Four alleged johns busted during prostitution sting on East Michigan Avenue
A john sting on East Michigan Avenue by the Ypsilanti Police Department and the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office resulted in four men being arrested for allegedly soliciting prostitutes.
East Michigan Avenue has been targeted by prostitution stings.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
The operation was a part of the Enforcement Against Street Walking in Ypsilanti (EASY) project. Police say the EASY project “focuses on addressing the root causes of prostitution” and includes personnel from law enforcement, human services, the judicial system and elected officials.
As of 2 p.m. Friday, names and photos of the men were not posted on the EASY website with those of the other men busted in stings last year.
Sheriff's office spokesman Derrick Jackson said the men's pictures would be posted on the EASY website once they are charged.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Joe
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 11:24 p.m.
Very few things thrive in Ypsi these days. Sex, booze, burger joints, and chicken joints seem to be the only markets still viable. it's sad. The combination of several seedy motels, several seedy trailer parks, and several seedy liquor stores will continue to bring low lifes to this strip of Mich Ave.
Cathy
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 5:31 p.m.
I would not recommend prostitution as a career choice, but clearly outlawing it does not stop it. If it were legalized, the practice would be safer for the customer and the provider.
Joe Lee
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 3:20 p.m.
Legalization of prostitution will not eliminate human trafficking just as marriage licenses do not eliminate domestic violence. The truth is that women are not just victimized by prostitution. If someone thing prostitution is the only cause of women being victimized, they have a very NARROW MIND. 25% or more of women are victimized in dating relationship or marriage. We do not outlaw marriage and dating. At this rate of domestic violence, one can argue that marriage and dating should be outlawed to protect women and children. We pay police to handle crimes involving legalization of alcohol and gambling at casinos. We pay police to handle the high rates of domestic violence associated with marriage and dating. We could pay police to handle crimes involving the legalization of prostitution.
Paul Epstein
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 10:16 a.m.
A complete utter waste of precious law enforcement resources. Just an ages-old tradition of enforcing one particular set of morals. It's an outrage that this distracts from the prevention of actual harm to actual people, rather than something that supposedly leads to something that leads to something that leads to violence. Is this why the EMU shooter got away with what he did last night? Prostitution stings and drug raids need to cease immediately---all of them.
Bruce
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 3:38 p.m.
Prostitution stings and drug raids are completely different, most selling drugs carry guns but most hookers don't...........when was the last time you heard of a hooker shooting a john? Spend the money on drug raids and get the drugs and guns off our streets........then maybe some of the prostitution will go down, but I doubt it.
Andrew MacKie-Mason
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 4:27 a.m.
The public shaming engaged in by EASY (and often engaged in by this 'newspaper') of merely alleged criminals is disgusting.
RJA
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 3:36 a.m.
Great Job YPD and WCSO!!
Jed I Knight
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 2:57 a.m.
So this is the root cause? Come on folks.
Justice4all
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 3:45 a.m.
I think the root cause is dope. Read the link.
justcurious
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 2:30 a.m.
I think a lot of commenters on here need to educate themselves about the Happy Hooker misconception they have...or is it the Happy John? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1324819/
Terrin
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 2:19 a.m.
Honestly, the City doesn't have better things to do than go after a victimless "crime?"
snoopdog
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 1:32 a.m.
What a pathetic waste of taxpayer dollars. Entrapment like this should be illegal and is simply wrong. As Marshall said in an earlier post, every one of us prostitutes ourselves each and every day. Plus, marriage truly is a form of legal prostitution and no one has a problem with that ? Good Day
Andrew MacKie-Mason
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 4:28 a.m.
I don't think "entrapment" means what you think it means.
Joe Lee
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 1:25 a.m.
Most of these men who seek prostitution services will prefer to get sex for free because they can keep the money in the pockets. If you going to win the war on prostitution, you will have to answer the question, "Why sex is not free." If you can create a society where sex is completely free, then the world's oldest profession will be history. I am waiting on Monday to see the result of the Ontario, Canada Appeals court decision on legalization of prostitution.
DBH
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 2:16 a.m.
@Joe Lee, legalization of prostitution would not make sex free, it would simply decriminalize the activity. Engaging in sex without remuneration of any sort is not prostitution.
EyeHeartA2
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 1:13 a.m.
I'm thinking the pictures are a good deterrent, as in: "I don't wanna be anywhere that guy has been."
Marshall Applewhite
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 1:12 a.m.
The exchange of "sex for money" goes on every day all over the place. The only difference is that some people do it under the disguise of "marriage".
xmo
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 9:17 p.m.
They are going to have to change the name from "Johns" to something else! I cannot tell if they are talking about men named John, a bath room called a "John" or a Pimp! Why not call them "sex brokers"
Steffetta
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 8:25 p.m.
