Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department's Operations-Valley Bureau Vice Units conducted a Prostitution Task Force, Friday, resulting in 17 arrests for prostitution and drugs.
On August 17, 2007, between the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., undercover female officers posed as prostitutes along Sepulveda Boulevard, attracting dozens of solicitors. At the conclusion of the task force, officers made 17 arrests for prostitution related crimes.
Prostitution has long been a problem along the Sepulveda Corridor in the San Fernando Valley. It has contributed to numerous quality of life crimes affecting local residents, businesses and visitors to the area.
According to Sergeant Alan Kreitzman from the Van Nuys Area Vice Unit, "These types of task forces target those who would solicit prostitutes, commonly known as "Johns," as well as those who work the streets as prostitutes." The efforts are one of the most effective enforcement tools used by law enforcement to curb the specific crime of prostitution, and associated crimes such as homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assaults. The following is a list of those arrested during the operation and their charges:
NAME AGE CITY OF RESIDENCE CHARGE
Mohseni, Ramin 42 Canoga Park 647(b) PC
Leonard, Deanna 20 Los Angeles 647(b) PC
Cabrera, Fernando 27 Simi Valley 647(b) PC
Mendez, Ernesto 23 New Hall 647(b) PC
Hernandez, Omar 26 Pacoima 647(b) PC
Guzman, Henry 30 Los Angeles 11350H&S
Blan, Christina 28 Lancaster 647(b) PC
Villavicencio, Uber 24 Van Nuys 647(b) PC
Belton, Felcia 26 Imperial Beach 653.22 PC
Barahona, Erick 25 Van Nuys 647(b) PC
Canuqueo, Roberto 26 North Hollywood 647(b) PC
Reyes, Lisa 45 Van Nuys 647(b) PC
Cruz, Michael 51 Sedona 647(b) PC
Curran, John 66 Saugus 647(a) PC
Fujii, Dennis 63 Santa Clarita 647(b) PC
Karakashyan, Zograb 48 Van Nuys 647(b) PC
Abrahamyan, Rustam 21 Van Nuys 647(b) PC
Anyone with questions or information may contact Sergeant Kreitzman at 818-756-8385.
More outstanding work by the LAPD...well done! I hope to share positive stories like this. I wonder if other officers out there might like to share their heroic and exemplary work?
Posted by: SDL | August 22, 2007 at 07:11 PM
Interesting to see the wide range of ages of the guys arrested. From 21-66 maybe we need to have locations to practice the oldest profession. Prostitution is never going to be stopped, even so called christian conservatives use the services of prostitues. If it were legal these guys would go there and not look in the streets. No demand on the streets means no prostitues on the streets.
Posted by: don | August 27, 2007 at 06:53 AM