Prostitution and drugs
3-week investigation in Athens results in charges against 11 men
By Chris Paschenko
DAILY Staff Writer
chris@decaturdaily.com · 340-2442
ATHENS — Athens police charged 11 men during a three-week investigation into prostitution and drug activity.
The arrests resulted from the department's first-ever crackdown on sexual solicitation and its accompanying illegal drug trade.
Capt. Marty Bruce said police charged nine men with soliciting prostitution. The men face misdemeanor charges of offering undercover female officers money in exchange for sex, Bruce said.
Four men, including two not charged with solicitation, face felony drug charges in connection with the sting, Bruce said.
"We were doing it over three different nights," Bruce said. "The females were in areas where men approached them. We withheld (publicity) to continue the operation. We wanted to get some more arrests before releasing it."
Bruce said officers concentrated their efforts along U.S. 31 and Washington and Hine streets.
Melvin Mahaley Jr., 53, of Athens invited an undercover female into his motel room at the Budget Inn, Bruce said. When officers entered the room to arrest Mahaley, he handed the female a crack pipe to hide from police, Bruce said.
Mahaley, of 19342 Ruffwood Lane, faces charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and soliciting prostitution.
Willie Lee Williams, 40, of 606 U.S. 31, Athens, was in the room and in possession of crack cocaine, Bruce said. Police charged him with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
A man who answered the Budget Inn office telephone Saturday evening declined comment.
Police charged two others with felony marijuana possession. Bruce said Jason Daniel Gee, 25, of Athens stopped to talk to an undercover female, and officers found marijuana in his vehicle. Gee, of 1601 W. Elm St., wasn't charged with soliciting prostitution, but faces a first-degree marijuana possession charge.
Officers also allegedly found marijuana and controlled substances in Lance Lee Campbell's vehicle.
Bruce said Campbell, 31, of 23914 Pressnell Road, Athens, had a "large amount" of Xanax and Lortab medication. Following an interview with the Athens-Limestone Drug Task Force, Bruce said, Campbell led officers to a pound of marijuana. Officers also confiscated about $5,000 in cash, Bruce said.
"He initially had a pound of marijuana at his house," Bruce said. "I'm not exactly sure where, but we located it somewhere in the county."
Campbell faces charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, first-degree marijuana possession and soliciting prostitution.
Bruce said all 11 men — 10 from Athens and one from Sheffield — were free on bond. Police plan more prostitution stings, he said.
"This is the first time we've ever done a prostitution sting like this," Bruce said. "We just noticed quite a bit of activity, and we decided we could do something about it and curb the activities."
Bruce said prostitution is a major contributor to the drug trade in Athens,
and most prostitutes are drug addicts and use the money they receive to purchase drugs. 
