SOUTH CAROLINA — Eight people were arrested following a prostitution and drug investigation conducted by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the West Columbia Police Department, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Department of Homeland Security.
According to arrest warrants, the following individuals were charged:
- Yoselyn Maybeli Colomo-Rodriguez, 33 — prostitution
- Esmerelda Roblero Arreage, 32 — prostitution
- Maria Jovita Ruiz-Peria, 26 — prostitution
- Aurora Garcia-Mena, 27 — prostitution
- Fernando Benitez-Perez, 38 — prostitution and criminal conspiracy
- Romeo Jijon Altamirano, 47 — prostitution and criminal conspiracy
- Cristian Fidel Gonzalez-Jijon, 22 — prostitution and criminal conspiracy
- Cirenia Jijon Altamirano, 44 — prostitution, criminal conspiracy and harboring an unauthorized alien
“Details from a separate case led investigators to locations on Edmund Highway and North Parsons Street,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “The operation started Thursday morning when investigators searched multiple houses where prostitution was suspected.”
According to Koon, investigators determined that a man at the residences collected money from customers responding to have sex with the women, with the women receiving a share of the proceeds at the end of each week.
During the operation, deputies seized two firearms and more than $111,000 in cash.
“Without strong relationships between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, operations like this would not be possible,” Koon said. “These arrests are the result of us all working together to make our community safer.”
Authorities said Arreage has been released after meeting the conditions of her bond. The remaining suspects are being held at the Lexington County Detention Center.
