SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio — Ten men, including a teacher at Massillon City School District, were arrested during a human trafficking sting operation Tuesday, according to the Summit County Sheriff's Office.
The individuals were arrested and charged for engaging in prostitution. Authorities said they answered an on-line advertisement offering explicit sexual services in exchange for a cash payment.
Among those arrested is David Delong, 60, a teacher at Massillon City School District. Shortly after Superintendent Paul J. Salvino learned of the charges, he released this statement:
“On the morning of Monday, April 26, 2021, I received notification from the Summit County Sheriff’s department that one of our employees was arrested and charged on Saturday evening, April 24, 2021. This employee was immediately placed on administrative leave effective Monday, April 26, 2021 and will not be permitted on any school property. I communicated to the Summit County Sheriff’s department that the Massillon City Schools will cooperate and assist with any information needed. The timing of this statement is certainly a part of our district's cooperation with law enforcement. I have been assured by the authorities that this arrest was not related to any juvenile/student(s). The Massillon City Schools takes the safety and security of our students and staff extremely seriously.”
The others charged are Dominic Falcon, 22, of Uniontown; Grant Abbe, 51, of Rootstown, Ohio; Joseph Jasinski, 37, of Garfield Heights, Ohio; Cory Messner, 41, of Wadsworth, Ohio; John Lammlein, 51, of Hartville, Ohio; Mark Pucci, 62, of Massillon, Ohio; Mohammad Shafaq, 41, of Enola, Pennsylvania; and Randy Moore, 41, of Bethel, North Carolina.
The Summit County Sheriff's Office said many human trafficking victims were also identified during the sting, and were referred to resources.
The Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Akron Police Department, Adult Parole Authority, the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office and the Portage County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the sting operation.
Editor’s Note: The original story has been updated to remove the name of an individual no longer charged in the case. (Aug. 30, 2023)