According to the Pocono Record and The Morning Call, on January 13, 2017, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office conducted a prostitution sting that resulted in 18 arrests for crimes relating to human sex trafficking and prostitution. Two of the women arrested appear to have been identified as sex trafficking victims. It was reported that the sting occurred at the Quality Inn Hotel on West Main Street in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
Several law enforcement agencies including the Pennsylvania State Police, Wayne County DA Detectives, Bethlehem Township Police and Colonial Regional Police took part in the sting. An “undercover room” was set up with audio and video surveillance and with an undercover police officer acting as a sex buyer. The officers responded to ads on the Internet including ads on Craigslist and Backpage.com (see our recent updates on Backpage.com litigation here).
As a result of the sting, alleged traffickers 32-year-old Darrel Wilson and 28-year-old Devereaux Rowlette, both of Mount Vernon, NY, and 24-year-old Samuel Stewart of East Stroudsburg, PA, were arrested and charged with trafficking of individuals (18 Pa.C.S. § 3011) and promoting prostitution (18 Pa.C.S. § 5902). Wilson and Stewart were also charged with involuntary servitude (18 Pa.C.S. § 3012). Furthermore, two adult women were arrested for promoting prostitution (18 Pa.C.S. § 5902).
In addition, two women were also arrested for prostitution, although their identities remain protected because they have been identified as victims of sex trafficking The victims were cared for and taken to a safe house run by Truth For Women, a non-profit organization that provides restorative care for sexually exploited women.
As the CSE Institute has previously reported, the most effective way to police this issue of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation is through demand driven law enforcement tactics. We applaud the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office and the law enforcement agencies that assisted in arresting nine alleged sex buyers for patronizing a prostituted person (18 Pa.C.S. § 5902) during this sting: 46-year-old Karam Abuolba of Tobyhanna, PA, 35-year-old Christian Gaca of Tobyhanna, PA, 36-year-old Jonathan Garcia of Tobyhanna, PA, 28-year-old Eugene Groller of Bangor, PA, 20-year-old Danny Mohammed of Stroudsburg, PA, 54-year-old Keith Ream of Reading, PA, 32-year-old Timothy Trebilcock of Bushkill, PA, 59-year-old Thomas Trexler of Bethlehem, PA and 56-year-old Clint Weiss of Cresco, PA.
We are further encouraged by the fact that the police recognized and identified the two victims of sex trafficking. Although, we are discouraged that their policing tactics resulted in the arrests of the two victims and two additional women charged with prostitution (18 Pa.C.S. § 5902). Contrary to the “Sex Still Sells” editorial on the Pocono Record, prostitution is not a “profession” someone freely chooses. Prostituted persons have historically been victims of sexual exploitation. They have little choice in selling sex and often do it simply to survive. Furthermore, they are sexually abused and coerced to sell sex.
In light of this, it is imperative to reiterate that those who buy sex create demand for commercial sex. In turn, sex traffickers recognize this demand and exploit vulnerable women and girls for their financial benefit their own pockets. Therefore, law enforcement operations which target sex buyers are the most effective deterrent of commercial sexual exploitation.