Hookers go hi-tech, advertise on Craigslist
By George Gardner
Today’s hi-tech prostitutes are leaving the streets, and turning to the Internet to find their next ‘John.’ A recent prostitution sting in Chicago, Illinois, uncovered many hookers who used Craigslist, the popular online classifieds service, to advertise their special services.
Cook County Sheriff, Thomas J. Dart, participated in a 4 month prostitution sting where over 250 people were arrested, many of which were caught through their own advertisements on Craigslist.
“We have two types of prostitution,” Dart said, ”We have street prostitution and we have a very sophisticated ongoing process on the Internet.”
Thomas J. Dart and his men searched through Craigslist, finding ads for services such as “special massages,” most of which would be accompanied by photographs of the women, in little to no clothes at all.
An undercover investigator would then contact the women, and arrange to meet at a Chicagoland hotel where they would be offered money for performing sexual acts. Once the women agreed, they were arrested.
According to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, the majority of the Craigslist arrests were from out-of-state hookers, some who would fly to Chicago, to meet their Johns, before flying back home.
“There was a desire to conduct these activities away from their hometown,” said Dart. “Most would come here and stay for a month and then go back.”
The police report noted that the Internet prostitutes were charging between $150 and $300 per hour, well above the going street rate. (so we hear)
Sheriff Dart pledges to not just stop at these arrests, but to make these activities known, hoping Craigslist will take the initiative to better police its site.
“We are sending Craigslist a letter detailing what we found,” Dart said.
However, Craigslist representative, Susan MacTavish Best, responded saying, “All illegal activity is banned by our terms of use, nor is it welcome on the site. Do remember that escort services are perfectly legal, and that the line between an escort ad and a prostitution ad is gray and somewhat non-intuitive.”
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April 5th, 2008
stupid fascist cops and moralistic news media reports– why is this news? why does anybody care?
March 28th, 2009
Coming from Germany where prostitution is not only legal but considered no big deal, I have to laugh at the way Americans think about prostitution. Why don’t you go back to the Middle Ages? Let’s burn prostitutes at the stake…
YES – I agree with the previous comment…Why does anybody care? In Germany we see prostitutes and their customers as ordinary human beings who deserve respect like everyone else – not as criminals.