First Guilty Plea Reached in Major Rochester Prostitution Bust

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- One of the seven men charged in a major Rochester prostitution bust has entered a guilty plea. 

Read More: 7 Men Charged After Rochester Police Undersgae Sex Investigation

That’s according to an Olmsted County Court filing. The plea agreement was filed on Wednesday. 

The Rochester Police Department, in partnership with the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office, the Olmsted County Attorney's Office, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension conducted what was termed a proactive sex trafficking operation in mid-April. 

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Police created and posted online advertisements on websites known to be used by people seeking to purchase sex. The targets of the investigation were instructed to message a phone number provided on the ad to arrange for the illicit services, the criminal complaints say. 

Court documents say the men chatted online with an undercover officer who was posing as a person under the age of 18. The seven men were arrested after showing up at an agreed upon meeting location in Rochester. 

Young Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Prostitution Charge

21-year-old Benjamin Michael Kinyon of Rochester was one of the seven men charged as a result of the sting. 

He’s agreed to plead guilty to a felony count of Prostitution-Actor Hires or Agrees to Hire and Reasonably Believes Under 18 but at least 16 years old. 

As part of the agreement, Kinyon has promised to undergo a psycho sexual evaluation and abide by terms of probation until his sentencing, which is tentatively scheduled for December.

If he follows the terms of the agreement, the felony conviction will be downgraded to a gross misdemeanor and not include prison time. Kinyon would serve a 180-day stayed jail sentence and be on probation for up to two years, the agreement states.  

The other men charged in the case are: 

50-year-old Andrew Gene Oneill of Kasson 

39-year-old Nathan Harold Robertson of Stewartville 

48-year-old Russell Jay Hodge of Hayfield 

24-year-old Nicholas Robert Bain of Rochester

22-year-old Antonio Cruz Hernandez of Rochester 

48-year-old Hilario Perez Zenil of Rochester. 

Their cases are ongoing.

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