HESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - Nearly 60 peoplewere arrested for prostitution-related crimes during a three-day undercover operation, Chesterfield Police revealed in a statement Thursday morning.
Police said those charged ranged in age from 19 to 71 years old.
Police said the arrests were the result of a joint operation involving Chesterfield County detectives, Henrico County detectives and the FBI that went undercover, posing as buyers and sellers of sex.
They said the goal of the November-December operation was to "impact in the local human trafficking enterprise."
All 58 people arrested face prostitution or solicitation of prostitution charges. Nine also face a Use of a vehicle for solicitation of prostitution charge. Twelve face what police called "collateral charges."
However, many details of the bust are largely being kept a secret. [PHOTOS: Click here to see mug shots and a list of who was arrested]
"Most likely you will find them within prostitution and prostitution rings," said Sara Pomeroy, advocate for anti trafficking legislation.
Pomeroy was not surprised to learn that police charged John H. Hunter III of Chesterfield with pandering.
Officials said his case would be considered trafficking because he was arranging sexual exchanges for women and taking a cut of their earnings.
"Most of the time these victims of trafficking are lured in to..forced in to prostituting themselves," said Pomeroy.
Pomeroy believes the big bust can cause big problems for an operating ring. But more importantly than the large number of arrests, she said is the message it sends about how communities respond not just to prostitution, but to trafficking.
"If you can arrest one and really get a strong charge that sends a message to the rest to say this is not ok in our state," she said.
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