John Zitzner, a founder of Breakthrough Public Schools who was the president of the Friends of Breakthrough, was among those arrested during weeklong statewide human trafficking crackdown, which sought to arrest those trying to buy sex and to identify survivors of human trafficking, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Oct. 2.

Zitzner, 68, of Cleveland was among 160 people arrested from Sept. 25 to Sept. 30 in Operation Buyer’s Remorse. He is accused of engaging in prostitution, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was charged with one count of engaging in prostitution, a misdemeanor of the first degree which carries a possible six months in jail and up to $1,000 in fines. An arraignment date was set for Oct. 10 in Rocky River Municipal Court.

He co-founded Breakthrough Public Schools, formerly known as Breakthrough Charter Schools, which is a network of nonprofit, charter schools in Cleveland.

According to media reports, Zitzner resigned on Sept. 29. Susan Ertle is listed on its website as interim president.

“Law enforcement across Ohio teamed up in a concerted effort to stem the demand that fuels human trafficking,” Yost said in the release. “The success of this operation is measured not only by the number of arrests but also by the resources offered to survivors of human trafficking and the intelligence gathered that will propel long-term investigations forward.”

Led by AG Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, Operation Buyer’s Remorse was a collaborative effort that took place from in every corner of the state, including in and around Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, Youngstown, Marietta and Portsmouth.

The operation led to 160 arrests and was comprised of coordinated “stings” conducted by OOCIC’s eight human trafficking and major crimes task forces. The task forces’ work was amplified by numerous local law enforcement agencies that also conducted anti-human trafficking operations.

Additionally, search warrants were conducted at 11 massage parlors suspected of human trafficking activities as part of ongoing, long-term investigations.

Over the course of the week, 149 “johns” seeking to buy sex were arrested and charged with engaging in prostitution. Additional arrests included two individuals for seeking to have sex with minors and six for promoting prostitution. Others were arrested for illegally possessing narcotics and/or firearms, or because there were outstanding warrants against them.

Those arrested come from all backgrounds, including an EMT, nurses, educators, retirees, former law enforcement officers, self-employed individuals, delivery drivers, and others. The youngest john arrested was 17 and the oldest was 84.

Law enforcement officers interviewed 104 survivors of human trafficking, who were provided services from health care and social service organizations.

Names of Arrestees

• Tyron Abbington • Kelvin Martin Jr., 20, Columbus, OH

• Robin Adams, 32, Columbus, OH • Michael Masterson, 55, Dayton, OH

• Ishmael Adjei, 45, Columbus, OH • Rickey McClaren, 61, Canal Winchester, OH

• Todd Adkins, 38, Columbus, OH • Nicholas McMillan, 25, Sheffield Lake, OH

• Amos Akarah, 57, Columbus, OH • Hadsh Medhane

• Shaban Alsaleh, 42, Reynoldsburg, OH • Joseph Mekina, 66, Utica, OH

• Charles Amoyaw • Esteban Mendez, 51, Columbus, OH

• Robert Ashbaugh, 52, New Castle, PA • Luis Molina, 50, Butler, PA

• Aaron Ashley, 32, Cleveland Heights, OH • Christian Money

• Perry Balduff • Richard Moore III, 57, Columbus, OH

• James Bean, 60, Columbus, OH • Joshua Mull, 38, Amherst, OH

• Michael Bender, 41, Warren, OH • Eric Mullins, 34, Columbus, OH

• Adam Block, 48, Columbus, OH • Edward Murray, 53, City Unknown

• Gale Bluntschly, 50, Galloway, OH • David Oiler

• Dakota Bond, 29, New Straitsville, OH • Hussin Ojayan, 24, Toledo, OH

• Seth Borror • Jose Olvera

• Patsy Bova, 59, Diamond, OH • Samiullah Omerzai, 42, City Unknown

• Napoleon Brisker • Scott Parrott, 47, Columbus, OH

• Torey Budgett • Dennis Parsley

• Alejandro Cambrano, 41, Columbus, OH • Shawn Parsons

• Jonathan Campbell • Manthan Patel, 27, Grove City, OH

• Tyler Casey • Manual Perez, 35, Columbus, OH

• Brae Chamberlin, 28, Oberlin, OH • Jordan Perez, 35, Masury, OH

• Robert Chaussar, 65, Jamestown, PA • Michael Pitchford, 75, Orient, OH

• Michael Chima, 43, Canton, OH • Danny Pruitt, 67, Quincy, KY

• John Cirulli, 40, Buffalo, NY • Maurice Quinichett, 41, Urbancrest, OH

• Nickolas Claybourn • Elmer Ramirez, 34, Columbus, OH

• Christopher Coiner, 19, Euclid, OH • Jonathan Range, 39, Mineral Wells, WV

• Brandon Collins, 36, Bedford Heights, OH • Patrick Robinson

• Joshua Colvin, 47, Burton, OH • Shawn Ryken, Age Unknown, Dayton, OH

• Thomas Connelly, 52, Parma, OH • Jorge Sanchez, 17, Columbus, OH