Kelton Isiah Sturdivant
Press Release from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office
ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. (September 5, 2025) - On September 3rd and 4th, 2025, detectives with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office conducted a human trafficking operation in Salisbury, NC. As a result of the sting, ten people now face charges for crimes related to prostitution, drug offenses, and weapon offenses. Misdemeanor offenders were cited and released while those facing felony charges were booked into the Rowan County Jail. The purpose of the operation was to identify any person that may be a victim of human trafficking and to curb prostitution in Rowan County.
On the evening of September 4th, a 16-year-old juvenile was brought to the undercover officer by 22-year-old Kelton Isiah Sturdivant, of Oakboro, North Carolina. Sturdivant was arrested by deputies and was found to be a convicted felon in possession of a handgun as well as Oxycodone, a scheduled two controlled substance. Investigators learned the juvenile had been reported missing to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police on March 3, 2025, and was entered as a missing child to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The victim was turned over to the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services and Sturdivant was arrested and charged with Promoting Prostitution of a Minor, Second Degree Kidnapping, Possession of a Firearm by Felon, and Possession of a Scheduled II Controlled Substance. He was placed in the Rowan County Jail under no bond. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been contacted as a result of the incident for consideration of a federal investigation as well.
This is the second operation conducted by deputies in Rowan County where a missing juvenile was rescued from prostitution. In March of 2024, 35-yr-old Kadeem Zelique Williams was arrested for kidnapping and promoting the prostitution. He subsequently pleaded guilty in Rowan County Superior court and was sentenced to a minimum of 7.4 years and a maximum of 13.9 years.
In addition to Sturdivant’s arrest, the following individuals also face charges as a result of the operation:
30-yr-old Josie Arianne Dyer of Salisbury:
Prostitution and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
32-yr-old Tyauna Brasha Lee Jones of Salisbury:
Prostitution
22-yr-old Kayla Kabre Ashford of Charlotte
Prostitution
Possession of Marijuana
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
19-yr-old Christopher Alexander Brewton-Perry of Charlotte:
Possession of a Weapon of Mass Destruction
Alter, Destroy, or Remove a Serial Number of a Firearm
Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver Schedule Marijuana
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
*This individual showed up to the operation site with a pistol modified to be fully automatic. The serial number had also been scratched off.
18-yr-old Zontavious Johnson of Concord:
Misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana
28-yr-old Alesha Monique Hammond of Charlotte:
Prostitution
29-yr-old Alvontrez Raekwon Randolph of Greenville, NC:
Prostitution
46-yr-old Kizzy Corinthia Benjamin of Salisbury:
Prostitution
Possession of Marijuana
32-yr-old James Aaron Handy of Millers Creek, NC:
Prostitution
“I am extremely proud of the work that my investigators put into these type operations, Said Sheriff Allen, there is so much behind the scenes work that goes into these investigations, but it is worth it all to know that this operation has lead to the rescue of yet another teen that had been reported missing and had wound up in a life of prostitution.”