Charlotte County, FL
Categories:
Tactics Used |
|
|---|---|
| Auto Seizure | ✓ |
| Buyer Arrests | ✓ |
| Cameras | ✓ |
| Community Service | ✓ |
| Employment Loss | ✓ |
| Identity Disclosure | ✓ |
| IT Based Tactics | ✓ |
| John School | ✓ |
| Letters | ✓ |
| License Suspension | ✓ |
| Neighborhood Action | ✓ |
| Public Education | ✓ |
| Reverse Stings | ✓ |
| SOAP Orders | ✓ |
| Web Stings | ✓ |
Charlotte County is a county of roughly 187,000 residents, located south of Sarasota on Florida’s western coast. It contains the communities of Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, among others. Commercial sex activity, often arranged online, has been reported in the county for years – particularly in storefront brothels such as massage businesses and nail salons. Minors have also been solicited for acts of paid sexual abuse by local adult residents.
In their efforts to curtail prostitution, local law enforcement has utilized some demand-reduction tactics. For example, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office conducted a small-scale, ad hoc reverse sting in 2007 after a female deputy working in an undercover capacity during an “anti-drug and anti-prostitution detail” at a county motel was approached by a man who thought she was a woman offering acts of prostitution. When the suspect solicited the officer for commercial sex, he was arrested by law enforcement. His name and other identifying information ran in local news reports following the sting.
In June 2015, CCSO deputies again targeted the county’s commercial sex market, conducting a sting operation.The logistical details of the operation were not disclosed to the public. Three sexually exploited persons and three sex buyers were arrested as a result of the operation; following their arrests, the CCSO assembled and released a large poster with all of the arrestees’ names, charges, and mugshots. Several local press outlets carried the screenshot of the poster.
Web-based reverse stings have occurred within the county. For example, in October 2016, eight men were arrested and charged after being caught in a prostitution sting conducted by Punta Gorda Police Department and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office at a Punta Gorda hotel. Law enforcement set up a dummy account on backpage.com and offered services; the men were arrested when they responded to the ad and negotiated to pay $50 for oral sex, and arrived at the arranged location to complete the transaction. One of the arrested sex buyers had a volunteer coaching position with North Port Youth Soccer and subsequently resigned from his position and any other affiliation with the league.
Key Partners
- Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office
- Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and Street Crimes Unit
- North Port Youth Soccer
Key Sources
Reverse Stings, Identity Disclosure:
- “Charlotte Police Beat; Motel Guest Snagged in Prostitution Sting,” Charlotte Sun, January 22 2007.
Web-Based Reverse Sting, Identity Disclosure:
Anti-Prostitution Investigations Leading to Sex Buyer Arrests, Identity Disclosure:
- “3 Men, 3 Women in Charlotte Prostitution Sting,” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, June 12 2015.
- “6 Accused of Solicitation of Prostitution in Charlotte County,” NBC/WBBH-TV 2, June 12 2015.
- “Prostitution Sting Nets 6 Arrests in Charlotte County,” ABC/WWSB-TV 7, June 13 2015.
Sex Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation in the Area:
- “Police Beat; Alleged Poolside Proposition Brings Arrest,” Charlotte Sun, September 30 2002.
- “Man Accused of Molesting Girl,” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, October 1 2002.
Background on Prostitution in the Area:
- “Woman Arrested for Prostitution,” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, March 2 1996.
- “Woman Is Arrested in Prostitution Case,” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, February 28 2000.
- “Prostitution Sting Nets Three Arrests,” Charlotte Sun, March 1 2008.
- “Attorney: Raids that Netted Alleged Prostitutes Illegal; Port Charlotte Business Targeted by Sting Hints at Lawsuit,” Charlotte Sun, March 6 2008.
- “Police Bust Suspected Prostitution House; Man Reportedly Advertised Services on Internet,” Charlotte Sun, November 16 2008.
- “Police: Internet not Safe Haven for Prostitution; Authorities Cracking down on Online Solicitation,” Charlotte Sun, November 23 2008.
- “Sting Leads to Growing Litany of Arrests,” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, February 28 2009.
- “North Port Police Beat; Suspected Prostitute Arrested,” Charlotte Sun, June 26 2009.
- “Charlotte Police Beat; North Port Man Faces Prostitution Charge,” Charlotte Sun, October 18 2009.
- “Prostitution Stings Net Several Arrests,” Englewood Sun, December 2 2010.
- “4 Prostitution Arrests at Health Spa,” Charlotte Sun, February 19 2011.
- “Venice Woman Arrested in Prostitution Sting,” Venice Gondolier Sun, July 2 2011.
- “MUGSHOTS: Two Women Arrested in Sting at Port Charlotte Massage Parlor Sensations,” Bonita Daily News, February 18 2012.
- “Two Arrested in Prostitution Sting,” Charlotte Sun, May 2 2012.
- “Punta: Four Arrested in Prostitution Sting,” Charlotte Sun, May 19 2012.
- “Prostitution Sting Nets 3 Arrests,” Charlotte Sun, August 30 2012.
- “Report: Man Advertised Girlfriend as Prostitute,” Charlotte Sun, September 5 2014.
- https://www.fox4now.com/dozen-arrested-in-port-charlotte-prostitution-sting (2016)
- https://www.news-press.com/charlotte-prostitution-sting-nets-12-arrests (2016)
- https://www.winknews.com/woman-arrested-for-prostitution-port-charlotte-massage-parlor/ (2018)
- https://news.yahoo.com/massage-parlor-employee-arrested-prostitution (2018)
- https://www.yoursun.com/could-sneak-and-peek-uncover-prostitution-here (2020)
- https://spotonflorida.com/local-massage-parlors-busted-for-prostitution.html (2023)
| State | Florida |
| Type | County |
| Population | 186847 |
| Location |
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