Watch and comment on all our videos (72 and counting) on YouTube by clicking here! - Over 10-Million views since October 2006 on YouTube alone.
JohnTV.com
is one Oklahoma man's effort to target, expose and impact street, organized and forced prostitution - as well as the sexual trafficking of individuals. JohnTV.com takes no formal stance against and supports the decriminalization of 100% private, consensual and unorganized prostitution.
JohnTV.com believes that prostitution is not the world's oldest profession. Instead, we argue that prostitution is the world's oldest abuse of women.
The video activism by JohnTV.com does not come cheap. From the cost of video tapes, gasoline, public records, postage, equipment, this Web site and bandwidth - it can easily cost over $1,000 per month.
Your donations (big or small) help ensure this work continues.
Donations are not tax deductible, but will give you that warm fuzzy feeling!
| Prostitution Arrest Stats
for 2008 (updated 3/31/08) |
| Males Arrested |
Females Arrested |
Total number arrested: 59 |
| Total Arrested: 23 (38.98%) |
Total Arrested: 36 (61.01%) |
| |
|
Demographics |
| White Males: 14 (60.86%) |
White Females: 19 (52.77%) |
| Black Males: 1 (4.34%) |
Black Females: 7 (19.44%) |
| Hispanic Males: 6 (26.08%) |
Hispanic Females: 6 (16.66%) |
| Asian Males: 1 (4.34%) |
Asian Females: 1 (2.77%) |
| Indian Males: 1 (4.34%) |
Indian Females: 3 (8.33%) |
| Age |
Age |
| 18-25: 5 (21.73%) |
18-25: 13 (36.11%) |
| 26-30: 5 (21.73%) |
26-30: 9 (25%) |
| 31-35: 4 (17.39%) |
31-35: 4 (11.11%) |
| 36-40: 2 (8.69%) |
36-40: 6 (16.66%) |
| 41-45: 2 (8.69%) |
41-45: 3 (8.33%) |
| 46-50: 3 (13.04%) |
46-50: 1 (2.77%) |
| 51 and over: 2 (8.69%) |
51 and over: 0 |
| |
|
Type of Prostitution Activity |
| Street Prostitution: 12 (52.17%) |
Street Prostitution: 19 (52.77%) |
| Escort/Private: 8 (34.78%) |
Escort/Private: 12 (33.33%) |
| Truck Stop: 0 |
Truck Stop: |
| Undetermined: 3 (17.39%) |
Undetermined: 5 (13.88%) |
The information above is derived from the Oklahoma County jail blotter.
MORE 2008 ARREST STATS [click here]
* See all arrests in 2008 for prostitution and public lewdness by clicking here.
Video Vigilante Footage Aids in Huge Police Drug Sting
5/5/08 -- OKC, OK - Oklahoma's own Video Vigilante, Brian Bates, captures brazen drug dealing in south Oklahoma City.
The footage leads to a massive police sting - The largest in recent Oklahoma City history, with 27-arrests and more expected.
Click here to see the newscast from KFOR .
Nat'l News: 'D.C. madam' commits suicide
5/1/08 -- Florida (as reported by the AP) - A woman convicted two weeks ago of being the "D.C. Madam" hanged herself Thursday, apparently making good on her vow never to go to prison for running a high-end Washington prostitution ring.
The body of Deborah Jeane Palfrey was found in a shed near her mother's home about 20 miles northwest of Tampa. Police said the 52-year-old Palfrey left at least two suicide notes and other writings to her family in a notebook, but they did not disclose their contents.
Palfrey apparently hanged herself with nylon rope from the shed's ceiling. Her mother discovered the body. (click here to read more)
Nat'l News: Soliciting prostitutes can cost car
4/23/08 -- Memphis, TN (as reported on CommercialAppeal.com) -
If you're caught with a prostitute, local authorities plan to seize your car.
That was the message conveyed at a press conference Tuesday afternoon, where officials with the Memphis Police and the District Attorney General's Office announced the arrests of 64 people in a three-day prostitution sting.
