All five suspects were apprehended in Dutchess County Wednesday, April 27, in the Town of Fishkill after local and state police targeted prostitution and other illegal activity at the Extended Stay America on West Merritt Boulevard, Fishkill Police said.
In addition to the prostitution charges, some were also busted for criminal possession of a controlled substance, police said.
Police did not release the names of those charged.
In a statement announcing the arrests, Fishkill Police said prostitution is not a victimless crime and noted that it’s commonly associated with human trafficking.
“Ninety-five percent of sex trafficking victims are women or children. As part of this initiative, arrestees were interviewed to evaluate their safety, potential victimization in human trafficking and provide resources to improve their situation,” police said.
“The goal of these operations is to improve the quality of life for residents of the community, their families, and friends who frequent the area, as well as to harden the target, making Fishkill an unappealing site for criminal activities.”
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