St. George, UT
Categories:
Tactics Used |
|
---|---|
Reverse stings | ✓ |
Shaming | ✓ |
Auto seizure | ✓ |
Community service | ✓ |
Public education | ✓ |
Neighborhood action | ✓ |
SOAP orders | ✓ |
John school | ✓ |
Letters | ✓ |
Cameras | ✓ |
Web stings | ✓ |
License suspension | ✓ |
St. George is a city of approximately 76,000 residents, located in southwest Utah’s Washington County. Prostitution and sex trafficking (include child sex trafficking) are problems known to exist in the city, and to reduce local commercial sex activity, the St. George Police Department has conducted several reverse stings both at street-level and using the web. In November 2010, one such operation resulted in the arrest of nine johns, whose names and other identifying information were not released to the public. By contrast, following reverse stings in October 2013 and June 2014, the SGPD and Washington County Drug Task Force released the names and mugshots of all of the men they arrested.
The fight against child sex trafficking and exploitation continued in St. George, with arrests being made in September 2020. The operation took place after community members made reports to law enforcement of online advertisements promoting the trafficking of children. The investigation was led by the Dixie State University Police Department with supporting team members from the St. George Police Department, FBI, and Homeland Security. After being made aware of the advertisement, law enforcement set up a web-based reverse sting with the 135 offenders who had reached out. Ultimately, 12 individuals were arrested, ranging in ages from 19 to over 70. As in previous cases, the names and ages of the perpetrators were released to the public in addition to the charges they face. Looking towards the future, law enforcement thanked the community for being so diligent and urged them to remember that child sex trafficking is still a prevalent issue in the county.
Key Partners
- St. George Police Department
- Washington County Drug Task Force
- Dixie State University Police Department
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Homeland Security
Key Sources
- Reverse Stings:
- “St. George Prostitution Roundup Nets 11”, Salt Lake Tribune, June 9 2008.
- “Nine Arrested for Prostitution”, St. George News, January 16 2011.
- “Recent Prostitution Sting Nets Mostly Non-Residents”, St. George News, January 16 2011.
- “Officials Battle Trafficking in S. Utah”, St. George Spectrum, September 13 2013.
- “Cedar City Men Arrested on Prostitution Solicitation Charges”, St. George Spectrum, November 4 2013.
- “Two Cedar City Men Arrested in Prostitution Sting”, St. George News, November 5 2013.
- “9 Arrested for Prostitution Patronage”, St. George News, June 28 2014.
- Web Stings:
- Sex Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation in the Area:
- “Prostitution Sting: Four Adults, One Juvenile Arrested”, St. George News, August 24 2013.
- “5 Arrested in St. George Prostitution Sting, Including 17-Year-Old Girl”, Deseret News, August 25 2013.
- “Police Arrest 4 Adults, Teen in Prostitution Sting”, Las Vegas Sun, August 26 2013.
- “17-Year-Old Girl Among Those Arrested in St. George Prostitution Sting”, FOX/KSTU-TV 13, August 25 2013.
- “Charges Added in Human Trafficking Sting; Juvenile Victim”, St. George News, August 27 2013.
- “SGPD: Juvenile ‘Intimidated’ into Prostitution”, St. George Spectrum, August 27 2013.
- “Prostitution Suspects Also Accused of Drug Activity”, NBC/KSL-TV 5, August 28 2013.
- “Officials Battle Trafficking in S. Utah”, St. George Spectrum, September 13 2013.
- “Two Accused of Human Trafficking, Exploiting Prostitute Plead Not Guilty to Charges”, St. George News, October 23 2013.
- “Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty to Human Trafficking”, Salt Lake City Tribune, June 17 2014.
- “Court Seeks to Clear Confusion over Prostitution Case”, St. George Spectrum, June 25 2014.
- https://www.abc4.com/news/top-stories/uncover-sting-operation-in-st-george-leads-to-12-arrests-on-suspicion-of-child-trafficking-sexual-exploitation/ (2020)
- Background on Prostitution in the Area:
- “Three Nabbed in St. George Prostitution Raid Appear in Court”, Salt Lake Tribune, June 17 2008.
- “St. George Prostitution Ring Defendant Changes Plea to Guilty”, Salt Lake Tribune, July 8 2008.
- “Southern Prostitution Ring Members Plead Guilty”, Deseret News, July 16 2008.
- “Three Arrested in St. George on Prostitution Charges”, St. George News, October 11 2010.
State | Utah |
Type | City |
Population | 71161 |
Location |
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