Full Notification

In an effort to suppress human trafficking for sex and acts of prostitution in our local communities, a multi-agency collaborative effort was formulated to target this industry which has had a noticeable increase in our local hotels/motels. The use of the internet and ease of mobile communication has made it very easy to solicit the services of prostitutes.

Prostitution may be seen by some as a “victimless crime”. In recent times our communities have experienced the use of underage females by “pimps” to engage customers in acts of sex in order to make money to continue in a lifestyle of criminal behavior. Often these underage females are held against their will and are coerced into services through force, fear and retaliation if they do not perform. Often acts of prostitution are accompanied by the use and sales of narcotics, acts of violence to include serious assaults and robbery and the trafficking of stolen property. Additionally, those engaged in these encounters are exposed to transmittable diseases creating an additional public health and safety concern.

The San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, and Arroyo Grande Police Departments joined together for a three night operation targeting the prostitution industry and the crimes associated with this adverse behavior. Both male and female undercover police officers were used to identify and arrest prostitutes and their customers, commonly referred to as “Johns”.

The intent of this operation was three-fold:

1) Identify and arrest Human Traffickers in the act of providing prostitutes to undercover officers.
2) Arrest freelance prostitutes in an effort to discourage them and others from providing their
illegal services in our cities.
3) Arrest customers, or “Johns”, in an effort to discourage them and future customers
from soliciting the services of prostitutes.
Over the three night operation, 37 arrests were made. All were booked into SLO County Jail on a charge of violating PC 647(b)- Solicitation of Prostitution. Two of the suspects had additional charges of H&S 11377(a)- Possession of Methamphetamine, and H&S 11364.1(a)- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.