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Crime & Safety

Moon Police Assist With Prostitution Sting at Cranberry Hotel

Investigators arrest six in overnight operation stemming from online ads.

Cranberry police arrested six people in an overnight prostitution sting after an investigation in which they were assisted by officers from Moon Township and Monroeville.

None of those arrested during the bust, including five women and one man, is a Cranberry resident. 

According to police, officers contacted various individuals throughout the day Wednesday via online sex-for-money websites. The officers arranged meetings with these individuals to take place at the Wednesday evening.

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Police said it took only hours to arrange several rendezvous.

“Contact was made with numerous individuals who then met with undercover officers and agreed to perform sexual acts in exchange for money,” Cranberry police said in a statement today. “The location of major highways coupled with numerous hotels makes it an area where this type of activity is likely."

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While local police concede that they have seen an rise in reports of prostitution in recent months, they were quick to stress that this bust was not in response to a prostitution "problem," but was instead a “proactive measure.”

"There was a rash of reports about a month ago...and several arrests earlier this year," Cranberry police Sgt. Chuck Mascellino told Patch. "We started to see an increase in calls related to it, that’s why we took the proactive step so that the word will get out there—we’re going to make arrests." 

Mascellino also said the Holiday Inn Express was not chosen as the sting location because prostitution has been reported there in the past. 

"This hotel is not a hot spot...We haven't had any reports [of prostitution] at that hotel," he said. "We have at other hotels." 

The following people were arrested and charged with various crimes including promoting prostitution, criminal conspiracy, criminal use of a communication facility, possessing instruments of a crime and prostitution:

  • Waylon Brown, Pittsburgh
  • Tara Wolfe, New Kensington
  • Amber Bonnoni, Natrona Heights
  • Sherrie Cogley, Sarver
  • Nachell Colemen, Duquesne
  • Danielle Tabb, Homestead

Those arrested were transfered to the Butler County Jail. The sting was the first conducted by Cranberry police. Moon police, who assisted them, have made numerous arrests in similar stings this year.

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