11 men charged in prostitution sting
Aug. 4—LAWRENCE — Two undercover female police officers posed as prostitutes Thursday in a sting operation in the Broadway area.
Eleven men from Lawrence, Salem, New Hampshire, and Elmhurst, New York, were arrested and charged with sexual conduct for a fee.
The state's Department of Children and Families was also notified when one man left his child in his car while soliciting a prostitute, according to a report.
The operation included officers and detectives from the Lawrence Police Street Crimes Unit, Boston Police Human Trafficking Task Force and the Massachusetts State Police High Risk Victims Unit.
"The initiative was to combat quality of life issues prostitution in the area of Broadway," according to a report.
The men arrested approached the undercover officers in their vehicles, on foot or their bicycles seeking both oral sex and sexual intercourse in exchange for cash.
One man was additionally charged with illegal possession of cocaine and outstanding warrant, according to police.
A 56-year-old Lawrence man parked his car around the corner and was seeking a sex act in exchange for $20, according to police. As he was placed under arrest, he told detectives he had left his son, 12, in the car, police said.
The boy was brought back to the police station. DCF was notified and the boy's aunt was called to come get him, police said.
