Prostitution sting ends in human trafficking arrests

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Detectives with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office set up a prostitution sting to meet a woman they met online, but when they got to the hotel, they found out she was a minor.

Lt. Jerry Brewer, a spokesman with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, says the detectives met the girl at a hotel off Military Cutoff Road. Inside the room with the girl were Ashanti McLean, 26, and Marvarlus Snead, 31.

Brewer says once detectives realized the girl was underage, they arrested both McLean and Snead.

The minor is getting help from A Safe Place.

McLean is charged with promote prostitution of a minor and human trafficking a child victim.

She is being held under a $250,000 bond.

Snead is charged with two counts of promote prostitution of a minor, human trafficking a child victim and several other drug charges.

His bond is set at $460,000.