Ten people, including a man who allegedly intended to have sex with a 14-year-old girl, were arrested Thursday and charged with a variety of sexual- and drug-related crimes, according to Sheriff Eddie Hawkins.
Ceforrest Hendrix, 43, of Starkville, was charged with exploitation of children and human trafficking, Hawkins said. He allegedly communicated with detectives who were posing as a 14-year-old girl on an online dating site, and then traveled to Columbus to meet her and have sex.
The arrest was a part of a sweep designed to flush out sex traffickers and child predators, Hawkins said, as well as to recover victims of trafficking.
“The investigators who do this are pretty dang good at it,” Hawkins said. “They know what site to go to and what language to talk. They can publish something and within minutes they have people start responding.”
Also arrested was Jerome Demorris Lee, 34, of Columbus. He was charged with soliciting prostitution and possession of cocaine. Hawkins said Lee was a potential client who was trying to hire a prostitute.
Iceis Denise Rose, 23, of Memphis, Tenn., was charged with soliciting prostitution. She had posted an online ad selling sex, Hawkins said, and believed she was meeting a potential client.
“The undercover agent met up with her and made the arrest,” Hawkins said. “We try not to (arrest prostitutes), but some people just insist on going to jail.”
The prostitutes are usually steered towards counseling, Hawkins said.
“We had some victims that were identified,” he said. “There were eight of them, and no charges were brought against them. They were given an opportunity to meet with counselors (from the Center for Violence Prevention) who could help them get out of this lifestyle.”
Some of the counselors were previously trafficked themselves, Hawkins said.
“They have recovering prostitutes who work with these advocates who can meet with these girls and say, ‘Look, I’ve been in your shoes and I know what you’re going through,’” Hawkins said. “They can guide them to making better choices and better decisions.”
Several other arrests, mostly for drug offenses, were made because people were “in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Hawkins said.
Those other arrests include: Melissa Ponds, 36, of Gordo, Ala., who was charged with possession of methamphetamine; Justin Rashad Cotton, 35, of Columbus, possession of a controlled substance; Shanquaneake Shaquana Thompson, 24, of Memphis, Tenn., disorderly conduct; Sander Kaye Baugh, 53, of Columbus, possession of methamphetamine; Larvoris Dino Fisher, 32, of Columbus, possession of marijuana; Dustin Cavon Wells, 23, of Columbus, driving while license suspended; Brodrick Deon Cattladge, 35, of Columbus, possession of methamphetamine.
The LCSO worked alongside the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Department of Homeland Security, Mississippi Child Protective Services and the Center for Violence Prevention.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
