York County Internet sting from Backpage, Craigslist nets prostitution, drug arrests

Police in York County used a sting on Internet sites Backpage and Craigslist to make prostitution and drug arrests Wednesday, police said.

Officers found that ads for drugs were online on Craigslist, said Marvin Brown, commander of the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit.

Officers also placed ads on a Backpage site for prostitution, Brown said. Prostitution is illegal in South Carolina.

State Law Enforcement Divison agents, deputies from the York County Sheriff’s Office anti crime tea and drug agents did a reverse sting at a hotel on Carowinds Boulevard, police said.

Five people were charged with prostitution, said Trent Faris, spokesman for the sheriff’s office.

Faris identified those charged with prostitution as: Randall Wesley Page, 63, of Charlotte; Elijh Caine Hunter, 36, of Charlotte; Michael Allen Stanley, 49, of Cramerton, N.C.; Brian Damon Barnes, 43, of Mount Holly, N.C.; and Marcus Antonio White, whose age and photo was not available.

Chandler Swofford Roberts, 29, of Charlotte, was charged with two felony drug charges, and a woman was cited for drug possession, according to York County jail records and Brown.

Roberts is accused of advertising to sell marijuana online on Craigslist, Brown said. Police seized four ounces of marijuana and cash from a Fort Mill apartment, Brown said.

This story was originally published February 23, 2017 at 9:30 PM with the headline "York County Internet sting from Backpage, Craigslist nets prostitution, drug arrests."