Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force charges six people over weekend

WTAP News @ 11 - Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force charges six people over weekend
Published: Oct. 31, 2022 at 5:54 PM EDT
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WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ohio (WTAP) - The Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force worked alongside with other law enforcement to arrest them.

Four of them are accused of engaging in prostitution. These individuals are Kyle Crowe (22) from Chillicothe, Erick M. Wrestler (50) from Logan, a 17-year old juvenile and Wayne D. Horsley (52) from Athens. All of these people are charged with a first-degree misdemeanor.

Horsley is an Athens high school teacher and former girls basketball coach for the high school. And served as a referee for the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Officials say Horsley arranged to meet the contact after the game he officiated on Friday.

He is now suspended with pay.

Another was Stewart Rebell (49) of Ware, Massachusetts — who is a registered sex offender — and had previous convictions for juvenile sex offenses, including multiple charges of rape of a child, by force or with threat of murder.

The sixth is a Coolville resident named Justin Dillon who was attempting to solicit sex for 20-30 dollars and methamphetamine. Dillon was intercepted by officials at an undisclosed location in Marietta.

The task force says that all of these interactions happened online.

The task force wants parents to be mindful and know what their child is doing.

“Most of these style crimes that we do see is internet-based. It’s originating on the internet. So, I would urge parents to keep an eye on what they’re doing on their phones, on their computers. I would go through them on the regular and make sure they are talking to people they’re own age, people that they should be talking to,” says Washington Co. Sheriff’s Office Detective Zackary Kehl.

The task force recommends that parents use apps and blockers like “Bark” and “Aura” to monitor any online activity.