Montco DA Hoping 'John' Stings Will Cut Down on Prostitution in County
By Brad Segall
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- There's an effort underway in Montgomery County, Pa. to crack down on the illegal sex trade and its potential link to human trafficking.
Prosecutors say prostitution leads to other crimes such as drug sales, robberies, and assaults. Now, county detectives will team up with police in Upper Merion and Montgomery townships to conduct undercover "sting" operations targeting the "johns" of prostitutes.
Montgomery County DA Risa Ferman (top photo) tells KYW Newsradio she hopes it will act as a deterrent "if people know that there is a possibility that they will get more than a summary citation, that they will be arrested -- it will be a public arrest (and) they might in fact be embarrassed by what they've done if it is known publicly."
She says the plan includes identifying the johns and releasing their pictures.
The King of Prussia and Montgomeryville areas were chosen because of the number of hotels and motels in those areas which, authorities say, are bases of operation for these illegal activities.