Human-trafficking suspect arraigned

April 25, 2018 at 12:02a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

A city man cited for a traffic violation Monday was arraigned Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on human-trafficking and compelling prostitution charges.

Magistrate Dan Dascenzo set bond at $100,000 for David Kalna, 37, of Second Street, who pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Assistant Prosecutor Michael Yacovone told the magistrate the allegations involve two of Kalna’s relatives, and Kalna seemed taken aback by that statement, shaking his head violently when Yacovone said it.

Police knew U.S. Marshals were looking for Kalna when he was taken into custody because of an earlier indictment on the charges.

Yacovone and investigators said they did not want to comment further on the case because a co-defendant has yet to be taken into custody.

Kalna and the co-defendant were secretly indicted April 12 by a grand jury on two counts of trafficking in persons, three counts of rape, a count of gross sexual imposition and two counts of compelling prostitution.

Kalna was taken into custody about 7:05 p.m. at an 1821 Mahoning Ave. parking lot after he was spotted driving a car by a city police officer.

The officer wrote in a report that he knew that U.S. Marshals had been looking for Kalna since Friday and that Kalna also has a suspended license and is not allowed to drive.

Kalna was taken to the Mahoning County jail on the warrants from the grand jury indictments after he was cited for driving under suspension.