Wyoming man arrested during prostitution sting in Nebraska

A Wyoming man is one of four arrested during a weekend prostitution sting in western Nebraska.

It happened Saturday evening (12/30/17) in Scotts Bluff County. The Panhandle Regional Team of the Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force was conducting a proactive law enforcement initiative focused on people interested in purchasing sex from adult and minor females.

The four men arrested were:

Benjamin Rein - 5/10/1997 of Torrington, WY 1 count “Solicitation of Prostitution” class 1d felony, 1 count “Solicitation of Prostitution” class 1 misdemeanor, and 1 count of “Sex Trafficking” class 1b felony.

Marty Houser - 04/24/1953 of Scottsbluff, NE 1 count “Solicitation of Prostitution” class IV felony, 1 count “Solicitation of Prostitution” Class 1 misdemeanor and 1 count of “Sex Trafficking” class 1b felony.

Alfredo (Albert) Castro - 04/02/1974 of Wheat Ridge, CO 1 count “Solicitation of Prostitution” class 1 misdemeanor.

Brent Tinnell 07/28/1992 of Minatare, NE 1 count “Solicitation of Prostitution” class 1 misdemeanor and “Possession of a Controlled Substance” class IV felony.

Under an amended Nebraska sex trafficking law (LB289), those who solicit minors for sex can be prosecuted as “traffickers”, the penalty for which is 20 years to life imprisonment.

The investigation was a collaborative effort of nine different agencies including the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, the Scotts Bluff County Attorney’s Office, the Salvation Army, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Scottsbluff Police Department, the Gering Police Department, the Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Office, the Sidney Police Department and the Alliance Police Department.