prostitution and possession of a controlled substance
• Roberto Anibal Lopez, age 29 from Jacksonville, soliciting prostitution
• Farrehn Rondell Washington, age 28 from Jacksonville, engaging in prostitution
• Bo Wayne Joyner, age 42 from Lake City, engaging in prostitution
• Unnamed female (Trafficked), engaging in prostitution

hdorman@fbnewsleader.com