Fishkill, NY

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Tactics Used
Auto Seizure ✓
Buyer Arrests ✓
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Community Service ✓
Employment Loss ✓
Identity Disclosure ✓
IT Based Tactics ✓
John School ✓
Letters ✓
License Suspension ✓
Neighborhood Action ✓
Public Education ✓
Reverse Stings ✓
SOAP Orders ✓
Web Stings ✓

Fishkill is a village of approximately 2,000 residents, located roughly 30 miles north of New York City, in Dutchess County, NY.  Prostitution and sex trafficking activity have been well-documented in the city and surrounding communities, and in unincorporated areas of Dutchess County. This activity and the ancillary crimes it generates result in complaints to law enforcement agencies from residents and businesses. Among the more serious problems associated with commercial sex in the area include child sex trafficking. For example, in November 2012, arrests were made after a nine month investigation into the sex trafficking of a child in New York, including New York City, Utica, Rome, Albany, Fishkill, Herkimer, and Oneida, as well as in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, Virginia, and Connecticut. Troopers say the investigation focused on all aspects of the sex trafficking trade, including the traffickers, the facilitators, and the individuals purchasing sex acts with the victim. According to state police, the criminal organization was lead by a brother and sister who used Backpage.com to advertise and sell sex with the child. The investigation was led by the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations in Marcy. The Utica City Police Department Metro Unit, New York State Police in Fulton, Hastings, Pulaski, and the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office all assisted with this investigation. The victim has been offered services through the Oneida County Child Advocacy Center.

In January 2015, New York State Police, Village of Fishkill Police, and the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, teamed up and charged six women with promoting prostitution in the Village of Fishkill. All were allegedly advertising on Backpage.com and offering sex in exchange for money. All six women were charged with fourth-degree promoting prostitution; one also had an active bench warrant for her arrest and was subsequently turned over to the Wallkill Police Department. In 2017, State Police arrested a 26-year-old Fishkill woman on child endangerment charges. Troopers responded to the report of a three year old child found unattended in a hotel parking lot, and the mother was found an hour later in a different hotel. The child was released to other family members.

In April 2022, Town police joined with New York State Troopers to combat prostitution and other illegal activities at a Fishkill hotel. The joint operation resulted in five arrests at a hotel on West Merritt Boulevard in the Westage Center. The five subjects were arrested for a variety of crimes including prostitution and multiple counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance.  Fishkill Police Chief told Mid-Hudson News “We know prostitution is not a victimless crime and is often financially intertwined with sex trafficking, drug trafficking, violent crimes, and sexual assault,” adding “The Town of Fishkill Police and New York State Police have an excellent working relationship and together are committed to investigating and holding accountable anyone who victimizes our residents, their families, and friends.” The Chief also noted that his agency has been monitoring the area hotels for illegal behavior such as prostitution, and provided data to bring awareness to the problem.  According to the chief, prostitution is commonly associated with human trafficking and illegal drug activity; it is not a victimless crime, ninety-five percent of sex trafficking victims are women or children. As part of this initiative, arrestees were interviewed to evaluate their safety, potential victimization in human trafficking and provide resources to improve their situation.

To combat prostitution and sex trafficking in the area, local law enforcement agencies have targeted consumer-level demand for commercial sex, which provides the revenue stream driving all commercial sex and trafficking. For example, in 1985, a 27-year-old East Fishkill man was arrested on fourth degree patronizing prostitution following an investigation of several residential complaints to local law enforcement. According to reports, the man had allegedly placed an advertisement in the Poughkeepsie Journal offering rooms for rent, females only, and when prospective tenants arrived, the sex buyer told the women that the rooms were available to rent in exchange for “sexual favors.” Upon refusal, the man would attempt to solicit the women by offering them money in exchange for sex. The identity of the arrested sex buyer was included in reports by local media outlets.

In July 2018, New York State Police from the Wappinger barracks in conjunction with the Troop K Computer Crimes Unit, arrested a man for patronizing a prostitute in the 3rd degree, a class A misdemeanor.

Key Partners

  • Village of Fishkill Police
  • New York State Police
  • Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office
State New York
Type City
Population 2014
Location
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