Crime & Safety
7 Arrested In King County Operation Targeting Online Predators
Investigators said the men agreed to meet at a local motel, believing they were speaking to underage girls.
KING COUNTY, WA — A joint operation, targeting men soliciting prostitution from underage girls, led to seven arrests in King County this week. The King County Sheriff's Office worked in tandem with investigators from SeaTac Police and Burien Police to pose as young women online and speak to men suspected of exploitation.
Detectives said they had more than 900 text or voice conversations during the two-day operation, with men who believed they were talking to juveniles under the age of 15.
Out of those conversations, investigators said seven men agreed to meet at a local motel, where officers moved in to arrest. The King County Sheriff's Office said the reason the number of arrests resulting from the conversations was not higher is because the law requires certain actions to take place, like going to the motel, before they meet the standard for probable cause.
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Investigators ask anyone aware of juveniles being victimized or exploited to contact them at 206-296-3311.
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