Weekend Prostitution Sting Nets 14 Arrests In West Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, AL. — The West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force and Tuscaloosa Police Department’s Juvenile Division conducted an undercover prostitution operation over the past weekend resulting in the arrests of 14 suspects on a total of 19 charges.

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Take Force Commander Lt. Darren Beams said the operation was designed to address the purchase of illegal sex in west Alabama.

“The officers working this detail did an outstanding job on these cases,” Beams said in a press release Monday. “Operations like these are crucial in the fight to prevent human trafficking from happening in our area.”

The West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force is made up of officers from area agencies, including the Tuscaloosa Police Department, the Northport Police Department, the University of Alabama Police Department, and the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

The following suspects were arrested during the operation:

• Isabel Ricardo Velasquez, 35, of Northport, charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act ($45,000 bond) and electronic solicitation of a child ($20,000 bond).
• Billy H. Jones, 43, of Northport, charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act ($45,000 bond) and electronic solicitation of a child ($20,000 bond).
• Keuntai M. Herrod, 31, of Tuscaloosa, charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act ($45,000 Bond), transmitting obscene material to a child ($20,000 bond) and electronic solicitation of a child ($20,000 bond.)
• Henry Mickless, 33, soliciting prostitution
• Jimmy Pendley, 33, soliciting prostitution
• Jonathan Kizziah, 30, soliciting prostitution
• Cedric Holifield, 47, soliciting prostitution
• Claude Moton, 51, soliciting prostitution/unlawful possession of marijuana
• Anthony L. Jones, 26, soliciting prostitution
• Roger Watts, 30, soliciting prostitution
• Gabriel Jefferson, 37, soliciting prostitution
• James Butler, 44, soliciting prostitution
• Tyler Gill, 31, soliciting prostitution
• Zachary Duncan, 23, soliciting prostitution

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