BOSTON — Thirteen suspects were arrested Wednesday following an operation to address sexual exploitation in the Massachusetts Avenue area near the South Bay Mall.
Members of the Boston Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit and Internet Crimes Against Children Unit conducted the operation with partners from the Massachusetts State Police Special Services Section – High Risk Victims Squad and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Undercover Boston Police officers were used to identify exploiters, traffickers and sex buyers in an effort to curb exploitation in the area.
All suspects were charged with sex for a fee and are expected to be arraigned in Roxbury District Court.
Those arrested include Abshir Mohamed, 31, of Roxbury; Jose Diaz Belen, 58, of Dorchester; David Pingley, 61, of Boston; Jose Lopez Rodriguez, 34, of Springfield; Guillermo Prudencio, 45, of Revere; Bruce Weinstein, 68, of Dorchester; Timothy Smith, 62, of Dorchester; Sumanth Subbanna, 27, of Boston; Nacius Magis, 29, of Boston; Shawndee Josephs, 27, of Revere; Yeison Arias Lara, 33, of Mattapan; David Lora, 46, of Milton; and Jason Armengol, 32, of Jacksonville, Florida.
Armengol was also charged with possession of Class B drugs and had an active warrant for violation of an abuse prevention order.
