Escorts in San Diego get "Stung" by Vice from their Craigslist ads.


Original Story from San Diego Fox News 6
11/3/05

Everyday, millions of people log onto Craigslist, looking for
everything from apartments and jobs, to jewelry and cars. But now,
there is a growing number of people logging on for sex. 

FOX6 went undercover with the San Diego Police Vice Unit to get an
inside look as they target these online escorts / prostitutes and
their "cyberpimps." 

On that night, the eight detectives were at a downtown hotel. The
set-up there was realistic. There were clothes in the closet, a
toothbrush in the bathroom, and beer on the table. One thing out of
place, and the operation would be blown. 


“That’s how sharp these girls are. If they even sense something is
out of place or not right, they will leave. The escorts use all sorts
of things to help them determine that the call they are going on is
legitimate and safe. They call the hotel to make sure the name we've
given them over the phone is the same name that the room is
registered to," explains Vice Sgt. Lynda Oberlies. "They'll check
doors, they'll pick up pillows and mattresses. They check
everywhere." 

So the cat and mouse game is on. Hidden in that room is a
highly-sensitive voice recorder. It allows detectives in the room
next door to listen to everything said between the alleged prostitute
and the cop posing as a John. 

Once money is exchanged, and sex is offered, the woman is handcuffed
and placed under arrest for prostitution. One 28-year old woman
arrested in the vice sting told detectives she was selling her body
to pay for cosmetology school. 

Another gal said she had a lot of friends and family that were out
there, stripping and things like that. Some had pimps, and they all
had nice things.  “I was trying to get nice things, too." 

But those "nice things" come at a price. "We hear men have held guns
to their heads, they've choked them, and they've tied them up and
left them, robbed them, raped them, hell just wasting their time and
not showing up is a blessing compared to what some gals go through
said one detective.


Detectives say most women selling themselves on Craigslist have
"cyberpimps.and the pimps are so blatant about their ad offerings it
makes setting them up in a sting like taking candy from a baby." 

Both women arrested at the sting denied having pimps, and they both
received misdemeanor citations. They were allowed to walk out of the
hotel that night. 

Vice says many of these women often begin posting again on Craigslist
the very next day. Detectives say that is what makes Craigslist so
popular for online prostitution. It is free, anyone can post, and
there is very little regulation. The girls in fact, they say the
postings are protected by the First Amendment.