Five males were arrested when sheriff’s deputies conducted an undercover John sting designed to fight prostitution from the “demand side” in Artesia, authorities said.
Members of the sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau with additional resources from the sheriff’s Custody Division as well as the District Attorney’s Office set up shop at Pioneer Boulevard and the Artesia (91) Freeway at noon on Tuesday, according to Deputy Ryan Rouzan.
Two males were arrested Wednesday almost immediately for prostitution-based offenses.
Soon after the operation began, the undercover detectives were aggressively approached by three men who said they were pimps. After some subsequent hostile dialogue, the three were arrested for pandering and attempted robbery of an undercover detective.
It was discovered that two of the three men arrested were wanted by Clovis police on an outstanding robbery warrant and the other on a burglary warrant.
The sheriff’s department is working with Clovis police to learn more about the suspects’ involvement in the sex trafficking industry, Rouzan said.
—City News Service