Western Pennsylvania doctor arrested in Ohio human trafficking sting

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — A Western Pennsylvania doctor has been arrested in Ohio as part of a human trafficking sting, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced.

Dr. Robert Zewe, Jr., 50, of Erie, faces multiple charges after allegedly traveling to Ohio to engage in illegal activities with a minor.

Zewe has been charged with compelling prostitution, a third-degree felony; possession of criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony and engaging in prostitution, a misdemeanor.

Zewe was a doctor at Penn Highlands Mon Valley in Monongahela. A hospital spokesperson said that he is no longer employed there.

Undercover agents with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force arrested Zewe on Friday in the Youngstown area. He’s now out on bond.

The arrest occurred after Zewe allegedly agreed to pay for sex with a fictitious underage girl and her mother. Detectives say he brought cash and condoms with him to Ohio.

The Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force is organized under the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission and led by the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office.

The task force includes representatives from multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Ohio Investigative Unit, East Palestine Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.

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