Sep 26, 2019 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Bakersfield Police took on prostitution with two undercover operations this week. Over the course of two nights 23ABC's cameras were rolling as eighteen suspects were cited. Mar 11, 2019 California prostitution sting leads to arrest of 18 suspects, including 91-year-old During the operation, undercover female police officers posed as prostitutes, according to the police statement.
Officers from six local and federal law enforcement agencies conducted an undercover prostitution and sex trafficking sting operation Friday outside Bethlehem in Northampton County, according to a news release.
The operation resulted in the arrests of two women on a prostitution charge, five men on a count of patronizing a prostitute and a New Jersey man for promoting prostitution, Colonial Regional police said.
Investigators set up the sting at an undisclosed motel in Hanover Township.
The two women agreed to perform a sex act on an undercover male police officer for money, police said.
The five men charged with patronizing a prostitute are identified as Bruce Pudliner, 42, of the 1100 block of East Highland Street in Allentown; Samer Chatieh, 49, of the 100 block of West Green Street in Allentown; Robert Halpin, 35, of the first block of Harrison Street in Emmaus; Kevin Davera, 55, of the 200 block of West Oley Street in Reading; and Harold Morlez, 47, of the 2900 block of Starview Lane in Bethlehem, according to the release. All agreed to sex acts in exchange for money with an undercover female police officer.
Patrick Phillip Banks, 28, of the first block of Norwood Street in Newark, is charged with promoting prostitution, police said. He was sent to Northampton County Prison on a warrant out of Essex County and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday the charge from Friday, according to police.
The seven others will be charged.
Those not incarcerated could not be reached for comment. No number could be found for some, for others a number listed was out of service and for some a call went unanswered or a message left was not immediately returned.
Assisting Colonial Regional police were officers from the Bethlehem, Bethlehem Township and Nazareth police departments; detectives from the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office; the FBI and the Lehigh Valley Crime Victims Council.
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at[email protected]. Follow him on Twitter@KurtBressweinandFacebook. Findlehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Since 2009, Cook County, IL has been cracking down on sex buyers and adding social services for prostituted women. Now, they’re coaching law enforcement from around the country to take this new approach: target sex buyers as a way to reduce demand for prostitution.
On a stretch of road near Chicago’s O’Hare airport where prostitutes are known to gather, a female undercover officer stands on the corner in full view of a fellow officer, Officer Dan. He’s responsible for watching her every move. (The officer’s names have been changed to protect their identities and their safety.)
When a car pulls up to her, Officer Dan radios the make and model to his fellow officers waiting in an arrest car. As soon as she makes a deal for sex, usually only a few seconds after the car pulls up, the female officer makes a special gesture and moves away from the car. That’s when Officer Dan radios the order:“it’s a go.”
The john is arrested within seconds, and taken to a holding area. He’ll get an ordinance violation, which is at least a $500 fine, and in many cases their car will be towed, which is another $500, plus a towing fee that’s usually between $200-300. This won’t result in a criminal record, nor will they serve any jail time, unless there’s an open warrant for their arrest on a different charge.
MORE Read TIME’s special report on how one Illinois county is trying a new tactic to curb prostitution and see more videos here.
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