The Mahoning County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio Attorney General's Office have rounded up suspects in an undercover sex sting.

Sixteen people were being brought into Mahoning County Court in Canfield Friday morning.

The suspects were taken into custody over the last three days as part of an investigation by the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, which is part of Attorney General Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission and the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). 

The sting involved undercover officers posing as minors.

The suspects were taken to the Mahoning County where they were booked.
All those arrested face felony charges. The following were arrested on charges of importuning, attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and possession of criminal tools:

William Ragle, 25, Akron
David Kent, 24, Cranberry Twp., Pa.
Dennis Dabney II, 47, Salem
Ronald Woods III, 23, Austintown
Ommar Castro Diaz, 24, Cleveland
Steven Sutton, 44, Prospect, Pa.
Nicholas Sammartino, 20, Youngstown
Andrew Wirth, 30, Ravenna
Joel Kurz, 30, Boardman
Grant Geib, 24, Orville
Darrell Davis, 60, East Liverpool
Thomas Yakemovic III, 30, West Middlesex, Pa.
Timothy Leverknight, 53, Salem
Brian Underwood, 33, Youngstown
James McClalin III, 39, Hubbard
Charles Stumpf, 23, Akron

"We are very pleased with the outcome of the operation.  This task force is not going to give up or let up on these types of crimes," Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene said. "If you are someone using the internet to exploit underage children, we want you to know you may be talking to us."

"We will continue to do everything in our power to identify and apprehend these individuals before they come in contact with real children," said David Frattare, Commander of the ICAC. "Operations such as these should serve as a reminder that offenders will go to great lengths to exploit popular social media networks and mobile applications to gain access to children for their own sexual gratification."

Most of those appearing are being released on bond and must go to Downtown Youngstown to reclaim their vehicles that have been impounded by authorities.

Preliminary hearings for those arrested have been scheduled for Tuesday in Canfield Court.

The Human Trafficking Task Force is led by the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office and includes representatives from the Austintown Police Department, Howland Township Police Department, Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio Investigative Unit, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Warren Police Department.

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