Birmingham Iron player arrested in prostitution sting out for Sunday's game with groin injury

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WEBVTT ANOTHER BIG STORY TONIGHT. A LARGE REVERSE PROSTITUTION BUST IN SHELBY COUNTY. ONE OF THE MEN ARRESTED IS A BIRMINGHAM IRON PLAYER AND FORMER OLYMPIAN. IAN: BIRMINGHAM IRON DEFENSIVE TACKLE LAWRENCE OKOYE WAS AMONG MORE THAN A DOZEN ARRESTED ON SOLICITING PROSTITUTION CHARGES. OKOYE IS FROM ENGLAND, WITH NO COLLEGE FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE. HE WAS SIGNED BY THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS BUT SUFFERED A PRE-SEASON INJURY. HE WAS ALSO RUGBY PLAYER AND PLACED 12TH IN DISCUS IN THE 2012 LONDON SUMMER GAMES. THE BIRMINGHAM IRON ISSUES A RELEASE, SAYING THEY’RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF GATHERING FACTS. BRITTANY: BACK NOW TO THE PROSTITUTION STING. IT WAS CALLED OPERATION CLOSE OUT, ROUND 3. WE ARE TOLD IT HAPPENED IN NORTH SHELBY COUNTY IN THE CITY HOOVER. THESE MEN, ALL BUSTED IN THE UNDERCOVER OPERATION. SHELBY COUNTY AUTHORITIES SAYS THEY HAVE A ZERO TOLER

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Authorities in Shelby County arrested 13 men, including a local professional football player, during an undercover reverse prostitution sting called "Operation Close Out, Round 3."Birmingham Iron defensive tackle and Homewood native Lawrence Okoye was among the men arrested Wednesday on soliciting prostitution charges. “We have just been made aware of the incident," Iron general manager Joe Pendry said in a statement. "We are still in the process of gathering facts.”Okoye will not play in Sunday's game due to a groin injury, according to a team injury report released Friday afternoon.Others arrested include:Mychal Lucino Boyd, 54, of Oxford Brandon Bryant, 46, of Pinson Brandon Fitzgerald Green, 36, of Texas Domingo Hernandez, 29, of Birmingham Michael Jackson, 32, of Leeds Miquel Ledezma, 44, of Alabaster Kenneth McMillian, 26, of Birmingham Lawrence Okoye, 27, of Homewood James Perrin, 50, of Birmingham David Randolph Scott, 65, of Adamsville Charles Dewayne Smith, 39, of Birmingham James Witt, 51, of Hoover Linard Stanley Walker, 32, of Bessemer The Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Hoover Police Department partnered in the operation in Hoover. Authorities said they are planning more operations in the future.