C'mon! Prostitution is a blight. Just because it's consensual does not mean it's a victim-less crime. The neighborhood suffers. I am from Detroit, and I grew up 2 blocks of off Michigan Avenue, which was 'hooker central' at that time. I cannot count the number of times I was harassed just walking down the street from men assuming that every woman on the street in that area was a hooker. Prostitutes are also generally drug addicts, who rob people in the area given the opportunity, as do their pimps. As for the pictures, shame on them all. Put up the pictures of the prostitutes too!
Steffetta
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 8:19 p.m.
But it's not legal... and legalization is not my issue here. Prostitutes on the street (that's what I was referring to) is a blight that brings crime to the area. I want the police to clean up the problem and all its accompanying issues. If it were legal, it would be different, but it's not, so fight for legalization, sure, but turn a blind eye to the issue in the meantime, no.
Terrin
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 2:28 a.m.
It is only a blight because it is illegal. A prostitute can't advertise other than going some place public. If it were legal, it would be done behind closed doors in controlled areas like in other cities around the world. Further, prostitutes would make money, taxes could be raised, disease checks could be performed, and violence would go down from men who need sex, but can't get it anyway other than paying for it. Moreover, in these cases, men are treated like the criminals when they are just trying to obtain a service they are biologically programed to need and the prostitutes are usually let off with a warning. The real reason police like to go after the guys is because they can confiscate all the property used in connection with the alleged crime. Police claim the guys vehicles are used to commit the crime, so the police take the vehicles and auction them. It is all about money. The city is cash strapped, this is a way to make some quick dollars from the guys.
Larry Langly
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 9:44 p.m.
I lived downtown YPSI for a while and never encountered any sort of harassment and never even noticed these ladies. Simply a money grab that YPSI does every other month. Really I have no problem with policing it, I just find the publishing of the people is nuts. There are crimes that are much more heinous to our society that get less attention and shame promotion. These people haven't even had their day in court! I suppose it works though, because i would fear this shame much more than any fine......
Mark Hergott
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 9:05 p.m.
Prostitution on the street is a blight.
skm
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 8:24 p.m.
Cougars victims?
djm12652
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 8:22 p.m.
Is it just me or does the acronym EASY just sound a tad ironic?
treetowncartel
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 8:34 p.m.
I'm sure the Commodores are offended
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 8:32 p.m.
indeed ;)
bruceae
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 7:48 p.m.
It's all about doing the easy police work, trying to make it look like you're making a difference and generating money from fines. They have been arresting people out here for the 28 years I have lived in Michigan and they haven't solved anything yet.
Mark Hergott
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 7:48 p.m.
EASY, huh? I guess because it is easy to police a consensual crime rather than go after rapists, robbers, identity thieves, or anything else that actually does matter.
justcurious
Sat, Mar 24, 2012 : 2:24 a.m.
Get educated about prostitution and the cost that's paid by the women who sell themselves. They aren't merrily paying their way through college as you would like to think. It does matter.
M
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 7:09 p.m.
Rapists? Wave of robberies? Screw that, we need to get the guys buying prostitutes! Good lord this city has it's priorities backwards.
actionjackson
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 9:25 p.m.
A rapist's agenda psychologically is not about the sex act. More about violence and control.
ArgoC
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 7:05 p.m.
Good one ignatz. Could say the same thing about annarbor.com too!
Ignatz
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 6:42 p.m.
Maybe the EASY website should be renamed the ePillory. For shame, for shame.
DBH
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 6:33 p.m.
1. Why aren't the prostitutes arrested for prostitution similarly identified with names and photos? 2. If the alleged "johns" are found to be innocent, are their names and photos removed from the EASY website? 3. The result of the "john" sting last September shows on the EASY website 3 men, labeled as "arrested." Were they tried and convicted? If so, why not note that fact? If not, what societal purpose is served by leaving their name and photo on the website?
DBH
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 7:57 p.m.
@margo, sorry, but I don't understand your answers.
margo
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 7:34 p.m.
1. question the women keep the cops employed. 2. The johns have the cash/money 3, the only jobs that survived century of recesion. value of money and he the governor Cut benifits, so it is either on the job or jail .
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 7 p.m.
In answer to #1 perhaps to not facilitate a new and larger customer base?
oldblueypsi
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 6:29 p.m.
Three signs of spring: (1) swallows return to Capistrano; (2) buzzards return to Hinckley OH; (3) prostitution stings return to Ypsilanti
margo
Fri, Mar 23, 2012 : 7:37 p.m.
yeah and the women should form a Union and have a Non-for -profit ID number then they could write it of on there tax retrun etc.