Seven Arrested in Northern MN Human Trafficking Sting

Paul Joseph / CC

(Learfield)- Seven suspects face charges in a human trafficking investigation in Itasca County.

The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension led a three-day operation this week where the suspects chatted with undercover agents and investigators on several sex advertisement websites.  Officers would then arrest the suspects when they arrived at an arranged meeting place.

The seven suspects are Chad Dockendorf of Grand Rapids; Matthew Hall of Mount Pleasant, Texas; Derek Jokinen of Sawyer; Bruce Jones of Goodridge; Rusty Marek of Grand Rapids; Saihou Sissoho of Chisholm; and Michael West of Rolla, Missouri.  Itasca County Attorney Matti Adam said, “what this operation tells us is that there is a demand to sexually exploit young people in northern Minnesota.”