Four of 5 trafficking suspects in custody

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Three of four people wanted for their part in a 104-count grand jury indictment Thursday on human trafficking and prostitution charges are in the Mahoning County jail.

Elaine Hellman, 71, of Manhattan Avenue; James Jaster, 73, of South Avenue; and Lori Jackson, 43, of Randolph Street Northwest in Warren were booked into the jail overnight.

A fourth person, Charles Krusak, 78, of Lou Ida Boulevard in Austintown has yet to be taken into custody, and a fifth person, Ronald Hellman, 51, of Irma Drive, has been in custody since August.

Krusak was arrested in August after a search warrant related to the case was served at his home. He is free on $100,000 bond after he was arraigned on charges relating to his arrest then.

Jaster and Jackson face charges of compelling prostitution and promoting prostitution.

Elaine Hellman faces a charge of obstruction of justice. Investigators said she used her position as a call taker in the Youngstown 911 Center to warn her son of the investigation.

Hellman and Krusak both face charges of trafficking in persons, compelling prostitution, promoting prostitution and rape. Krusak faces separate child-pornography counts that are part of the overall indictment.

The five are expected to be arraigned next week in common pleas court.