Police arrest 7 men along Michigan Avenue in Ypsilanti-area prostitution sting
Police arrested 7 men Wednesday along East Michigan Avenue in Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township in a reverse prostitution sting, Ypsilanti police said.
The arrests are part of a program called Enforcement Against Street Walking in Ypsilanti (E.A.S.Y.). The effort brings law enforcement, human services, the judicial system and elected officials together to address the root causes of prostitution and keep people off the streets.
Earlier this month police arrested 8 men accused of solicitation of prostitution in the same area.
Last month, a sting operation in the area resulted in arrests of 6 women on charges of soliciting or inviting to commit prostitution.
Police from Ypsilanti and the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office conducted Wednesday’s sting between 2 p.m. and about midnight, a press release from Ypsilanti police said.
The 7 men caught in the sting Wednesday were arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution, processed and later released pending charges.
Police also arrested an 8th man Wednesday on various local warrants. Further details about Wednesday's arrests were not immediately available.
Comments
rinmem10
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 3:03 p.m.
I would like to see a list of names and cities from which these perpetrators hail. I'm willing to bet most are NOT from Ypsi.
Thomas
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 12:29 p.m.
I love reading stories like this. I just wish the AA.news or ypsilantipolice.org would publish the mugshot of the guys. I love it when they target the other side. Remove the demand there will be no supply. As for legalizing it, not within 1 mile of my house, my kids, any school, any church, or any park and we can sit down at the negotiation table...
nixon41
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 12:17 p.m.
Some people just don't have a clue. You do your job & let the police do theirs.
Terrin
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 12:57 a.m.
Prostitution is a victimless crime and is a complete waste of police resources. There are plenty of real crimes in Ypsilanti.
eastsidemom
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 9:36 p.m.
it is NOT a victimless crime and not what you want when you play outside with your kids either. I am sure those who complain about this sting are not confronted with these issues ever...
Snehal Shah
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 8:23 p.m.
Let me get this clear. Is intention to commit a crime a crime itself? A person approaches a girl and offers money for sex. Is that a crime? Or when the girl accepts the money it becomes a crime. And if the later is true then isn't both the giver and taker in the same crime. I fail to understand this sting.
moodyone
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 6:26 a.m.
The crime is solicitation of prostitution, not successfully having intercourse with a prostitute, or else you'd have a point.
Max Peters
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 2:50 p.m.
It's pretty surprising that prostitution is still around considering the current generation's ready access to free sex with minimal or no consequences.
whatsupwithMI
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 5:08 p.m.
IIRC the last time they published names of the guys who were soliciting, they were older gentlemen from AA, Plymouth, Saline.
Grand Marquis de Sade
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 2:50 p.m.
Whenever these stories come out there are always the cries from the peanut gallery about how these busts are a waste of police resources. Does anybody who feels this way actually live in the area in question? I live about a block from the epicenter of this activity and I can assure you that this is a major quality of life issue. Perhaps a solution would be to transplant these drug-addicted zombies to snoopdog's neighborhood where I'm sure given his enlightened attitude toward prostitution they'd be made to feel right at home. I'm sure that if his dream of legalization were to come true he wouldn't have any problem with a brothel in his backyard either.
Turd Ferguson
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.
Wondering if I can be stopped or arrested for, "...arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution", if I simply honk my horn at them as I drive by? I love honking and watching the girls turn as I drive by. hehehehe
jjc155
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 5:28 p.m.
@Turd, nope honk all you want, thats not solicitation. These kind of details typically use undercover female officers and the solicitation is face to face
Mr. Ed
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 1 p.m.
The Ann Arnbor.com needs to publish the men's names. Good work by the Police.
Mick52
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 7:01 p.m.
Some communities publish names and photos.
Tony Dearing
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 3:23 p.m.
pvitaly, it's OK to ask "why?'' but it's not OK to ask a commenter to give their own name. People are allowed to comment anonymously on this site if they want to, without being asked to reveal their identity.
pvitaly
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 3:18 p.m.
I don't understand... this person can ask for the names of the people who were arrested - but I cannot ask "Why?"
Top Cat
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 2:25 p.m.
I don't agree. This whole adventure is a waste of time and money and aa.com should have nothing to do with it.
jinxplayer
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 12:45 p.m.
I guarantee you someone was selling crack not even a mile away, the entire time this thing was going on. Way to protect and serve!
SW40
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 7:52 p.m.
Way to complain and cry.
jinxplayer
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 7:06 p.m.
Yeah, AdmiralMoose, you're right. We have a surplus of cops on the beat right now, silly me for thinking they could use these resources for the greater good instead of busting hookers.
AdmiralMoose
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 1:05 p.m.
I assure you, jinxy, law enforcement can enforce more than one law at a time. If they didn't get the crack seller it's not because they were busting johns.
Steve Pepple
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 12:45 p.m.
An inappropriate comment has been removed.
tdw
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 12:40 p.m.
