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Springfield police officers posed as prostitutes on Thursday, June 15, in the High Street area and South End neighborhood, where neighbors had complained of "quality of life" problems such as sex workers and drugs.
The "Anti-John" campaign only lasted about four hours, but police arrested nearly a dozen men on the charge of paying for sexual conduct, Springfield police said.
Those arrested as part of the sting include:
- Joel Otero, 42, of Springfield
- Renaud Martin, 73, of Springfield
- Samuel Morales, 31, of Springfield
- Gerald Taylor, 70, of Longmeadow
- Luis Jimmenez Jr., 79, of Springfield
- Anthony Ramos, 22, of Springfield
- Davion Bryant, 22, of Springfield
- Jesse Gainer, 33, of Springfield
- Richard Sickler, 56, of Chicopee
- Joshua Rivera, 34, of Chicopee
- Omar Lopez, 44, of Southbridge
Massachusetts State Police, the Hampden District Attorney's Office, Holyoke police, and the Hampden County Sheriff's Department took part in the Anti-John operation.
Springfield officers previously arrested two women during a previous sting in the High, School, and Union streets area and charged them with prostitution. After their arrests, they were offered drug addiction and recovery counseling.
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