Ohio city council president among 6 men arrested in human trafficking sting

Painesville, Ohio — Six men, including the president of Eastlake City Council, 47-year-old John Meyers, have been arrested for attempting to purchase sex, according to the Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force.

Along with Meyers, the other five men arrested were:

• 30-year-old Ronald Bevier, of Columbia Station
• 47-year-old Alvin Bridges, of Euclid
• 40-year-old Andrew Champa, of Wickliffe
• 20-year-old Garrett Kellogg, of Strongsville
• 44-year-old Salvatore Longo, of Beachwood

Bridges also faces an additional charge of felony drug possession. Each of the men received a summons through Willoughby Municipal Court.

The task force, which is one of six law enforcement collaboratives formed under Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission directed at combating human trafficking, was led by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department and included the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Cleveland Police Department, MetroHealth Police Department, East Cleveland Police Department, Ohio Investigative Unit, Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

The operation also identified four potential victims of human trafficking who were offered social services. The law enforcement agencies involved in the task force aim to identify those taking advantage of human trafficking victims and bring them to justice.

Chief Deputy Robert Izzo of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office expressed pride in being part of the task force and in the collaborative effort of all involved agencies.