LAPD closes 2023 with 5 arrests in prostitution ring

Travis Schlepp
·2 min read
6

Five people were arrested as part of the Los Angeles Police Department’s last prostitution sting operation of 2023.

On the afternoon of Dec. 30, officers from the LAPD Southeast Vice Unit conducted a sting operation targeting commercial sex workers who used the internet to advertise their sexual services for money.

Undercover officers posed as sex purchasers, organized a meetup at a motel in South Los Angeles and took the individuals into custody on prostitution charges.

Four women were arrested and charged with solicitation for the purpose of prostitution. They’ve been identified as Jasmine Reed, 26, Josalyn Greenwood, 40, Elizabeth Vazquez, 30, and Salena Contreras, 29. All four were cited and released from custody, LAPD officials said.

A fifth person, identified as 28-year-old Curtis Robinson, was also arrested as part of the sting, although his exact role was not specified. He was arrested on multiple outstanding felony warrants.

Robinson was booked into the Men’s Central Jail in Chinatown and is being held without bail. He is due in court on Jan. 30, arrest records show.

All five are residents of Los Angeles, authorities said.

The Southeast Area Vice Unit has worked with law enforcement agencies throughout county, state and federal jurisdictions to combat prostitution and human trafficking along the “Figueroa Corridor” in South L.A.

6 arrested in South L.A. prostitution sting

In 2023, officers made 367 arrests in the region and surrounding areas and rescued 14 minors who were identified as victims of human trafficking.

The unit has partnered with nonprofit organizations including Journey Out, Saving Innocence and Children of the Night to provide services to these survivors.

Anyone with information about suspected prostitution or human trafficking in South Los Angeles is encouraged to contact the LAPD Southeast Vice Unit at 213-972-1017. Anonymous tips can be made online or by calling 1-800-222-8477.

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