Four men have been arrested after a prostitution sting at a northeast Cedar Rapids hotel Tuesday. Zachary M. Russell, 23, of Marion, Tyler B. Timion, 43, of Cedar Falls, Jamie M. Koehler, 30, of Cedar Rapids and Robert J. Miller, 67, of Cedar Rapids were arrested after Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said an undercover officer solicited [...]
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By Christine Werling-Witkoske —- Women representing many different areas in Eastern Iowa gathered in Tipton recently to answer a call to restore dignity to victims and learn more about the issue of human trafficking from former state legislator Maggie Tinsman. Approximately 50 participants watched a video story of a young victim of trafficking [...]
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A clinical assistant professor for the University of Iowa College of Dentistry was arrested this week on suspicion of writing false prescriptions for five fabricated patients for more than 1,200 tablets of Hydrocodone. Lance P. Forbes, who began his general practice residency with the UI in 1998, faces five felony charges of controlled substance violation after [...]
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One of 17 people arrested in Coralville in April following a monthlong prostitution and human trafficking investigation faces new pimping and drug charges – seven months after his initial arrest. Dwan Xavier Moore, also known as “Santana,” was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of felony pimping and possession of a controlled substance, a serious misdemeanor. At [...]
continue »By The Gazette Editorial Board —- Kidnapped, traded and sold. Forced to have sex for money. Drugged and beaten into compliance — it’s not some grisly movie plot, but the real-life experiences of too many young Iowa teens. That’s why local law enforcement agencies are right to keep the heat on would-be human traffickers [...]
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CEDAR RAPIDS – Four people charged in a large prostitution sting conducted in June pleaded guilty Wednesday in Linn County Associate District Court. In all, 37 people were charged with prostitution, an aggravated misdemeanor, according to criminal complaints. The four who pleaded guilty to prostitution Wednesday are: Stephen Baxley received a deferred sentence and unsupervised [...]
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A trio accused of trafficking underage girls from Iowa City to Chicago for sex earlier this year are on their way to Chicago to face sex trafficking charges after waiving detention. Malik McKee, 19, and Shuntina McKee, 23, both of Iowa City and formerly of Country Club Hills, Ill., were arrested in Iowa City on [...]
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A brother and sister from Iowa City, along with an Ohio man, have been arrested on suspicion of federal sex-trafficking charges after investigators found evidence they took three minor girls from Iowa City to Chicago for prostitution purposes. Malik McKee, 19, and his sister Shuntina McKee, 23, both of Iowa City and formerly of Country [...]
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A 22-yar-old woman caught using her teenage sister in a sex trafficking business before she was arrested during a sting in Coralville in April that netted 16 people was sentenced Monday to five years on supervised probation. Melody McCullom, of Waterloo, pleaded guilty to pandering involving a minor and pimping, and she could have faced [...]
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CORALVILLE — Of 16 people charged with prostitution after a month-long investigation that culminated in an elaborate sting in Coralville in April, six recently pleaded guilty. Randy Cooper, 45, of Cedar Rapids, pleaded guilty to a charge of prostitution on July 20; Lance P. Forbes, 42, of Iowa City, William Heitz, 51, of Walford, and [...]
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