I always chuckle a little when people say tax it.How many people honestly believe that hookers would pay a tax ?
tdw
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 5:48 p.m.
manny we're not exactly talking about Mustang / Bunny Ranch quality girls here
mannyredline
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 4:20 p.m.
This comment unfairly generalizes sex workers.
jjc155
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 2:20 p.m.
Exactly, there will always be a black market for "legal" and taxed items. I also always laugh at the legalize it and tax it crowd when it comes to dope and hookers (from the tax it stand point). If say a certain act costs 20 bucks as it stands now. Then you tax it and legitimize it which forces the seller to have a place to do the act (extra cost), the cost of collecting said tax (tacked on to the tax itself), a .gov agency (we all know they are efficient and money saving, LOL) to oversee the activity, etc etc and that 20 dollar act now costs more that double from a legit provider. Why go there when it would cost way less from a "non-legal" provider? Its simple econ, LOL. The cost savings from legalizing activities like prostitition and narcotics comes on the Law enforcement, Courts, Corrections, Social Service side by eliminating or redirecting resources that have alternative uses (more simple econ stuff) towards other illegal activities or people who have a greater need for help. All that said, its currently still illegal and is a quality of life issue for the people who's neighborhoods it goes on it (I used to live in a neighborhood like that, not fun picking up used condoms from ur front lawn before u mow,LOL). Look at it this way, if AA.com did a story on how the police do nothing about prostitution, there would be an equal (or more) number of people crying foul over how the police allow this to continue, LOL
Bertha Venation
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 12:39 p.m.
If you ever need an undercover agent.... I'm your gal!
snoopdog
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 2:44 a.m.
Don't think anyone will get busted then Bertha, sorry :- ) !! Good Day
grye
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 12:23 p.m.
How about legalize it and have the business run out of a facility? This will negate the "neighborhood" issues and could create additional tax funds. Much more sensible than legalizing marijuana.
Mick52
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 6:59 p.m.
You are assuming that people who are breaking the law would, if it were legalized, change their ways and start paying taxes. Is it not likely they would ignore tax laws and pay up only if caught and charged with tax evasion? The reason I think this is true is partly due to a documentary on Joe Conforte, the former owner of the Mustang Ranch in Nevada. Conforte was making tons of money but decided to withhold taxes. It seems odd with how much he was making to just pay it. He would be less rich, but rich.
Cash
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 5:02 p.m.
Facility next door to what? or whom?
cinnabar7071
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 12:13 p.m.
Snoop would you feel the same if they were doing this in your hood, how about in front of your children? I agree with you as long as it not done in public, I mean they can give it away but charge a dime for it and they are criminals.
Ken Boyd
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 1:58 p.m.
cinnabar, have you been watching TV lately? How much worse could it be than much of what is on the tube?
snoopdog
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 11:37 a.m.
What is criminal about this process is the waste of taxpayer dollars and what I consider to be "entrapmemt" of those arrested. But hey, this gives the police something to do besides writing speeding tickets, it brings in business to the courts and all those employed by the courts, it brings in business for public defenders and prosecutors and for lawyers in private business if their client has the money to defend themselves. This entire process is rather disgusting and a complete waste of our money. Legalize prostitution, regulate it, license it, tax it have the prostitutes get regular health screens, and get if off the streets. Good Day
Mick52
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 6:54 p.m.
The point that it can be human trafficking or unwilling participants is an important one, but it is not always the case. Unfortunately some people feel it necessary to make money however they can. A friend works as a counselor in a jail. He told me about an inmate, a woman who was caught selling drugs. Her reasoning: almost no jobs other than minimum wage, but she can make up to $1000 on Friday (paydays) selling drugs. I am not in favor of either of these practices I just want to point out an alternate reason some people may be caught up in this other than human trafficking and being forced into it. Law enforcement has to respond. Can't pick and choose enforcement.
YpsiLivin
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 4:07 p.m.
Prostitution is a form of human trafficking. As a taxpayer, I think it's ok to "waste" my money on stopping involuntary servitude. And if we were talking about your wife/sister/mother/daughter, I think you would agree. But you're right about one thing: it's rather disgusting.
Matt Cooper
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 2:54 p.m.
So how is this entrapment? Do you know what the legal definition of entrapment is? If there is no enducement or encouragement on the part of law enforcement to commit the crime, there is no entrapment. Every person ever arrested for solicitation tries to claim entrapment and guess what. They lose.
jjc155
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 2:22 p.m.
Snoop, read my reply in TDW's post for info on why the legalize it, tax it route likely would not work.
AdmiralMoose
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 1:10 p.m.
Snoop, I guess you could say the same thing about all laws: they're written merely to keep the justice system employed. But you'd be just as mistaken. Prostitution is *not* a victimless crime.
ThaKillaBee
Thu, Jun 23, 2011 : 12:41 p.m.
Unfortunately, this assumes that everyone involved are willing participants. The big problem with prostitution are the women who are forced into it or coerced because they feel they have no other choice.