CLEVELAND — Two residents of Northeast Ohio , a 76-year-old priest from Avon and a 55-year-old schoolteacher from Cleveland Heights, were among 135 individuals arrested last week as part of a massive statewide human trafficking operation, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced.

The effort, known as Operation Next Door, targeted individuals seeking to buy sex, including from minors, and involved more than 100 law enforcement agencies across Ohio.

“Operation Next Door was named to highlight the proximity and prevalence of human trafficking,” Yost said. “Too often, we are lulled into the false narrative that these crimes happen only in the shadows. This is simply not true – human trafficking occurs in plain sight and, unfortunately, may even be fueled by your co-workers or neighbors.”

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