Two Arrested In Valley West Prostitution Sting

Friday, August 16, 2013

 

Ashley Winfrey

Ashley Winfrey

 

City of Arcata

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ARCATA POLICE DEPARTMENT CONDUCTS PROSTITUTION STING

On Thursday, Aug. 15, officers from the Arcata Police Department conducted a prostitution sting operation in the Valley West area.

Prostitution has become a problem for Valley West motels and the Arcata Police Department has received requests to assist with abatement.

Prostitution has brought a variety of criminal activity into our community.  Armed robberies and weapon possession cases have been attributed to prostitutes and suspected pimps at our local motels.  

 

 

Patrice Denham

Patrice Denham

The Arcata Police Department has also seen a correlation between traveling prostitutes and the trafficking of controlled substances such as large quantities of marijuana as well as heroin and methamphetamine.

During the operation undercover officers contacted prostitutes who were using the internet to advertise.  A meeting was arraigned and when the prostitutes solicited the officer, they were arrested.

Patrice Weems, 23 of Eureka and Ashley Winfrey, 22 of Eureka were both arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of 647(b) PC, Prostitution.

According to the HCSO, Weems was booked under the name Patrice Denham.

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