6 men arrested in Rochester prostitution investigation

By KAALTV
Updated: November 9, 2022 - 11:18 PM
Published: November 9, 2022 - 4:30 PM

(ABC 6 News) – Rochester police arrested six men Tuesday on suspicion of engaging in prostitution, Capt. Casey Moilanen said.

The Rochester Police department partnered with the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office and Safe Harbor, a nonprofit that supports victims of human trafficking.

RELATED: New process for identifying human trafficking in Olmsted County – ABC 6 News – kaaltv.com

RPD arrested the following men in an undisclosed area of Rochester:

  • Russell Hodge, 46, of Hayfield
  • Justin Hitt, 29, of Pine Island
  • David Thorland, 68, of Thompson, Iowa
  • Thomas Klees, 43, of Rochester
  • Darryl Franklin, 54, of Rochester
  • Arnaldo Mercado-Perez, 27, of Rochester

Each of the men faces a possible charge of engaging in prostitution in a public space.

Moilanen said none of the men are suspected of engaging in human trafficking.

Photo illustration: crime and courts / MGN

He confirmed that the arrests were not related to Olmsted County’s process for identifying instances of human trafficking in local massage parlors.

ABC 6 News will update this article as more information is available.