12 WA men arrested in Kent prostitution sting

KENT, Wash. - Kent police announced the arrests of 12 men in a recent prostitution sting.

What we know:

Police said investigators posed as a pimp and made contact with the suspects online, arranging in-person meetups.

Once the suspects arrived at the meetup location, a local hotel, they were taken into custody. Police also impounded the cars the suspects used to get there.

The arrested suspects include:

• A 55-year-old Kent man
• A 48-year-old Ruston man
• A 42-year-old Seattle man
• A 31-year-old Kent man
• A 23-year-old Joint Base Lewis-McChord man
• A 52-year-old Sammamish man
• A 38-year-old Federal Way man
• A 29-year-old Seattle man
• A 53-year-old Seattle man
• A 49-year-old Federal Way man
• A 38-year-old Tacoma man
• A 44-year-old Covington man

In one arrest, police said the suspect fled from an arresting officer, but was unable to get through the unlocked exit door. He had priors from crimes involving a minor, according to Kent PD.

Dig deeper:

Police said prostitution and human trafficking go hand in hand, and the operation aimed to combat the demand for the commercial sex industry.

Kent Police also provided several resources for victims of human trafficking, including The Genesis Project, Seattle Organization for Prostitution Survivors (OPS), and Real Escape from the Sex Trade (REST).

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