News updates are sent daily. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Tempe sting nets prostitution arrests
Digg|
Save|
License|
Print|
E-mail|
Tempe officers arrested eight people on suspicion of prostitution Wednesday night during an undercover operation, police said.
Valley police track sex trade around Super Bowl
Six women, one man, and a 17-year-old girl were arrested during the five-hour sting, said Sgt. Mike Horn, Tempe police spokesman.
All of the suspects were charged with prostitution, but Horn said the 17-year-old will move through juvenile court before a decision is made as to whether or not she will be tried as an adult.
Police do not believe any of the suspects were connected with each other. Horn said undercover officers contacted the suspects after they advertised their services on Web sites such as craigslist.com.
Horn said five of the suspects are from out of state, which is common for people who advertise on social networking sites. He said events such as the Super Bowl and FBR Open sometimes attract prostitution, but the suspects arrested Wednesday did not give any indication they were in town for these major events.
“It’s been our experience that before these events it’s not uncommon for groups to move in, and then move on to another area,” Horn said.
Craigslist.com features a section on its site devoted to “erotic services.”
According to the site’s Terms of Use, this section “was established at the request of craigslist users, who were tired of seeing ads for escort services,” as well as a host of other adult services, “mixed into the regular personals and services categories.”
“We go through these sites and look for people who appear to be advertising their services for prostitution,” Horn said.
Please add your comments, but follow these guidelines to keep this a safe, credible place for discussing the news: