HOUSTON – Dozens of men found themselves in handcuffs after being caught in a prostitution sting.
"We are holding men responsible," said Lt. Cathy Richards with HPD Vice.
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On Jan. 20, the HPD Vice Division initiated an investigation by opening and operating a "modeling studio" in southwest Houston. Police placed an advertisement on the website backpage.com offering sex with women. A phone number was provided in the ad and when people contacted the fake business, they were given an address and a suite number.
Officers said hundreds of potential customers contacted the studio with the intent to buy sex.
HPD Vice officers were able to identify and charge 64 men who ultimately went to the location and agreed to purchase sex from undercover officers.
"According to penal code statutes, there has to be an agreement of what sex act is conducted and a fee agreed upon for the sex act," said Richards.
Forty of those men were arrested on Feb. 19. The other 24 have warrants out for their arrest.
Officers said prostitution is not a victimless crime. They said it fuels the human trafficking trade.
"This is not just a consensual agreement. Most of these woman entered prostitution as a juvenile and have be trafficked in this business for many years," said Richards.
HPD said it hopes to reduce demand for these illegal businesses and the exploited women forced into them.
Anyone with information on these types of cases is urged to contact the HPD Vice Division at 713-308-8600.