NE Ohio task force asking for tips in multi-state human trafficking case

Authorities from a northeastern Ohio task force are asking for tips from the public in a human trafficking case that covered 12 states.

Deondre Inkton, 31, of Cleveland, was indicted by a Cuyahoga County grand jury of 17 felony charges, including trafficking in persons, compelling prostitution, promoting prostitution, money laundering and possessing criminal tools. The charges come after an investigation by the Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force.

In this case Inkton is accused of trafficking eight women, but investigators alleged that he transported his victims across the eastern U.S. and to Nevada, posting 4,000 sex advertisements in a dozen states, including 2,000 in Ohio. Investigators said that over the course of about two years he physically and sexually abused the women to force them into prostitution, then received the proceeds via cash and electronic transfers.

Due to the large geographic area that the case covers, investigators said they think there may be more survivors who have not come forward yet. The task force, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost asked any other survivors to contact the task force at 216-443-6085.

The release also said that a “protégé” of Inkton’s named Donte Cole was indicted in a separate human trafficking case last year in federal court for allegedly trafficking an Ohio child for sex in Pennsylvania.

Yost said, “This operation covered a vast stretch of territory, leading us to believe that more victims might still be out there. We are grateful to the survivors who have already spoken to our task force, and we encourage other survivors to share what they know. Your tip could spare someone else the anguish of being trafficked.”

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