The following were arrested from May 29-June 2:
Tyler Scott Wheeler, 29, Conyers, Charges: Pandering, Possession of Marijuana (< 1 oz.), Failure to Appear (Walton County)
Alfonza Jackson, 47, Covington, Charge: Pandering
Ricky Zollicoffer, 47, Kosciusko, MS, Charge: Pandering
David Philip Piotrowski, 41, College Park, GA, Charge: Pandering
Anthony Adair Lattanzi, 47, Lula, GA, Charge: Pandering
Havis T. Bardouille, 26, Snellville, GA, Charge: Pandering
Antwon Percell Garrett, 42, Covington, Charge: Pandering
Michael Lamont Slaughter, 31, Covington, Charge: Pandering
Raymond Patrick Holmes, 47, Lithonia, Charge: Pandering
Andre Villanueva, 29, Conyers, Charge: Pandering
Jarigandhi Koneru, 47, Alpharetta, Charge: Pandering
Clay Gordon Nixon, 45, Jonesboro, GA, Charge: Pandering
Thomas Joel Burrell, 34, Monticello, GA, Charges: Pandering, Possession of Marijuana (< 1 oz.)
Fred Denson, 23, Decatur, Charge: Pandering
Byron Freeman, 22, Covington, Charge: Pandering
Daryl Sylvester Thomas, 33, Covington, Charge: Pandering
Jason Thomas Reed, 36, Conyers, Charge: Pandering
Anthony Dwayne Butler, Clarendon, NC, Charge: Pandering
Hitesh A. Sharma, 35, Lithonia, Charge: Pandering
Marlon Wayne Clarke, 48, Conyers, Charges: Pandering, Possession of Marijuana (< 1 oz.)
COVINGTON - The Conyers Police Department, in a joint operation with the Covington Police Department, arrested 20 males for pandering and other charges throughout a five day period.
The Covington Police Department reached out to Conyers and on May 29, Conyers investigators assisted Covington with a sting at one of their local motels. Eight arrests were made on May 29, before 12 more were arrested Tuesday, June 2.
Four Conyers residents were arrested in the sting. Tyler Scott Wheeler, 26 of Kathy Lane, was charged with pandering, possession of marijuana and failure to appear, Marlon Wayne Clarke, 48 of Woodchuck Way was charged with pandering and possession of marijuana and Andre Villanueva, 29 of Maples Street and Jason Thomas Reed, 36 of Heatherstone Hollow were charged with pandering.
The purpose of the joint operation was to identify and arrest individuals involved in the business of soliciting for sex. The arrests will also go to addressing violent crimes that can be associated with prostitution.
"Not only are female prostitutes being targeted, assaulted and robbed," Conyers Police Chief Gene Wilson said, "the johns intending on meeting for sex can be met with an armed man and robbed of their cash or worse."
The Conyers Police had several successful operations last year which contributed to the overall decrease in crime not only around local hotels but the city as a whole in 2014, according to officials. The phrase "Conyers is hot" proved a valuable deterrent following media coverage of the multiple arrests generated from the operations.
Covington residents Alfonza Jackson, 47, Antwon Percell Garrett, 42, Michael Lamont Slaughter, 31, Byron Freeman, 22 and Daryl Sylvester Thomas, 35 were all charged with pandering.
