Nearly 2 dozen people on both sides of the Red River are facing charges following a 2-day, multi-agency prostitution sting.
The operation took place April 29 and 30, and was made up of law enforcement officials from the Shreveport Police Department’s Vice Unit, Bossier City Police Department, Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and the Louisiana State Police Special Victims Unit.
Police say the operation, conducted at various Shreveport-and Bossier City hotels, was launched in efforts to target prostitution, human trafficking and child exploitation in the Shreveport-Bossier City areas.
During the two-day joint operation, a total of 23 arrests were made.
Bossier Sheriff-Police Narcotics Task Force arrested 10 people for prostitution, solicitation of prostitution and pandering on the first day of the operation:
Morgan Crain, 22, of Shreveport – Charge: Prostitution
Vonetta Morris, 30, of Arkansas – Charge: Prostitution and Possession of Marijuana
Devante Ward, 23, of Arkansas – Charge: Pandering, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Tahessia Brannon, 21, of Arkansas – Charge: Prostitution
Kazetta Taylor, 29, of Arkansas – Charge: Prostitution
Rodney Hill Jr., 37, of Bossier City – Charge: Solicitation of Prostitution
Christopher House, 27, of Shreveport – Charge: Solicitation of Prostitution
Corwin Jones, 27, of Shreveport – Charge: Solicitation of Prostitution
Harold Brown Jr., 46, of Arkansas – Charge: Solicitation of Prostitution
Alec Thornton, 25, of Sibley – Charge: Solicitation of Prostitution
Agents also seized $982.00 and four grams of marijuana.
On April 30, the Shreveport Police Department Vice Unit, along with the other law enforcement agencies, continued the operation in Caddo Parish, where 13 more were arrested:
Sharon Stillwell, 43 of Shreveport – Charge: Prostitution 2nd offense
Ashley Cousin, 54, of, Arlington, TX – Charge: Prostitution
Jenaye Robinson, 22, of Fort Worth, TX – Charge: Prostitution
Jamie Kennedy, 36, of Shreveport – Charge: Soliciting for Prostitution
Kia Bougere, 20, of Willis, TX – Charge: Prostitution
Fallon Childress, 30, of Haughton – Charges: Prostitution
Brandi Osborne , 33, of Shreveport – Charges: Possession Sch. II CDS, Methamphetamine, Prostitution
Samuel Thurman, 29, Bossier City – Charges: Pandering
Brandon Tillman,28, of Shreveport – Charge: Soliciting for Prostitution
Kendall Marchand, 28, of Shreveport – Charge: Soliciting for Prostitution
Robert Reece, 31, of Conroe, TX – Pandering
Robinson Obiekwe, 64, of Acworth, GA – Charge: Soliciting for Prostitution
Larry Harrell, 60, Haughton, LA – Charge: Soliciting for Prostitution
Harrell, a Bossier Sheriff’s Office corrections officer, was fired from his job on Thursday following his arrest on the Shreveport side of the operation.
“Prostitution is associated with illegal drug use and dealing, and pimps often prey on young ladies to exploit them for their financial gain,” said Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington in a statement released on Friday.
“The unfortunate truth is that some young ladies were sexually abused as children. With many of our other criminal activity, such as batteries to sexual assault and even homicide, the crimes of prostitution, sexual exploitation and human trafficking are also involved. Prostitution is not a victimless crime.”
The Bossier Sheriff-Police Narcotics Task Force comprises deputies with the Bossier Sheriff’s Office and officers with the Bossier City Police Department.
Source: 23 arrested in Shreveport-Bossier prostitution sting