As a result of those arrests, authorities will attempt to seize 42 cars: 39 from those charged with soliciting prostitutes, as well as one from a suspect facing drug charges and two because the owners had revoked driver's licenses. [...]
Nat'l News: No-nonsense deputy DA cracks down on pimps
4/23/08 -- Oakland, CA (as reported on InsideBayArea.com) - From a tiny second-floor office in Alameda County Superior Court, Deputy District Attorney Sharmin Eshraghi Bock is leading a statewide charge to spare teenage prostitutes and jail their pimps.
"We treat the girls as victims and deliver specialized services to them, and we prosecute the pimps to the maximum sentences possible," Bock said in an interview last week as she rushed to a court hearing carrying the trademark tools of her trade: a thick court file in one hand and a Blackberry cell phone in the other.
Her mission may sound obvious, but it represents a sea change in the way the criminal justice system has historically treated minors ensnared in the sex trade. Until about two years ago, the girls — some as young as 11 or 12 — have been prosecuted and jailed.
Now, Bock, deputy district attorney in charge of Alameda County's human exploitation and trafficking unit, has been throwing the book at the men who victimize the youngsters and has been making sure the girls receive the care and services they need.
"For me, it's about giving back to them what has been taken from them," Bock said. "Maybe I can be a glimmer for them of what love looks like."
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office has filed felony trafficking charges against 84 pimps in the last two years, since California enacted a new law making it easier to charge people with human trafficking for sex.
Bock, 45, was the first attorney in California to charge a case under the law, which took effect in January 2006.
Whenever possible, Bock also tries to maximize sentences for accused pimps by filing additional charges, including sexual assault, burglary and, sometimes, kidnapping. Kidnapping a minor could lead to a life sentence for a pimp.
Of the 84 pimps charged, 49 have been convicted and most are serving time in prison or county jail, Bock said. Another 28 cases are pending or awaiting trial.
Only seven cases have been dismissed. Spreading the word
More importantly, as Bock sees it, she has trained officers in the Oakland and BART police departments and the Alameda County sheriff's and probation departments, which oversee juvenile hall, and other county and state agencies in how to pursue trafficking cases to get pimps behind bars and rescue the girls.
She also has trained state parole officers and members of the state attorney general's staff, as well as police officers from 11 other jurisdictions and FBI and federal immigration officials, what is regarded as a new, more just approach to tackling sexual exploitation of minors.
"It's innovative," said her boss, Chief Assistant District Attorney Nancy O'Malley.
Bock worked with social service agencies to form a Sexually Exploited Minors Network in 2003. The network now includes a dozen law enforcement, counseling and assistance programs as well as the Alameda County juvenile justice system.
Bock said interagency cooperation is essential to help the girls and prosecute the pimps.
Today, when Oakland police arrest a pimp or a minor involved in prostitution, a social worker advocate is on the scene to deliver counseling to the youngster, while the police consult Bock — on the scene and throughout the investigation — on what charges to bring against the apprehended pimps, she said.
Officers try to avoid arresting girls, but may do so to help target the pimp, or because the girls will be safer in juvenile hall than under the coercive tutelage of a pimp.
BART police Detective Ed Alvarez said the collaborative work has helped his agency and Oakland police nab some of the many pimps who use BART stations as recruiting grounds.
"After training at the DA's office, officers know if they see an older man talking to group of girls, the guy is probably recruiting girls," said Alvarez, who was a lead investigator on a case brought to court last week in which a 32-year-old pimp was prosecuted for recruiting a 13-year-old girl at a BART station and trafficking her for sex.
Alvarez said BART officials also learned to pay attention to arguments.
"It may not be just a male and female arguing," he said. "It might be a pimp trying to recruit a young girl against her will."
Still, prosecuting pimps is sensitive, hard work, made all the harder because Bock and police departments try to protect the girls and, if possible, spare them from arrest.
But because she works within a system of laws and court hearings, Bock often needs the victim's cooperation to file charges against the pimp.
