10 arrested for soliciting prostitutes
Editor's Note: One of the men charged, Kenneth Ray Previs, has since been found Not Guilty by the Colonial Heights General District Court. That case is currently in the process of being expunged.
COLONIAL HEIGHTS - Ten men have been arrested for soliciting prostitution in the Southpark area as a result of an ad placed online by police investigators. Colonial Heights Police Chief Jeffrey Faries said that the arrests were part of an operation that had been going on for a few months.
The arrests, which occurred on April 28, were made at businesses serving the Southpark area. Faries said that the department became aware of the issue after a series of four prostitution arrests in 2013. One of the 2013 arrests was made in the back lot of a Southpark business where an 18-wheeler was parked.
But Faries said that the city doesn't have the problem of prostitution being out on its streets.
"We discovered that there were probably escort services being advertised for the city of Colonial Heights on the internet," he said. "You don't have that in this city. [The arrests in 2013] made us think that the internet has brought this trade into our community."
Faries said that investigators found a number of online posts advertising prostitution in the area.
He said that in cases of online prostitution, those who place the ads often stay in a city for a short time before moving to another locality.
"There's no evidence that we have active prostitutes in the city of Colonial Heights, but they are trying to provide their trade here," Faries said.
He said that police also worked with local businesses in the city beyond the Southpark area to find offenders.
"Our business partners were very helpful. They said that we don't want this activity happening in or around our business. They welcomed us and allowed us to be there," he said.
Faries said that the Prince George County Police Department, as well as the Colonial Heights Commonwealth Attorney's office, assisted the special operations unit of the Colonial Heights Police Department with the investigations.
He said that this wouldn't be the only operation targeting prostitution in the city.
"We are going to be doing these things from time to time," Faries said. "If you are going to answer this ad in the city of Colonial Heights there's a good chance you may be arrested."
Those charged with solicitation of prostitution include: Quamane R. Allen, 24, Petersburg; Frederick E. Heller, 39, Midlothian; Juan Jose Huamacto, 43, Richmond; Isaiah Trevel Jackson, 21, Richmond; Ashley D. Krigger, 27, Henrico; Donelle Rayvon Meekins, 32, Chesterfield, who was also charged with resisting arrest; Kenneth Ray Previs, 38, Mechanicsville; Pompeyo Roldan, 27, Midlothian; Javan Daniel Sturdy, Fort Lee, 34; Phuc Dac Uong, Glen Allen, 38.
- Leah Small may be reached at 722-5172 or lsmall@progress-index.com.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: 10 arrested for soliciting prostitutes
