Craigslist ads lead to North Myrtle Beach prostitution sting

North Myrtle Beach police detectives saw more advertisements that appeared to involve prostitution on Craigslist and Backpage recently and launched an undercover sting operation over the weekend, according to the police department.

Police arrested at least ten people during the sting this weekend, which targeted alleged prostitutes and their customers, Pat Dowling, North Myrtle Beach city spokesman, said.

Detectives typically monitor websites like these and sometimes get complaints about suspicious ads, Dowling explained.

Those arrested on prostitution-related charges in the sting, according to North Myrtle Beach officials were:

Ransford Vereen Jr., 43, of Little River

Kristie Lynn Hemmings, 39, of Myrtle Beach

James Phillip Distefano, 68, of Watertown, New York

Jessica Lynn Roberts, 29, of Myrtle Beach

Kenneth Allen Dyer

Nina Gabriella Casias, 27, of Myrtle Beach

Leonardo Diez Guzman, 39, of Loris

Charles Frederick Wilkinson, 42, of Longwood, North Carolina.

Roderick Taron Weaver, 28, of Georgetown, was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine, police said. An incident report states when Hemmings was arrested in connection with prostitution, she allegedly told authorities she just used heroin in a Nissan parked outside.

Detectives approached Weaver in the Nissan and said they found suspected heroin and suspected cocaine. Weaver allegedly claimed the cocaine, and said the heroin was Hemmings, the report states.

Donald Joseph Calderone Jr., 36, of Surfside Beach, was arrested in connection with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, according to police records.

After authorities arrested Casias, they spoke with Calderone, who they said drove Casias there. As police were speaking with him, they noticed what looked like a syringe in the vehicle, the report says, which states police searched the car and found a “fully-loaded” syringe containing suspected heroin.

This story was originally published January 17, 2018 at 2:43 PM with the headline "Craigslist ads lead to North Myrtle Beach prostitution sting."