(AKRON, Ohio) — An Akron hotel clerk has been charged with promoting prostitution following a human trafficking operation conducted by the Summit County Human Trafficking Task Force, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree announced today.
The operation, conducted Thursday, led to the arrest of Cody Allen Vanderwyst, 28, of Akron. Vanderwyst was charged with promoting prostitution, a fourth-degree felony.
“This hotel clerk must have thought he had the ultimate setup to traffic women,” Yost said. “But providing this kind of room ‘service’ will get you an upgraded room – upgraded security, that is, in jail. Great work by Sheriff Fatheree and our partners on this task force as we fight toward ending human trafficking in Ohio.”
During the operation, five victims of human trafficking were referred to social-service organizations, which provided medical treatment and resources. An additional individual was charged with soliciting.
“We are committed to addressing this egregious epidemic of human trafficking,” Sheriff Fatheree said. “The collaboration between Attorney General Yost, local law enforcement and our Summit County Sheriff’s Office is essential to addressing these crimes. I am proud to be associated with so many organizations that have this commitment.”
The Summit County Human Trafficking Task Force fights human trafficking under the attorney general’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission. It is led by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office and also includes the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, Medina County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Akron Police Department, Copley Police Department and Springfield Township Police Department.
Also helping with the task force operation on Thursday were the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Summit County Collaborative Against Human Trafficking, RAHAB Ministries and the Rape Crisis Center of Medina and Summit Counties.
A photo of Vanderwyst is available on the attorney general’s Twitter page.
