Minimum of 80 girls involved in Mahoning County human trafficking ring

Officials from the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office said a minimum of 80 women have been involved in a large human trafficking ring said to have taken place for more than a decade.

Mahoning County Sheriff Office Major Jeff Allen told 21 News he believes the ring has been going on for about 15 years.

Ronald Hellman, 50, was in court Monday afternoon on charges of compelling prostitution involving a minor. 

His bond was set at $100,000. 

Allen said Hellman's case is in connection with a case from last month involving 77-year-old Charles Krusac.

Investigators raided Krusac's Austintown home back in July where they found VHS tapes dating back to the early 2000s.

Krusac was charged with 15 charges, including illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance and pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. 

Krusac's bond was set at $100,000 cash or surety, which was posted by a bail bonding agency on August 1. He's due back in court on August 22. 

Allen said Hellman would bring the girls to Krusac's home and was compensated every time. Allen said he was exploiting these females for his own financial gain. 

The young adults and juveniles were being exploited because of either their drug addiction or by force.

The Sheriff's Office and the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force are working to identify all of the victims.

If you are a victim of this human trafficking ring or a victim in general, please call 330-480-4940 to leave a message with your first name and a return number and the task force will call you back.