The Shreveport Police Department announced that 57 persons had been arrested in connection with what the department called the “Slick John” sting operation. The sting operation was conducted by the vice department of the Shreveport police, the Bossier City Police Department, the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, the FBI and several other law enforcement agencies.
The sting, named using the slang term for men who use prostitutes, resulted in a variety of criminal charges, most of which were lodged against men charging them with soliciting prostitution. The ages of the suspects ranged from 19 to 66. Only a few women were arrested, but the exact number was not disclosed. A missing juvenile was also found during the sting.
Charges against the suspects include soliciting prostitution, resisting an officer, pandering, drug possession and illegal possession of a firearm. One suspect was charged with human trafficking, but the details were not released. Officers also said they seized a Hi-Point 9mm firearm, a Smith & Wesson 9mm firearm, 385.3 grams of marijuana, five doses of Alprazolam, small amounts of other miscellaneous drugs, $3,307 in cash and two vehicles. Police did not release details about how the sting was conducted or when and how the arrests were made.
Anyone caught in a wide-spread sting operation may benefit from consulting an experienced criminal defense attorney. Sting operations by over-zealous police officers often support the defense of entrapment, which entails luring an otherwise innocent person into committing a crime. Mishandling evidence so as to render it inadmissible is another defense in cases of this kind. A capable criminal defense attorney may be able to detect other weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and lay the groundwork for either a favorable plea agreement or an outright acquittal.
Source: Shreveport Times, “Read names of 57 caught in ‘Slick John’ prostitution sting,” Oct. 31, 2017