Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

The Chilton County Sheriff’s Office and the Clanton Police Department recently conducted a two-day human trafficking/prostitution investigation.

Seven people were arrested as a result.

Among them were Michael Brandon Davis for Human Trafficking Second Degree; Frank Lee Johnson for Trafficking Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession Drug Paraphernalia and Solicitation of Prostitution; Brenton Jacob Herbert was for Human Trafficking Second Degree, Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance and Possession Drug Paraphernalia; Graham Hopkins Gunn for Solicitation of Prostitution. Jason Dudley Masingo for Solicitation of Prostitution and Resisting Arrest.

“The Operation was focused on identifying suspects who were possibly trafficking persons for sex or receiving financial gain from prostitution as well as identifying persons that were possibly being forced into sexual servitude, and take those persons out of that environment,” according to a CCSO press release. “Investigators targeted persons providing sexual services for money as well as the patrons.”

There were additional arrests made for two charges of prostitution, one charge of Unlawful Possession of Marijuana and one  charge of Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Some names are not being released at this time.

“Under Alabama Law, mugshots of potential human trafficking victims cannot be published,” Shane Mayfield of CCSO stated.

Sheriff John Shearon said some might turn to prostitution out of desperate circumstances.

“We want to do what we can do to help everybody and put those in jail that participate in human trafficking,”  Shearon said.

He said the department remains dedicated to fighting crimes of all types and protecting those who live in this community.

During the investigation, “Investigators seized one vehicle, approximately 34 grams of methamphetamine and $8,290 in cash in relation to the Trafficking in Methamphetamine charge and will submit an asset forfeiture request to the District Attorney’s Office requesting the Court condemn the vehicle and money for law enforcement.”