Suspects lured by internet ads, met undercover officers at hotels
(Long Island, NY) 104 men were arrested after huge, month-long prostitution sting, according to the Nassau County Police Department.
“Operation Flush the Johns,” referring to the slang word for the customer of a prostitute, utilized internet ads that lured suspects to local area hotels where they met with undercover officers posing as hookers, according to Nassau Country District Attorney Kathleen Rice.
“My hope is that this will dry up the demand for prostitution,” she said. “These are not victimless crimes. They put themselves on the board and they are going to have to explain.”
Police said that the majority of the suspects were from Nassau County, totaling 75; the remainder come from Suffolk County, New York City, as well as out-of-state areas such as Maine, Georgia, New Jersey.
Prospective “Johns” patronized internet website Backpage.com, responding to personal ads to meet up with prostitutes, who, unbeknownst to them, were actually undercover police officers.
The suspects were placed under arrest after deals were put in place with the undercover officers to exchange money for alleged sexual favors.
Rice and Nassau County Police Commissioner Tom Dale stated that the mass arrests should serve notice to those who frequent prostitutes that the authorities will be cracking down on their activities, which runs contrarily to the previous stance police have taken of focusing almost solely on prostitutes.
All 104 men charged in the case have pleaded not guilty to third-degree patronizing a prostitute. If convicted, the crime carries up to one year in jail.
