Craigslist, undercover busts lead police to 20 Bowl-week prostitution arrests

TAMPA -- Craigslist, CrimeStoppers and disguised policewomen have contributed to 20 prostitution-related arrests in Tampa two days into the week leading up to the Super Bowl, police said.

The Tampa Police Department and Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrested 13 men and seven women on various charges of offering to commit, soliciting or procuring people for prostitution between Monday and this morning. Officers nabbed suspects on the street and at three adult businesses -- Thee Love Shack, Buddies Adult Video and the Yokohama Massage Spa.

Bret Bartlett, a captain with Tampa's Criminal Intelligence Bureau, said Monday that the department would amplify anti-prostitution efforts this week in hopes of damming the "flood of ladies" that has rushed in for Super Bowl-related revenue.

"The sun rises in the East, and hookers come into town during the Super Bowl," Bartlett said. "The industry, the naked people industry, is getting ready for the event. As are we."

Bartlett said officers would monitor several aspects of the local sex trade, including street prostitution, "in-call" escorts and illegal Asian massage parlors. He added that prostitution postings on Web sites like Craigslist served as "big red flags" for officers.

The Tampa Bay area Craiglist's Erotic Services page displays hundreds of listings from women offering everything from quality time to raunchy in- and out-call services. Almost all show pictures. Many list phone numbers. Some offer Super Bowl specials.

"We rely on Web sites to find out where they're going to be," he said. "It's great. You can get a prostitute and somebody to fix your roof all from the same list."

A Tampa fire medic, a trucking company owner and a Michigan holdings appraiser were booked as suspects. Masseuses at Yokohama and an entertainer at Platinum Showgirls were also arrested.

(Pictured, from top: Sun Hwa Cook, 48, who said she was a Yokohama masseuse, was charged with prostitution; Michael Jennings, 28, who said he was a Lansing holdings appraiser, was charged with deriving support from proceeds of prostitution.)

-- Drew Harwell, Times staff writer

Comments

[Andrew]

Guess I'll finally follow through on my plan to rob a bank since all of the police officers are busy with this crap

[Brad]

Way to waste taxpayer money on more prostitute busts. Isn't there a current budget deficit. Maybe getting rid of these ridiculus bust is a way to reduce the deficit. Better yet, legalize and regulate the industry. Solves the drug problems, disease problems and crime problems associated with it. Add tax and licensing revenues and you got a winning solution.

[john from CLW]

Andrew, I was just thinking the same thing

[UNCONSTITUTIONAL]

Don't you want all of those superbowl visitors to have a good time in Tampa ? Let 'em have fun, watch the game, spend money and if they can meet somebody and work out a deal just for the momen, then what is really the big deal ? They are not robbing banks. It is willing on both sides.

[Jamie]

To be a cop, what a thankless job. You guys ridicule these officers for doing their job, what a shame. Don't you know that with prostitutes comes drugs, comes violent crimes, comes human trafficking... Educate yourself before you blast off against an organization for doing their job which is to keep us safe. As for legalizing, why because it works so well for places that do have it legal??? You guys just sound like the kind that would have to pay for it and you are mad that you can't.

I do love the comment by the officer... sun rises in the East, and hookers come into town during the Super Bowl...

[Jen]

I agree - legalize it.
The people are consenting adults.

Legalize it; regulate it; collect taxes from it. Build brothels as certain areas of Nevada does.

[Brad]

As the great George Carlin once said, "selling is legal" F@#%ing is legal" so why isn't selling f$%#ing legal"

[john]

Jamie,

You may want to do a little research on the subject yourself. Places with legalized brothels so a reducation in drug use, stds and other crime typically associate with prostitution where it is illegal. The deal is that is is forced underground in areas where it is illegal. Where it is legal it becomes more profitable to remain legit and follow disease control regulations. A good place to begin to research is TN during the civil war. Ohh and nobody is taking bad about the individual officers during their jobs, just the administration the waste money on these operations for mere political gain.

[Tara]

Who cares? The cops should have more important things to worry about. It is a "victimless crime".

If it were legal think of the taxes the state would collect. Defer some of the high expenses of living in Florida.

Legalize it!

[Joe]

You can massage my arms, my legs, my back, my face, my feet, my chest, my neck, my hands, my shoulders, my temples, my knees, my elbows.....just don't touch my wee-wee. What a joke. Great use of the police force!

[Nunya]

Us Americans have it all backwards.

We should legalize and tax ALL consensual crimes and make organized religion illegal.

