Crime & Safety

22 Arrested in Van Nuys Prostitution Sting

The arrests occur along Sepulveda Boulevard.

Nine men and 13 women were arrested as the result of a prostitution sting in Van Nuys on Thursday night, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. 

The arrests occurred along Sepulveda Boulevard, an area that has been a hot spot for prostitution for decades in part because of the cheap motels that line it. 

The operation comes on the heels of L.A. City Councilwoman Nury Martinez proposing the city seek better methods for curbing prostitution, beyond arresting sex workers who end up returning to the streets after a brief stint in jail. 

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Martinez said there is a "long history" of police and community members working together to tackle prostitution, but she is "exasperated by the reality that despite these best efforts over the years, it just isn't working."

"It's time for us to look at additional approaches and for additional legal tools in attacking this problem, targeting the sickening demand for prostitutes in the first place," she said.

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A council motion introduced by Martinez asks the police department and the city attorney to "report on strategies used to mitigate prostitution."

In four hours during the sting, officers arrested 19 for solicitation of prostitution, one person for Loitering for the purposes of prostitution, one person for lewd conduct, and one for the possession of methamphetamine, according to the LAPD.

 

Arin Mikailian contributed to this report


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