PROVO β Nine men, ranging in age from 22 to 58, were recently arrested in Provo for trying to solicit the services of a prostitute, police say. On May 6 and 7, Provo officers posted a phony ad on Craigslist and Backpage advertising sex for money. The ad was allegedly from an out-of-state woman who said she would be visiting Provo and would meet with those wanting to "have a good time," said Provo Police Capt.
Cliff Argyle. Two undercover female officers made 11 appointments for a four- to five-hour window on May 7, but only nine men showed up offering to pay for sex, Argyle said. The men β from Park City down to Santaquin and from blue-collar to professional β were all arrested and cited with a class B misdemeanor of patronizing a prostitute. Some of the men told police it was their first time participating in the illegal activity, while others admitted to previous solicitations, Argyle said.
The sting was the result of officers in the Community Oriented Policing division noticing several scandalous Internet ads directing interested parties to Provo. This is Provo's first prostitution sting in a while, the captain said, but because of the growing number of Utah County ads, Provo officers will be doing more in the future.
Published: May 15, , a. By Sara Israelsen-Hartley. Join the Conversation. Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them β or use the button below for quick access.