"That's one of the greatest challenges," Bock said. "Without the victim's participation in the prosecution, we don't have a case."
Regardless, she said, a victim should always be free to decide if she wishes to testify. "Otherwise," Bock said, "the system will just be re-victimizing them."
In the courtroom, Bock is tough.
During an April 16 plea bargain hearing in Alameda County Superior Court, Bock faced off against a 32-year-old Oakland man charged with human trafficking and criminal threats against a 13-year-old girl.
He stared coldly at Bock across the courtroom. She stared back when she wasn't addressing the judge.
The defendant, Lawrence Johnson, was arrested for human trafficking of a girl he lured at the 12th Street BART station in Oakland and pimped for many months.
In the case, Johnson agreed to a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to trafficking charges and criminal threats and a prison sentence of four years and eight months. He also received a "strike," meaning the felony conviction counted as the first against him under California's "Three Strikes" law.
Bock said she would have pressed other, tougher charges, but to do so would have required the girl to testify. She felt it was more important to protect the girl from further trauma.
"The pimps have taken all their self-esteem away," Bock said. "I want to empower them to feel strong again."
Nat'l News: City workers among those busted in vice sting
4/23/08 -- Memphis, TN (as reported on WAREG-TV3) -
Two city workers are accused of trying to buy sex while they were on the clock.
Memphis police arrested 65 people over the past weekend, and charged some with pimping, others with soliciting prostitutes. Among those arrested, include two on-duty MLGW workers as well as 1 off-duty Memphis firefighter.
It was all part of an undercover sting that went down on Lamar near an elementary and middle school. Undercover Memphis detectives posed as prostitutes and encountered all kinds of folks who they say tried to pay them for sex.
Police say Randall Sowell had his own 7-year-old daughter with him, when he tried to pay the decoy $150 in exchange for different sex acts. It was the child's birthday. Police say there were even presents in her dad's car.
MLGW employees Devon Hamilton and Edward Rogers were arrested while they were on the job, dressed in their uniforms, driving an MLGW truck.
"The truck was parked right here and there was two of them," said James Logan.
He works at the Jack Pirtle's on Lamar and says he saw the two utility employees try to pick up the female decoys.
According to court papers, they offered $100 dollars in exchange for different sex acts.
"They're supposed to be working, everyone's bill is high, they're on the job and they're out here, trying to buy women," said Logan.
Hamilton's neighbors say he's married and has a son.
"He's a respectful neighbor, but the most person who's going to go through hell is his wife down there," said neighbor Marcus Belton.
Mlgw issued a statement calling the situation "disappointing," but customers are calling it something else...
"It was crazy," said Logan. "Everybody's upset because MLGW doesn't do their job anyway, but to see this, it just makes the situation look real bad."
"I don't think it's right," said neighbor Betty Hollwell. "They're supposed to be working. They are not supposed to be soliciting anything."
Police also seized the vehicles the suspects were driving. They'll remain state property as the court proceedings go forward.
Additional Resources:
- See an OKC example of city workers and prostitutes (as taped by the Video Vigilante - Video 1 - Video 2)
Nat'l News: Ex-coach sentenced for pimping out teenager
4/22/08 -- KMBC-TV - A former girls' softball coach has pleaded guilty to sex charges involving a teenage girl.
Jesse Herd, 35, pleaded guilty in federal court because he said he brought a 14-year-old girl from Kansas to Erotic City, a juice bar and adult club in Jackson County, Mo., to have sex with her in what he called the "orgy room."
A federal judge sentenced Herd to a 22-year prison sentence and ordered him to pay $14,440 to cover counseling for his victim and to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison.
Additional Resources:
- KMBC-TV article
- Fort Mills Times article
Nat'l News: Subject of ABC prostitution special recognized by mom
4/22/08 -- FoxNews.com - A Manhattan hooker interviewed by Diane Sawyer for an ABC special on prostitution was busted by her mom — who recognized her daughter, despite the network's efforts to disguise her.
