Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost Praises Success of Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force

Courtesy of the Ohio Attorney General's Office, Adobe Stock

(WKBN) — In a statement released Friday by the Attorney General's Office, Dave Yost praised the success of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force.

He hailed the MVHTTF as “a model of commitment and consistency,” crediting the group with the recent convictions of two pedophiles and multiple arrests this month of potential buyers of sex.

““Sheriff Jerry Greene’s task force is the tip of the spear when it comes to combating the perversion that fuels human trafficking,” Yost said. “So far this month, the task force has made 19 arrests, some involving repeat offenders. It reminds us that we cannot afford to let up on the accelerator in the fight against this scourge.”

The Attorney General attributed the recent convictions and sentences handed down against two men to long-term investigations by the Child Sexual Abuse Task Force. Matthew Gingrich, 33, was sentenced to four years in prison and, upon release, will have to register as a Tier II sex offender. Joseph Frye, 35, was sentenced to 32 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of unlawful use of a minor or disabled person in nudist material or performance, and 11 counts of pimping involving a minor or a disabled person.

Outside of court, the task force has made 19 arrests so far in June, following multiple investigations and sting operations. Unless otherwise noted, all are charged with prostitution and possession of criminal tools:

• June 1: Neil O'Brien, 50, of Steubenville
• June 3:Scott Seifert, 35, of North Lima; also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia
• June 5: Brian Sellitto, 47, of Willoughby
• June 6: Robert French, 42, of Gnadenhutten, and Scott Ortenzio, 61, of Youngstown
• June 7: Blair Floyd, 32, of Warren
• June 8: Robert Lutman, 48, of Leetonia. Lutman was convicted in January 2022 in Columbiana County of prostitution and possession of criminal tools in a previous task force investigation.
• June 9: Johnny Wilson Jr., 30, of Opelousas, Louisiana
• June 12: Han Yin, 34, of Wadsworth
• June 14:Timothy Spotleson, 38, of Boardman, and Darnell Gibson, 38, of Youngstown
• June 15: Eric Zelesnak, 47, of Youngstown
• June 16: Gary Bartko, 40, of Pittsburgh
• June 17:Brandon Williams, 28, of Butler, Pennsylvania
• June 18: Peter Oyler, 74, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; forced prostitution and possession of criminal tools
• June 20: John Kalosky, 52, of Youngstown. Kalosky was also found to have an active arrest warrant out of Georgia.
• June 25: John Nesbitt, 40, of Zelienople, Pennsylvania
• June 26: Peter Huskes, 50, of Baldwin, Wisconsin
• June 27: Paul Miller, 30, from Warsaw

Representatives from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Salem Police Department, East Palestine Police Department, Austintown Police Department, Youngstown Police Department, Warren Police Department, Adult Parole Authority and Ohio Investigative Unit join Mahoning County Sheriff's Office on task force.