Police: Man ran Johnstown prostitution ring, paid women in heroin

JOHNSTOWN — A central Pennsylvania man is charged with running a prostitution ring out of a hotel and paying the women with heroin instead of money.

Richland police and the Cambria County District Attorney's office investigated after managers of the Super 8 Johnstown hotel reported suspicious activity.

Barshay Dunbar, 35, of Johnstown promoted prostitution on a website depicting younger women using names suggesting they were young teens, police said.

Police Chief Michael Burgan said Dunbar was “using the girls” and “paying them with heroin.”

Dunbar faces a Nov. 10 preliminary hearing on prostitution and heroin charges and remained in the Cambria County jail on Tuesday. He was arrested Friday.

Online court records don't list an attorney for Dunbar.