"I'm mentioning the interview now because last night, I learned that my parents tuned in to ABC that fateful day and promptly recognized me, in spite of the silhouette, the altered voice, the distorted profile, the vague and thoroughly dated details," wrote the hooker, who blogs on wordpress.com under the name "debauchette."
"I received an e-mail from my mother saying that she knows. She saw the interview and decided to sit on this knowledge until she could see it again, and then she decided to contact me."
Additional Resources:
- Click here to read original article.
New Video: Video Vigilante busts three 'Johns' 
4/14/08 -- OKC, OK - Oklahoma's own Video Vigilante and founder of JohnTV.com, Brian Bates, busted three 'Johns' on tape over the weekend.
The video (which can be seen here) was taped last Saturday and exposes three 'Johns' engaging in street prostitution in Oklahoma City.
Two of the videos were taped on South Robinson Ave. and the third near NW 10th and Blackwelder.
You can see the posted videos by the Video Vigilante here.
Daily jail blotter for all crimes now online
4/14/08 -- OKC, OK - Starting today, you can now review the Oklahoma County jail blotter online.
The jail blotter is a public document that is published daily by the jail and covers all individuals arrested the previous day in Oklahoma County.
JohnTV.com and JailBlotter.com are now publishing this document online.
The purpose is to provide citizens with yet another tool to identify potential criminal elements in their community.
JohnTV and JailBlotter.com are voluntarily redacting part of each arrested individual's listed home address and the month and day of their date of birth.
The reasons for the redactions are;
1. A level of privacy for individuals arrested, but not yet charged/convicted of a crime in Oklahoma County.
2. Many times the address given by those arrested in not correct.
3. We do not want to in-essence advertise the exact location of drug houses and houses of prostitution.
You can see the most current JailBlotter by clicking here.
Craigslist sex ads lead to teen's arrest in Oklahoma
 4/9/08 -- OKC, OK - Oklahoma City police arrest a man and teenage girl for prostitution related crimes utilizing the popular Internet site CraigsList.com.
According to the Oklahoma County jail blotter, on Monday police booked into jail Michael T. Blunt, 33, and Jennifer L. M., 19. Both are reportedly from Aurora, Colorado.
Ads containing provocative photos of Jennifer began appearing last Sunday.
By Monday night the two had been contacted by police and arrested.
Blunt was arrested on complaints of aiding prostitution and drug possession, while Jennifer faces a felony complaint of using a computer to commit a crime and prostitution.
JohnTV.com hopes prosecutors will seek to prove that Blunt has been pimping Jennifer and living off the proceeds of her prostitution and seek additional felony charges.
Law enforcement agencies have long complained that Craigslist enables prostitution and even human trafficking with their laxed posting policies and anonymity for criminals.
As recently as today, media reports detail the plight of a 15-year old runaway from Wisconsin who was found to be prostituting herself in Craiglist's "erotic services" section.
In another case of alleged child trafficking, Adam Bryant, 29, is a D.C. attorney charged with offering to pay $1,000 to have sex with what he thought was a 13-year old girl.
You can keep tabs on criminals who have been enabled by Craiglist at the unofficial Craigslist Blog and CraigsCrimeList.
New Web site invites the public to rate a cop
3/24/08 -- Ever wanted to let the world know about an interaction you've had with a police officer? Well, a new Web site invites you to do just that.
Log-on to RateMyCop.com and share your experience - good, bad or indifferent.
JohnTV.com has created an account and we plan to post regularly - you should too!
Video Vigilante guest on NPR's 'Here and Now'
3/12/08 -- Oklahoma's own Video Vigilante, Brian Bates, was interviewed today for National Public Radio's (NPR) 'Here and Now', hosted by Robin Young and billed as a midday news magazine.
Check your local listing for air times.
New Feature: Arrests and videos now mapped!
View Larger Map
3/8/07 -- OKC, OK - JohnTV.com is now mapping the location of all Oklahoma County arrests for prostitution related crimes. The mapping feature helps illustrate not only where prostitution is occurring but the impact police stings are having on those areas.
