Sheriff: At Least Six People Caught in Hills Prostitution Sting

Editor's Note: One or more names in this report have been redacted in light of additional documentation provided regarding this case.

An undercover operation by the Johnson County Sheriff's Department resulted in the arrest of at least five individuals in Hills on Wednesday and Thursday.

According to records filed in Johnson County Court by the sheriff's office, an undercover officer had responded to a "known prostitution website" to set up an appointment. The officer was able to set up several appointments that led to the arrests, according to the records.

Mitch Schmidt of the Iowa City Press-Citizen spoke with Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek who said that many local agencies contributed on the sting, which is intended to crack down on human trafficking of minors.

Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek said the sting, though not directly related to the massive prostitution bust last year that resulted in charges for 17 people, was part of the same larger human trafficking initiative.

“It’s a separate incident but basically it's another human trafficking project and the goal is to try and locate and free up people who are forced into this who are underage,” Pulkrabek said. “That’s really the goal. We know it’s going on, we know it’s going on in Iowa and we know it’s going on locally.

On Wednesday, Jasmin Renee Howell, 24, of Nashville, Ia and (name removed), 18, of Harpers Ferry, arrived in Hills for the appointment and were arrested and charged by the officer.

Howell was charged with pimping, a Class D felony, for bringing another female to Hills allegedly for a sex act, and then allegedly informing her of the duration and nature of the sex act that should be performed, as well as what should be charged afterward.

(removed) was charged with conspiracy to commit prostitution, an aggravated misdemeanor, for allegedly driving a woman to the location in return for $50. (removed)told officers that she had been a driver for prostitution appointments in the past as well.

On Thursday, another vehicle arrived from Milwaukee with four people in it, including a 15-year-old girl.

Robert Earle Jackson, 31, of Milwaukee was accused of two counts of pimping, a Class D felony. Two others, a woman and a girl, in the car indicated that he was their pimp and that they were meeting a man for sex and all money from the act was to go to Jackson.

Alexandra Willams, 25, of Milwaukee allegedly admitted to renting the car that they were driving in. According to records Williams knew that the group was traveling to Hills for the purpose of prostitution and that the two other females, one of them the 15-year-old, were scheduled to engage in a sex act for payment. She was charged with aiding and abetting prostitution, an aggravated misdemeanor.

Cidney Taylorelise Miller, 21, of Milwaukee was one of the two females that were allegedly going to commit the sex acts. She was charged with prostitution, an aggravated misdemeanor.

All five individuals were booked into the Johnson County Jail. Only (removed) has made bail and been charged and released as of Friday morning.