16 arrested in illegal sex sting in Hall County

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — The Hall County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 16 people during an undercover sting operation targeting people who they say used the internet for illegal sexual activity.

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The bust started Feb. 23 and continued through Feb. 15. A total of 17 people traveled to a location in Hall County for illegal sexual encounters, according to the sheriff’s office. Sixteen people were arrested and another one fled from the scene and has still not been captured.

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Of those arrested, four were charged with felony electronic exploitation of a minor after attempting to meet with a victim under the age of 16 for sex.

Eight were charged with prostitution and four were charged with pandering.

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The following people were charged:

Kimberly Rene Banks, 55, Decatur, GA -- Prostitution

Tegra Eishell Butler, 34, Elberton, GA -- Prostitution

Steve Ray Dotson, 34, Highlands, NC -- Pandering

Rene Gamara, 44, Bonaire, GA -- Electronic exploitation of a minor (felony)

Staveona Monnay Harris, 22, Gainesville, GA -- Prostitution

Andrei Konapliannik, 35, Decatur, GA -- Pandering

Jerry Mansili, 34, Gainesville, GA -- Electronic exploitation of a minor (felony)

Donald Jay McCurry, 57, Commerce, GA -- Electronic exploitation of a minor (felony)

Trashawna Shanay Melvin, 32, Fairburn, GA -- Prostitution, possession of MDMA (felony), possession of less than an ounce of marijuana

Bartie Musa, 31, Duluth, GA -- Pandering

Antonio Orofino, 49, Snellville, GA -- Electronic exploitation of a minor (felony)

Frank Lee Sewell, 36, Nicholson, GA -- Prostitution, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana

Matthew Tyler Harvey Shelley, 32, Commerce, GA -- Pandering

Tamara Ann Turk, 40, Cleveland, GA -- Prostitution, possession of methamphetamine (felony), possession of less than an ounce of

marijuana

LaPaige Nicole Ware, 30, Gainesville, GA -- Prostitution

Cora Watts, 49, Norcross, GA -- Prostitution

Brandon McDaniel-Waddell, 29, of Winder remains at large. He is wanted on a charge of sexual exploitation of a minor.

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