Online escort, massage services ads aid OC police in human trafficking bust - Delmarva...

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Ocean City police said Wednesday, May 24, 2017 that these seven people were charged in connection with a human trafficking investigation.(Photo: Image courtesy Ocean City police)


A website featuring advertisements for escorts and massage services led police to the arrests made in last weekend’s prostitution and human trafficking bust in Ocean City, according to charging documents.

The investigation began with a May 18 advertisement on Backpage.com titled, “Do you want some chocolate (new pic) – 35,” which invited men in the Ocean City area to contact a “provocatively posed” woman later identified as 37-year-old Catina Register if they were willing to compensate her for her time, charging documents state.

An undercover detective contacted Register, who told the detective to “have that donation ready up front.” When Register arrived at a location on 7th Street in Ocean City, documents show she agreed to provide an undercover detective with sexual favors in exchange for $180.

Register was subsequently arrested and discovered to have a glass pipe with crack cocaine residue on it, police said. According to charging documents, she was charged with prostitution, possession of crack cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

RELATED: Human trafficking bust in OC yields seven arrests

Police pursued a second advertisement May 19 titled “Relaxing massage therapy” that offered a full body massage. Charging documents state that officers arranged to meet with the woman pictured, 34-year-old Andrea Presock, at the same location on 7th Street, where she offered an officer oral sex in exchange for $100. Presock was charged with prostitution.

Detectives also arrested 31-year-old Randi Paicek, the driver who dropped Register off, on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia because there were used syringes and a plastic spoon in her car, according to charging documents.

An additional three arrests were made after officers responded to an advertisement on May 20 titled “Fun With Two Ocean City’s Favorite Party Girl I’m Back by High Demand.”

When detectives contacted 28-year-old Demetria Gregory, who had posted the advertisement, documents show she offered to bring a friend along to the 7th Street location.

Later that evening, detectives met Gregory and her friend, 25-year-old Lachaye Hoskins, who each agreed to perform sexual acts in exchange for $200, according to court documents. Both women were arrested and charged with prostitution and questioned about 31-year-old Baseem Taliaferro, the man police saw drop the women off.

Charging documents show Gregory knew Taliaferro through Hoskins, who lived near him, but told police, “He is not my pimp.”

However, she also said that he knew about the advertisements and had driven the pair from New Jersey to Ocean City in her car where he had dropped them off at “several different stops.”

Detectives arrested Taliaferro on two counts of pandering after he gave inconsistent statements about whether he knew Gregory and Hoskins. Detectives found condom packages, purses and women’s clothing inside the car.

An Ocean City police news release from May 24 also stated the investigation resulted in the arrest of 31-year-old Charles Lessner due to an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court.

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