17 men arrested in Smith County prostitution sting

SMITH COUNTY — 17 men were arrested and booked into the Smith County Jail on Wednesday and Thursday on charges of solicitation of prostitution, according to Sgt. Adam Albritton, Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas DPS Criminal Investigations Division, Rains County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Tyler Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Attorney General’s Office assisted with the operation.

The following men were arrested and charged with solicitation of prostitution:

Ramiro Borja, 50, of Tyler
Matthew Cecotti, 29, of Mineola
Timothy Cunningham, 64, of Kilgore
Michael Erwin, 48, of Richardson
Anthony Fleetwood, 40, of Tyler
Miguel Ortega, 29, of Tyler
Jimmy Don Moore, 62, of Jacksonville
Richard Walls, 34, of Whitehouse
Steve Gatlin, 58, of Bullard
Pedro Hernandez, 26, of Tyler
Nikesu Kayastha, 50, of Tyler
Marcus Pierce, 51, of Tyler
Dwayne Thompson, 53, of Mineola
George Vazhachira, 38, of Frisco
Marcus Wade, 56, of Flint
Yorel Bush, 27, of Tyler
Gabriel Esparza, 32, of Tyler