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COLUMBIANA – On Thursday, Feb. 4, the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force (SCDETF), in partnership with the Hoover Police Department, initiated the first phase of Operation Intercept.

The operation, which resulted in 15 arrests, is intended to be a continuation from previous operations that took place 19 months ago on Oct. 10, 2019, preceded by May 24, 2019, Feb. 7, 2019, Oct. 18, 2018, and Sept. 20, 2018, during which a total of 57 offenders were arrested in connection with prostitution and human trafficking.

The Feb. 4 operation was carried out in North Shelby County in the Riverchase area.

“The purpose of these operations is to aggressively pursue patrons of the sex-trafficking industry, which is directly connected to human trafficking,” said Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Major Clay Hammac. “Furthermore, law enforcement wishes to demonstrate a zero-tolerance for criminal solicitation and attack the demand for these type enterprises.”

The arrests included two residents from Shelby County, two from Birmingham and 11 from other areas of the county.

Those arrested in the Feb. 4 operation were:

• Sharon Lynn Bewick, age 66, of Irondale.
• Demetrius Antone Bunkley, age 50, of Hueytown.
• Matthew Howard Chance, age 40, of Helena.
• Dontrell Lemont Cox, age 48, of Pleasant Grove.
• Cassie Cooper, age 31, no address listed.
• Samuel Crumbley Jr., age 71, of Bessemer.
• David Andrew Day, age 55, of Haleyville.
• Emily Frances Gardner, age 49, of Pinson.
• Timothy William Gardner, age 43, of Birmingham.
• Dennis Earl Green, age 64, of Graysville.
• Desmin Maurice Grimes, age 22, of Indianapolis, IN.
• Jamal Cardaris Jenkins, age 27, of Birmingham.
• Nikolaas Moore, age 40, of Montevallo.
• Michael Jason Rouse, age 40, of Gardendale.
• Brian Keith Whitfield, age 50, of Leeds.