The managing editor for Cherokee County’s legal organ was one of three people arrested last week, related to alleged prostitution at a local motel.
Brandon Wilson, managing editor of the Cherokee Tribune since last spring, was charged with pandering, a high and aggravated misdemeanor, after officers concluded he had solicited sex from 25-year-old Sonya Strobel, who was arrested on prostitution charges.
Jail records show that Wilson bonded out early Thursday morning.
Pimping charges also were levied against Erik Jackson, of California, after officers learned he transported Strobel to meet with Wilson for the purpose of prostitution. He reportedly was there for her “protection.”
Police became aware of the prostitution incident after spotting a suspicious vehicle parked at a business located in the 500 block of Riverstone Parkway, just before 11:30 p.m., Jan. 25.
According to the Canton police report, officers approached the driver’s side window and made contact with Jackson, who told police he was waiting 
on a friend to bring him more gas because his car almost was empty; however, the officer noticed Jackson’s fuel gauge read half-full.
Then he told police he was sitting in the parking lot because he and his girlfriend had a fight.
Police reportedly asked Jackson to call his girlfriend in order to check on her welfare, as he allegedly told police he dropped her off “up the street” from where he was parked.
Reports indicate Jackson did make calls and sent text messages, to no avail.
“Due to the inconsistency of Jackson’s statements and being led to believe that a female was in the area on foot and unsure of her safety, I asked Jackson if I could search his vehicle,” said the reporting officer.
Jackson consented to the search and police located Strobel’s Missouri identification card.
Because Jackson was parked directly across from the Days Inn, on Juniper Street, another Canton officer that had arrived on scene took Strobel’s ID to show it to the clerk to determine if she had rented a room.
It was then police witnessed Wilson, 33, and Strobel, exit a room police later learned was used for the purpose of soliciting sex.
The woman reportedly told officers Wilson paid her $200 in exchange for sex; the pair allegedly connected through Backpage.com, a free classified Web site.
Strobel also confessed to officers that Jackson was her “boyfriend” and “pimp,” the report said.
Wilson was terminated from his position at the Tribune on Thursday afternoon, according to the newspaper’s coverage of the incident last week.
Wilson’s supervisor, Marietta Daily Journal Managing Editor Billy Mitchell, apologized to the Canton community in the article and said Brian Clark has been named acting editor until a replacement is hired.
Clark is the managing editor of the Neighbor Newspapers. Times-Journal Inc. owns the Marietta Daily Journal, the Tribune and the Neighbor Newspapers.