Also included in the mapping feature are prostitution geographic restriction areas and links to videos shot at specific locations around Oklahoma City.
This mapping feature will be permanently parked in the arrest section of JohnTV.com.
You Heard it Here First!
State employee arrested twice for prostitution crimes; Last night for prostituting a minor
3/6/08 (Updated 3/12/08) -- OKC, OK - Click here to read.
Video Vigilante featured in LA Times
3/4/08 -- Oklahoma's own Video Vigilante was featured on last Saturday's front page of the LA Times.
You can read the article here.
Escort and 'John' arrested for prostitution; Did police go too far?
2/27/08 -- OKC, OK - Click here to read.
Two out-of-towners nabbed in Vice sting; One a former city council candidate from Arkansas
2/27/08 -- OKC, OK - Click here to read.
Police arrest 10 overnight in prostitution sting
2/19/08 -- OKC, OK - Click here to read.
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!
Edmond deacon blind pleas to child porn charges; Records show previous sex crimes
UPDATE: Fly given 6-years in prison
2/11/08 (updated 2/22/08) -- OKC, OK - Click here to read.
6 Men and 1 Woman Arrested Overnight for Prostitution
1/24/08 -- OKC, OK - According to the Oklahoma County jail blotter, 6 men and one woman were arrested overnight on prostitution related charges.
Booked into the Oklahoma County jail were;
Jeremiah D. Jones | White male | DOB: 1/3/78 (30) | Resides in the 4600 block of SE 23rd, OKC, OK | Charge: Offering to engage.
Todd Allen Coker | White male | DOB: 10/25/82 (25) | Resides in the 500 block of SW 93rd., OKC, OK | Charge: Offering to engage.
Ronald Paul Fish | White male | DOB: 1/8/43 (65) | Resides in the 6400 block of SE 57th, OKC, OK | Charge: Offering to engage.
Selvin Omar Perez-Gonzales | Mexican male | DOB: 2/24/78 (29) | Resides in the 1900 block of NW 14th, OKC, OK | Charge: offering to engage.
Lucio Sanchez Gutierrez | Mexican male | DOB: 12/13/83 (24) | No home address given | Charge: Offering to engage.
Armando Morales Herrera (Olivas) | Mexican male | DOB: 4/1/79 (28) | Resides in Waukomis, OK | Charge: Offering to engage.
Kesa Leann H. | Mexican female | DOB: 6/27/79 (28) | Resides in OKC, OK | Charge: Offering to engage.
No additional information was available at the time of this report. However, JohnTV.com was out and about on the night of the arrests (Wednesday) when we noticed an obvious vice sting and take down area on South Robinson Ave. after 8pm.
Check back with JohnTV.com for the official police reports and court action.
Additional Resources:
- See all arrests for 2008
- More information on the Oklahoma County Jail Blotter
Click here to comment on this article or about someone that was arrested.
2008 arrests now published on JohnTV.com
1/22/08 -- Click here to read.
Video Vigilante aids in arrest of wanted felon after taping armed robbery 1/9/07 -- OKC, OK - Click here to read.
SideBar Blog Local news: District Attorney Mashburn No Protector of Children
Refuses to file rape charges against online predator
1/5/07 -- Cleveland Co, OK - Click here to read (from SideBarBlog)
Local News: Police report released in Deputy Dean arrest
1/1/08 -- OKC, OK - Click here to read.
Nat'l News: JohnTV.com and Video Vigilante featured in Wired magazine
1/1/08 -- Click here to read.
Nat'l News: 'Criminals Gone Wild' producer underfire and under investigation over 'reality' DVD
12/18/07 -- Brooklyn, N.Y. - Click here to read.
Local News: Sheriff's deputy busted with mentally handicapped street prostitute in South OKC
12/17/07 (updated 12/20/07) -- OKC, OK - Click here to read.
More Articles of Interest at http://www.johntvblog.blogspot.com.
|
