25 women accused in sex sting
By Christy Gutowski Daily Herald Legal Affairs Writer
Posted December 13, 2003
Posing as out-of-town businessmen or just misunderstood husbands looking for sex, police from across DuPage County arrested more than two dozen women during a prostitution sting.

Led by the sheriff's vice unit, officers set up simultaneous stings earlier this week at a half dozen hotels with the goal of shutting down the local sex trade - albeit for only a day.

Police arrested 25 women on prostitution charges Wednesday in hotels in Addison, Lisle, Naperville, Westmont and Willowbrook. The women are accused of offering to perform a sex act for money.

Sheriff's Detective Lt. Mark Edwalds said undercover officers made appointments with escorts from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The rendezvous were set up at staggered times. Most of the women live in Chicago, but a few listed suburban addresses.

It's more difficult for police to identify the women's employers since the escort services market their wares using only telephone numbers on Internet sites or in newspaper and magazine ads.

"They can be run out of a person's basement or literally out of a car," Edwalds said. "It's very difficult to track them much further because the girls aren't going to talk."

The escorts have grown wise to such undercover clampdowns and often require a name, address and phone number to verify a potential customer is who he claims. They also may demand a driver's license or credit card as proof when they arrive for the date.

At some point in the sting, police always expect word to get out among the escort groups about the arrests. The escorts use the Internet and wireless communications to notify each other. This investigation wasn't too hampered, Edwalds said, because their cover wasn't blown until late in the day.

Five local police departments joined sheriff's officials in the sting, including officers in Addison, Lisle, Naperville, Westmont and Willowbrook. About 30 officers took part in the crackdown.

The sting was set up by Sheriff John Zaruba's intelligence, vice and organized crime unit. The unit typically organizes similar stings each year. Authorities also regularly police exotic massage parlors that advertise "adult services." Police said their goal is to send a message that escorts and other sex trades aren't welcome in DuPage County.

"We want them to know what they're doing is illegal," Edwalds said, "and that we're out there looking for them."

Names of only 16 of the 25 women were available Friday. Charged with prostitution are (NAMES DELETED)

30 officers involved? wow. What a waste of our dollars.

I would think that LE would be glad that the industry has 'taken to the internet' - so more is OFF the street! I can see not wanting SW's, the eyesore of the industry parading the streets for all to see. But, c'mon! Two consenting adults doing what normal people do when they 'date' and making such an issue over it, is frankly embarrassing.

I wonder how many 'sensible' cops out there are embarrassed by the department's involvement in this? I know I would be!

"But, c'mon! Two consenting adults doing what normal people do when they 'date' and making such an issue over it, is frankly embarrassing."

But it will never change until enough voters are willing to stand up and say publicly that they want prostitution legalized. And that means writing letters, testifying at public hearings, and even putting up with the inevitable question of "Have you ever..." Right now, whenever the argument comes up, it's dominated by those who, for whatever reason, want to keep it illegal.

And it's not that far-fetched. Here in Los Angeles, the City Council was forced to repeal that ridiculous ban on lap-dancing because enough people were raising a stink and signing a petition to get a repeal measure on the ballot. But, the main question remains: how many people are willing to stand up and say "leagalize it?"

--b.

I think that if it was legal the excitement level would be affected. There's some Thrill to this Biz! Just because it is legal, is not going to make your SO feel any better about it!
Do you think that she is going to accept it, because it is legal?
Hell No!


I think that the best thing would be to decriminalize it
and NOT make it legal, the goverment doesn't need another thing to stick their hands in. Plus, I think it would lose alot of its appeal if legal. IMO of course.
 

-- Modified on 12/13/2003 6:38:27 PM

I'll never understand - spend $300 on jewelry and get laid and everything's cool, but give the girl cash instead of a bracelet and you're both criminals.

We just had a Federal prosecutor murdered in PA last week. LE still has not solved the crime or made any arrests. But yet (FBI) was going after that brothel in New Orleans. Truth be told they should have been protecting this poor fellow (and US Citizens) instead of going after the Brothal on 9/11/2001.

-- Modified on 12/13/2003 7:07:08 PM

Reid no screening take place? Anyone know? (eom)

One of my regular providers was busted.  They used a legit tow truck service as a place of employement and had the business owner verify that the officer worked there.  This happened in cook county in Hillside so I don't know if it was the same sting or different.  They busted about 20 girls at the extended stay in Hillside.

'Sensiblity' and 'embarrassment' go south after the brainwashing is put into place. As with any quasi-military institution individual thought is frowned upon and the
Goose-step is status quo'

Janet Reno and Bill Clinton didn't.

…When I first saw your post, I guess I was thinking of something else…

Too much champagne today, with two beautiful women….just what weekends were made for!

SM

-- Modified on 12/14/2003 11:40:35 PM

I agree, legalization is the right thing to do.

'But, the main question remains: how many people are willing to stand up and say "leagalize it?"'

That's the tricky part: it is difficult to stand up in public for this specific issue.  Conviction isn't enough; it takes courage.

My approach is to evangelize the general case: try to get people to think about why they have government at all (there are some good reasons, after all).  Then maybe they will start to think about all the things that government does, which go beyond its purpose.  (We delegate much more power to it, than we can justify.)  Prohibiting activities for which there is no unconsenting or misinformed victim, is one of those things that really sticks out like a sore thumb.

Another approach is to talk about equity and fairness in inter-personal relationships.  Point out to people that these things exist (or rather, should exist) in conventional civilian dating and marriage relationships.  Then hint that the specific terms are, of course, always negotiable, as long as both parties know what they're getting into.  The stigma of prostitution may keep me from having the courage to defend it in public, but a guy 20 years younger, whose has these ethics more ingrained in his intuition and subconscious, might not harbor the stigma at all.  But only if he or she starts thinking about fairness issues at an early age.

I guess what I'm saying is, teach philosophy and ethics to young people.  Eventually, they'll start voting.  It's probably too late for our own generations.

I know, it's an almost impossible mission.