Ten Charged with Prostitution-Related Crimes in Moon Sting

charged 10 people with prostitution-related offenses and two with child endangerment during an undercover sting at a township apartment complex. 

Officers from Cranberry Township, North Fayette and Pittsburgh assisted in the sting Friday evening, which is one of dozens that Moon Police have conducted during the past year. 

Moon Police Chief Leo McCarthy said detectives contacted individuals who were advertising sexual favors in exchange for money on websites, including Backpages.com, Eros.com and AdultSearch.com.

Officers arranged to meet with the suspects at an undisclosed Moon apartment complex. Two Burgettstown men brought a 6-year-old child with them to the apartment. Both have been charged with child endangerment. 

McCarthy said police used two vacant apartments to conduct the stings. 

McCarthy told Patch earlier this year that his department has increased its enforcement of prostitution-related offenses in Moon. Township police earlier this year charged two former with organizing a prostitution ring.

Those charged in Friday's sting operation include: 

• Jennifer Lynn Baxter, 24, of Pittsburgh, was charged with promoting prostitution, prostitution and possessing instruments of crime. 

• Chase Dunn, 25, of Delaware, was charged with criminal conspiracy, prostitution, possessing instruments of crime. 

• James Melvin Chappell, 48, of Burgettstown, was charged with endangering the welfare of children, promoting prostitution and two counts of criminal conspiracy. Police said Melvin brought a 6-year-old child with him. 

• David R. Hesse, 31, of Greensburg, was charged with promoting prostitution and two counts of criminal conspiracy. 

• Ashley Nicole Jones, 19, of Irwin, was charged with criminal conspiracy, prostitution and possessing instruments of crime. 

• Jeffrey Murphy, 20, of Delaware, was charged with criminal conspiracy, prostitution, and possessing instruments of crime. 

• Amy Rose Newman, 23, of Delaware, was charged with promoting prostitution, criminal conspiracy, prostitution, and possessing instruments of crime. 

• Dafney Sienicki, 30, of Burgettstown, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, promoting prostitution, criminal conspiracy, prostitution, and possessing instruments of crime.

• Brian Thomas, 26, of Delaware, was charged with criminal conspiracy, prositution, and possessing instruments of crime. 

• Breana Williams, 20, of Cleveland, was charged with promoting prostitution, possessing instruments of crime, and prohibited acts.