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Eight arrested in prostitution sting

PARKERSBURG – Six women and two men were arrested by Parkersburg Police in the last week on charges involving prostitution after a sting conducted by authorities, Police Chief Joe Martin said.

The Parkersburg Police Department started an investigation in October 2014 involving prostitution and other illegal activities, Martin said.

Investigators became aware of specific methods that were being utilized to promote prostitution in the Parkersburg area. The investigators located several ads on Backpage.com and Craigslist and conducted five separate sting operations at various locations in Parkersburg after responding to these ads, Martin said.

Investigators were able to gather new intelligence from these sting operations that assisted other criminal investigations as well, he said. From the investigation operations, detectives were able to obtain arrest warrants for eight individuals for prostitution, all misdemeanors.

The investigation will continue to identify additional suspects who may operate on these types of websites, Martin said. He noted that police do not have any information indicating any connections among the defendants that would indicate the existence of an organized prostitution ring.

Under West Virginia state law, a prostitution charge carries a possible penalty of 60 days to six months in jail and a fine of $50-$100.

Those arrested and arraigned in Wood County Magistrate Court are:

* Ashley Nicole Davis, 27, 1329 1/2 Avery St., Parkersburg, on one count of prostitution. She was released on $2,000 bond.

* Angela D. Duelley, 26, 1603 Covert St., Parkersburg, on one count of prostitution. She remained in custody on $2,000 bond.

* Tiona Marie Rowe, 22, 1806 Walton Ave., Bluefield, W.Va., on one count of prostitution. She was released on $2,000 bond

* Brittany D. Carlton, 27, 1601 Spring St., Parkersburg, on one count of prostitution. She was released on $2,000 bond.

* Angela L. Smith, 30, 1603 Spring St., Apt. 1, Parkersburg, on one count of prostitution. She remained in custody on $2,000 bond.

* Lorrae Anne Church, 38, 1011 19th St., Parkersburg, on one count of prostitution. She was released on $2,000 bond.

* David William Ramage II, 45, 1790 Rosenbush Road, Newport, on one count of aiding in prostitution. He was released on $4,000 bond.

* Wayne A. McCallister, 27, 130 Audubon Drive, Raeford, N.C., on one count of aiding in prostitution. He was released on $1,000 bond.

According to the criminal complaint filed in magistrate court at the time of his arraignment, Ramage is alleged on Oct. 22, 2014, to have driven Church to a location in Parkersburg for the purpose of her to engage in the act of prostitution. The complaint alleges Church paid Ramage to drive her to that location.

The criminal complaints filed in magistrate court against Davis, Smith, Church and Duelley all contain similar language. They allege that each defendant met with an undercover officer who had previously set up a meeting with them by replying to an ad each defendant had posted on the website Backpage.com. Each entered a hotel room for the meeting and allegedly agreed to have intercourse in exchange for money, the complaint said.

The criminal complaint filed against Carlton said she met with an undercover officer at a location in Parkersburg after previously setting up a meeting by responding to an ad she had posted on the website Backpage.com. The complaint alleges Carlton entered the room and engaged the undercover officer in conversation, during which she used words and phrases involved in the transaction of sex for money. She allegedly discussed prices and instructed the undercover officer to place money on the table. When detectives entered the room, they found Carlton undressing and the money placed on the table by the undercover officer was inside her purse, the complaint stated.

The criminal complaint filed against McAllister alleges that during the course of the investigation involving Rowe, an officer was conducting outdoor surveillance of the area and observed Rowe appear in close proximity to the hotel where the sting was being conducted sitting in a car with Florida registration. The car left that location in an apparent attempt to evade contact with police, was followed and stopped a short time later, the complaint said.

During the investigation, Rowe allegedly admitted she traveled routinely with McCallister and he was with her when she arrived at the location in Parkersburg where she was arrested on the prostitution charge, the complaint said.

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