Pascagoula, MS

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

Pascagoula is a city of about 22,000 residents, situated in Mississippi’s Jackson County along the Gulf Coast near Gulfport and Biloxi. Prostitution has been identified by police and others as a local concern, and there have been cases of sex trafficking in the area. A serial killer of prostituted women has also operated in the city.

The Pascagoula Police Department has conducted street-level reverse stings using undercover officers in areas known for prostitution, in an effort to reduce consumer-level demand. These operations have been conducted since at least 1999, if not earlier. Arrested sex buyers have had their identities reported in the media, and may face fines and/or potential jail time.

Key Partners

  • Pascagoula Police Department

Key Sources

Street-Level Reverse Stings:

  • “16 Men Charged with Prostitution during Sting, Most Pay Fines,” Biloxi Sun Herald, February 28 1999.
  • “Prostitution Sting in Pascagoula Nabs 9 Men,” Biloxi Sun Herald, April 11 2008.
  • “Prostitution Sting Nets 9 Arrests,” Pascagoula Mississippi Press, April 12 2008.
  • “Prostitution Sting Nets 9 Arrests, Undercover Officers Were Bait,” Biloxi Sun Herald, April 12 2008.

Sex Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation in the Area:

  • “Police Say Mom Tried to Sell Daughter for Sex,” Biloxi Sun Herald, June 16 1995.

Background on Prostitution in the Area:

Documented Violence Against Individuals Engaged in Prostitution in the Area:

State Mississippi
Type City
Population 21849
Location
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