Agents of the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force arrested 17 men in Tuscaloosa last week during an undercover sting targeting solicitors of prostitution.

The undercover operation was conducted in Tuscaloosa from Thursday through Saturday night.

The Thursday night operation resulted in 11 men being charged with solicitation of prostitution, a misdemeanor charge.

On Friday and Saturday, task force agents changed gears and posed as children instead of adult women, and six more men were charged with the felony of traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act.

A seventeenth man who allegedly drove one of the suspects to Tuscaloosa was arrested and charged on outstanding but unrelated warrants from another county.

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Captain Phil Simpson, the commander of the task force, commended officers from the Tuscaloosa Police Department, Northport Police Department, University of Alabama Police Department, the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and members of the Northport Fire Rescue service for carrying out the operation.

Simpson also thanked agents from outside the area, including the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Autauga County Sheriff’s Office and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, for assistance.

“The officers working this detail did outstanding jobs on these cases,” Simpson said. “These offenders use apps and websites to contact and attempt to prey on minors who they can exploit. Luckily there were only law enforcement agents on the other side of the conversation this time."

The following suspects were arrested on the most serious charges resulting from the operation:

  • Donald Bryant Morgan, 74, of Prattville, Alabama was charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act
  • Timothy Elijah Brown, 25, of York, Alabama was charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act
  • Charles Lavoris Evans, 29, of Tuscaloosa, was charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act, electronic solicitation of a child and attempt to elude
  • Laquea Holloway, 27, of Tuscaloosa, was charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act and electronic solicitation of a child
  • Casey Gene Johnston, 29, of Buhl, Alabama was charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act and electronic solicitation of a child
  • Cristobal-Rony Felipe-Andres, 26, was charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act

Stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread for additional details as they become available.

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