Austintown internet sex stings target prostitutes and customers
It's not necessarily a crackdown, but if you're trolling for sex in Austintown, don't be surprised if you get caught.
It's not necessarily a crackdown, but if you're trolling for sex in Austintown, don't be surprised if you get caught.
That's because patrol officers have gone undercover to target not only the prostitutes but their customers.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been at least 19 men and women arrested for soliciting by Austintown police.
Officers tell 21 News they've expanded the online sex sting to include customers.
When it comes to sex for hire these days the internet is how sex sells.
Sexy photos of scantily clad bodies, and promises of a good time.
Austintown police for some time have been making prostitution arrests posing as customers and answering escort ads online.
But patrol officers during their free time are also looking for so called "Johns" who respond to sex for hire ads.
Lieutenant Jeff Solic with the Austintown Police Department and the Commander of the Mahoning County Drug Task Force said, "It's illegal to do both either sell sex or buy sex. So we'll charge accordingly."
In years past it was difficult to bust the so-called "John" unless he was caught in the act or caught exchanging the money. Now with the internet, when the business deal is made there's a trail of evidence police can use in prosecuting the case.
And unfortunately, along with prostitution, there are other crimes that go hand in hand.
"There is a nexus between sex for hire and violent crime and sex for hire and the opiate epidemic. The majority of those engaging in prostitution, the sellers have some kind of a drug addiction problem. They're doing that for money to support that addiction," Lieutenant Solic said.
Violent crime can also come with prostitution because some advertise their services to set-up their customers to be robbed.
Then there are the sexual predators preying on innocent children.
Lieutenant Solic says no matter what the customer is seeking it's a crime with no pretty outcome, "There's no Richard Gere riding in a limo with a bouquet of roses and an umbrella to save somebody, it's not like that."
