4 girls found in police raid of prostitution ring

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Jim Walsh

The Arizona Republic

Phoenix police raided a Mesa hotel Thursday and broke up a child prostitution ring involving four under-aged girls, and one who recently turned 18.

The big break occurred when a Phoenix patrol sergeant spotted a 15-year-old girl on a street corner at 1 a.m. at 27th Avenue and McDowell Road, suspected she might be a prostitute and stopped her, said Sgt. Joel Tranter, a police spokesman.

The girl told police that her pimp was driving in the area, monitoring her actions, he said. Detectives later arrested Deon Richerson, 25, of California, and accused him of child prostitution.

At 8 a.m., police raided the Homestead Studio Suites near Dobson Road and U.S. 60 with a SWAT team smashing a window. They found three more girls involved in the ring, Tranter said. The girls included two 15-year-olds, a 17-year-old and a woman who turned 18 two weeks ago. One girl is from Oregon and the other three are from California.

Lt. Bill Schemers, a vice unit detective, said the girls were relieved to see police.

"You could see it in her eyes, save me," Schemers said about the 18-year-old's reaction. "The older girl, you could see it in her eyes, the pain of being involved in this. I'm happy for her. I think we did her a favor today."

Police believe the ring set up on New Year's Day in the Mesa hotel room, but the girls performed sex acts at other locations. Police were told they came to Phoenix because there was too much heat from authorities in Las Vegas.

But more than likely, the ring also moved to the Valley to work the college football bowl games and the upcoming Super Bowl in February, Tranter said.

Schemers said police plan to form a prostitution task force two weeks before the Super Bowl, knowing that prostitutes work a circuit, going from one major venue to another.

"The main focus is to get some of these young girls off the street," he said. "There are johns out there looking for young girls. The pimps get more money. There's a demand."

Pimps can sometimes get double the money for underaged girls, Schemers said. All four were runaways enticed into prostitution, a common technique used by pimps.

"The girls, they want to be adults. They think these guys will take them to a better life," Schemers said. "They're brainwashed" after an adult tells them they're attractive and starts buying them clothes and other nice things.

Police are investigating two possible accomplices that may have been involved in the ring and additional arrests are possible, Tranter said.

"This is a pretty good-sized operation. We were fortunate that we were able to stop it so quickly," Schemers said. "They were here for less than a day."

http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/ar...prostitute.html

[mawilson 2,133]

Nothing wrong with prostitution, or 15-17-year-old prostitutes.

[Peikko 1,575]

Well, not if they get the money they earn. Of course, they don't though do they?

[mawilson 2,133]

Well, not if they get the money they earn. Of course, they don't though do they?

They wouldn't be working if they didn't.

[Peikko 1,575]

Wrong, they are abused by the pimps, they don't see jack shite of the money they earn.

[mawilson 2,133]

Wrong, they are abused by the pimps, they don't see jack shite of the money they earn.

Stereotypes.

[Peikko 1,575]

Ok, but that's all I know. I seriously doubt that a young hooker is getting all the dollars though, and the article is all about the pimps. Heck, I don't know anything about prostitutes really. Do you?

[mawilson 2,133]

Ok, but that's all I know. I seriously doubt that a young hooker is getting all the dollars though, and the article is all about the pimps. Heck, I don't know anything about prostitutes really. Do you?

almaty used to be a pimp - we should ask him

[Peikko 1,575]

Almaty! Settle this.

[natty bumppo 297]

Ok, but that's all I know. I seriously doubt that a young hooker is getting all the dollars though, and the article is all about the pimps. Heck, I don't know anything about prostitutes really. Do you?

Must have been one ... since ... that's all you know

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I seriously doubt that a young hooker is getting all the dollars though...

A pimp is like a broker. Brokers take cuts.

[almaty 19]

Almaty! Settle this.

the hooker usually gets a small amount of funds..locked in an account by the pimp..of course, the pimp provides all the drugs..etoh./.and housing..food clothes for her..so, the $ is low...

also. pimping ain't easy

Edited January 4, 2008 by almaty

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

If they've any savvy call ladies get tips that they hide in their flower, but they are so dependent and brainwashed on their pimps they usually turn it over and the cycle continues.