The religious right is nothing more than slavery, and it's tax-exempt.

In fact, more people have died in the name of religion than all the consensual crimes put together, several thousand times over.

Doesn't anyone see anything wrong with this picture?

[Brian]

See we don't need politicians to help "stimulate" the economy. Maybe if we stop arresting hookers we can get some money flowing back to the "working class".

[Nunya]

And another thing,

Don't attack police officers for doing their job of "enforcing the law".

The cops don't make the laws. Lawmakers make the laws. Keep electing religious fanatics as your leaders/lawmakers, and nothing will ever change.

I would rather they focus their efforts on real crime. What a joke.

[Chris]

Nunya,

i actually see not one comment attack the individual cops, only attacks that they have to be doing this, but I agree with you on the religion comment.

[Jamie]

Just to clarify my comments...

In a perfect world I would totally agree with what eveyone is saying. It makes perfect sense. Two consenting adults and a simple transaction. However, this is not a perfect world. Brothels aren't run by Dolly Parton with Burt Reynolds as the law... Most prostitutes are either forced into that line of work, runaways, or hard core drug addicts. Look at a rap sheet of a prostitute. Do you want these people on the street?

John, I will back off my original comment a little bit. Perhaps I came at the subject too hard. I do see everyone's point but it's too simplified. There is real crime associated with this. Also, if the cops did not enforce this you would see a hooker on every street corner... Not something I want to explain to my kid.

[Marla]

Or Jamie - you are making it too complicated. Have you researched legalized prostitution? Other places do not have that much of a problem with it.

[Nunya]

Jaime,

You need look no further than the farce we call "Prohibition" back in the early 20th century to see that your argument is ridiculous.

There is no "real crime associated with this". The only real crime is in the fact that we as Americans try and tell each other how to live our lives based on our own definition of morality (which is almost exclusively rooted in religion).

THAT is the "real" crime.

Why are alcohol and cigarettes legal but prositution and marijuana are not? Because someone in a position of power decided what is best for you based on their own beliefs.

Why do Catholic priests molest little boys and get off without even being arrested? That's not a crime?

The hypocrisy is simply stunning.

[John]

Jamie, I fully understand where you are coming from. However, the majority of the issues you have mention occur because prostitution is illegal. When this particular industry is regulated everything becomes more in the open. When in the open, regulators can frequently evaluate establishments (paid by the funds received from licensing fees). This ensure compliance with disease control methods, std testing, and even drug testing. This would also prevent underage girls and human trafficking from being involved (this is hardly seen in the porn industry which is highly regulated). Personally I don’t agree with prostitution, but I believe this is the only method that truly protects the public. Granted there will probably be a few groups that attempt to operate illegally in the underground, but most Johns would prefer the safety and health regulations offered by a legit regulated place.

[Jamie]

Boy I was coming around until I read Nunya's comments... First of all I am not coming at this from a religious perspective, just a practical one. The only timse I have been in a church is either at a wedding or a funeral. The only verse I know out of the bible is the one I memorized from Pulp Fiction... which incidentally is slightly fabricated...:)

I just cannot understand how you can say there is no real crime associated with this. That is crazy! First off, it exploits women. I usually don't get carried away in chats but since I am the minority on this I thought I would do some reading. 81% of the "legalized" prostitutes desperately try to escape it. Most women in legal brothels have been sexually assaulted as a child and suffer from mental issues. Legal brothels have just as much human trafficking as illegal.

As for the money savings or use of resources. Nevada reports a break even from the deal. Instead of cracking down on the hookers they spend their time on rezoning issue complaints. Because most people don't want an establishment in their neighborhood. Would you want one next to your house? Plus, since it's legal it's a lot easier to report a crime when it's committed. So cops are still involved from carried away Johns. As a result, tax payer money stays the same. No savings.

You know what I like about this Blog area... I can just go on and on... :) no word count.

Bottom line. You want some booty, go out an earn it. Paying for it is desperate and dangerous.

[john]

Give me a break with the "Police don't make the laws, they just enforce..." nonsense.

Pure Nonsense.

If that were true, there would be a lot more reckless driving and speeding tickets.

What a waste of taxpayers money.

[Chuck]

I tried to tell everyone yesterday that this place is a dumphole but no one believed me.

BOOMING NIGHTLIFE!

LOL!

[MD]

I'm thinking we have far more important issues to worry about. How about crooked politicians, economy, housing nightmare just to name a few.
Maybe look for parole vilolators instead. Legalize & tax maybe.

[Stud]

That chick is beat......is that even a chick?